If you have a long furred cat they are going to need some help managing their fur if you want to avoid tangles, clumping, and hairballs developing.
I have a Maine Coon, so trust me when I say I know all too well how important it is to keep their coats free from knotting.
We (Alfie and I) actually have a good routine down and he’s fine with a 10-minute brush every other day or so which keeps his coat in tip-top shape.
If you still need convincing, brushing your cat not only helps keep their coats healthy and in good condition, but it’ll greatly reduce the number of loose hairs around your home.
The best brushes for long haired cats make this really easy too. So, as long as you have the right brush for your cat’s coat and get them used to a little grooming, it’ll be more fun than a chore as I’ll explain.
Best Brushes for Long Haired Cats
The FURminator Short or Long Hair Deshedding Brush
The FURminator is probably the most well-known cat brush, and with good reason too because it’s an awesome brush and the one I use on my Maine Coon.
It has a long hair stainless steel deShedding edge to comb through and catch all the loose hairs in your cat’s undercoat.
It has what they call a FURejector button on the back. You click this to release all the hair, making brushing and cleaning the brush super easy.
The FURminator recommends:
Daily grooming – This collects all the loose hairs and prevents tangling and knots from forming.
Weekly grooming – Used 10 minutes weekly will reduce shedding by up to 90%. This means less hair on your furniture, clothes, and other places you never want to find it.
Monthly grooming – Bathe (if possible) and brush your cat’s coat for a healthy and shiny finish.
How often to brush your cat with the FURminator? They recommend 1-2 times a week for 15-20 minutes to maintain your cat’s coat.
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Pet Neat Self Cleaning Cat Grooming Brush
This is another cool little grooming brush that also cleans itself. You click the button to pop out the bristles, brush your cat’s coat until it’s full of hair, then click the button to retract the bristles and the hair will fall off.
It’s a similar design to the FURminator which is the staple for modern brushes for long fur cat’s. I think the bristles on this brush is better for thicker coats though.
It’s also better if your cat already has some matting or knots. The bristles are long enough to get to the base of their coat, and you can work knots loose without hurting them.
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MIU COLOR Deshedding Grooming Brush for Cats
This is another brush with a fine comb, so while it’s not the best for tackling tough knots it’s excellent at combing through your cats coat to remove all the loose hair.
This brush has some cool features:
- 4” high-quality stainless steel deshedding comb with safety cover
- Quick release button to remove the comb so you can clean the hair out easily
- Durable, non-slip handle to ensure you keep a nice comfortable grip with even the most fidgety of cats
It’s available in large or extra-large, as well as blue or yellow if you like color-coding your accessories.
So if you have a huge cat and think you need something larger than the average comb to tackle that mane then go for the extra-large.
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Safari Cat Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
I’ve included this brush as a cost-effective, simple option. No frills here, just a handy cat brush with retractable bristles to help remove the hair.
Their marketing info says it’s suitable for all types of coat, not just long-haired cats. So, handy if you have more than one cat with a different style and length coat.
Customer feedback is positive. From light brushing to keep your cat tidy, to working out patches of fur that are starting to mat and tangle.
Safari has loads of quality grooming products in their range. From nail cutters to soft or hard bristle brushes, to fine combs.
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Hertzko Self Cleaning Cat Grooming Brush
Hertzko make a range of pet accessories and I’ve owned one or two of their items, so I know they produce high-quality goods and have no problem recommending them.
If you’re after a purple brush, this one’s for you. But seriously, it’s a great brush. It has a safety release to help clean the comb as we come to expect from cat brushes and lots of fine teeth to comb through coats with a fine precision.
It’ll get rid of dead and knotted hair and help prevent tangling and matting when used on a regular basis. The best part is that if you’re not happy for any reason they’ll give you a 100% refund.
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How Often Do You Have to Brush a Long Haired Cat?
There is no hard rule of thumb for how often you need to brush cats with long fur. Various breeds of cat have different types of fur, different lengths, density, and so on that have different grooming requirements.
On top of this, the number of knots and matting will vary from cat to cat. Some cats may start matting daily if you don’t step in and give them a brush, while others can go days or weeks without a problem.
I always recommend people give long-haired cats a quick brush twice a day to start off. Once in the morning, and once in the evening.
Doing this you will get a good feel for how difficult it is and the condition of their coats. You can then groom them less often if necessary.
It’s good practice to start off grooming them daily to get them used to the brush too. This will make yours, and your cat’s life easier should the need come to work out some tough matted knots.
5 Good Reasons Why You Should Brush Your Long Haired Cat Regularly
If you needed any more reasons to brush your cat other than to keep their coat’s in tip-top condition, here are some of the other benefits of brushing them regularly:
Helps the two of you bond – If you want to be closer to your cat then grooming them is only going to bring you closer. It’s therapeutic for you too!
Prevents matting and knots – As mentioned above, the main reason to brush long-haired cats is to help keep their hair from knotting and mating together which can be very painful for them.
Improves circulation – Much like a massage does for us, brushing your cat helps to improve circulation as you’re effectively massaging them at the same time too. This is good for their health and promotes healthier coats.
Reduces hairballs – The more loose hair you brush off of your cat’s coat, the less they will ingest while they are grooming themselves. This means fewer hairballs, which means less throwing up around the house!
Removes dirt and debris – It’s amazing what you will see come out of the coat on a long haired cat sometimes. It’s better you brush out dirt and debris than they lick it out too. If you have a messy cat keep that brush close to hand.
How to Brush a Long Hair Cat
This video takes you through the steps how to brush a long-haired cat if you want a demonstration before tackling your own cat:
