The 10 Best Cat Brushes of 2023

Mar 26, 2024

It's time to give your cat a spa day

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People / Marcus Millan

If you have a cat, finding loose hair all around your home is par for the course. A good cat brush can help control this issue, but that's not the only reason to get one.

"Brushing your cat regularly can help prevent the formation of hairballs and mats, which can lead to discomfort or health problems," says Dr. Carling Matejka, DVM, veterinarian and spokesperson for Solid Gold. "It's important to choose a brush that is gentle on your cat's skin and doesn't cause any discomfort or irritation."

We tested 22 cat brushes to help you narrow it down, including slickers, dematting tools, and boar hair brushes. Each option was evaluated for user-friendliness, effectiveness, cleaning requirements, quality, and value.

These are the best cat brushes PEOPLE Tested.

Amazon

Grippy ergonomic design makes it easy to use

Loosens, removes, and detangles hair, thanks to its stainless steel teeth

Fur ejector button makes it easy to clean

Our cat actually enjoyed this brushing session

We couldn't find anything wrong with this brush

Of all the options we tested, our favorite cat brush is the FURminator deShedding Tool. It has a grippy ergonomic handle and durable yet gentle stainless steel teeth that effortlessly loosen and remove all excess fur from your cat's coat while detangling matts.

The design is super comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver. It's the perfect size and shape for reaching all around your pet's body, including larger areas and into smaller curves and contours. Cats seem to enjoy it too! The one we tested it on purred with delight and rolled over to have her tummy brushed.

This cat brush removes an impressive amount of fur, so you can expect to see much less around your home. Thanks to the fur ejector button, it's also incredibly easy to clean, as the hair just comes right off. We loved this product and wouldn't change a thing about it.

Price at Time of Publish: $19.90 (orig. $22)

Dimensions: 6 x 3 x 2 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

Amazon

Comfortable, non-slip handle

Soft rubberized tips are effective at deshedding and detangling

Tricky to clean because you have to pull the hair out yourself

On a budget? Go with the Hartz Groomer's Best Slicker. This cat brush has a sturdy, non-slip handle and medium-firm metal bristles with soft rubberized tips. During our tests, it was comfortable to hold and worked very well at loosening and removing excess fur. It's also good at detangling and getting rid of matts.

One drawback is that this brush is kind of tricky to clean. Unlike other slicker-style tools, it doesn't have a self-release button, so you have to pull out the captured fur by hand. But for under $10, this effective product is a steal.

Price at Time of Publish: $7.46

Dimensions: 9 x 3.5 x 1.5 inches | Bristle Material: Metal

People / Christine Austin

People / Christine Austin

People / Christine Austin

Amazon

Dual-sided design for combing hair and removing loose fur

Comfortable and easy to maneuver in all areas

Good at loosening excess fur

Not ideal for dematting

Hair clings to static comb, so it requires some elbow grease to clean

If you have a long-haired cat at home, go with the Pet Republique Dematting Tool. The dual-sided design has longer metal teeth on one side for combing through stubborn knots and shorter, smaller teeth on the other for removing loose fur. We found this brush sturdy, comfortable to hold, and generally easy to maneuver. While it wasn't great at removing existing matts, it glides through un-matted cat hair pretty effortlessly and does a good job loosening excess fur.

Using the brush creates some static electricity, which makes the loose hair stick to the comb. This makes it somewhat tricky to clean, but you can get all the fur off with a little elbow grease. All things considered, this affordable tool is a great value.

Price at Time of Publish: $11.59

Dimensions: 10 x 4 x 0.5 inches | Bristle Material: Metal

People / Jennifer Joanning

People / Jennifer Joanning

People / Jennifer Joanning

Amazon

Easy to maneuver since you can hold it like a sponge

Soft and gentle silicone is very cat-friendly

Gathers all loose fur

Doens't comb out matts

For short-haired cats, we recommend the Furbliss. This silicone grooming tool feels well-designed and not at all flimsy. Though it doesn't have a handle, we found it very easy to hold and maneuver. The silicone "bristles" are much gentler than metal-toothed models — based on their purring, we could tell how much the cats loved it.

Though this brush doesn't comb out knots, it gathers up all the loose fur that would otherwise just fall off and end up around your home. You can expect a smoother, shiner coat after using it. It's also a breeze to clean — just wash it with soap and water, and you're good to go.

Price at Time of Publish: $14.99

Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches | Bristle Material: Silicone

People / Lisa Pezzuto

Amazon

Comfy rubberized handle makes it easy to hold

Gentle yet effective at removing knots

Retractable self-cleaning bristles

Too large for some cats

Bendable bristles

Does your cat's hair get easily matted? Reach for the Hertzko Slicker Brush. This high-quality grooming tool has a comfy rubberized handle and stainless steel bristles. Gently yet effectively, it works through knots and picks up clumps of hair without tugging on your cat's skin. It's also incredibly easy to clean — just press the button to retract the bristles and release the captured hair.

One thing to note is that it might be slightly too large for some cats, as well as for accessing smaller areas. Also, the bristles are pretty thin, so they likely bend easily, which could impact the effectiveness and potentially make it uncomfortably pokey for cats. Still, we think this product is a great value and definitely worth buying.

Price at Time of Publish: $16.46

Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 3 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

People / Andrew Whalen

Amazon

Penetrates deep into undercoat

Protective rubber tips keep your cat safe

Easy to clean, thanks to a one-button system

Too large for brushing some areas

Looking for a deshedding tool? The Aumuca Cat Brush is your best bet. The solid, well-balanced handle feels comfortable and easy to hold, and the stainless steel bristles are curved at the perfect angle to penetrate into your cat's undercoat and remove all excess fur. We (and the cats we tested it on) also appreciate that the bristles have protective rubber tips to make them less pokey.

Since the brush head is on the larger side, it's hard to access some areas, like the head, neck, and under the legs. But all in all, it did an excellent job of removing hair and debris from the undercoat. Cleaning was a piece of cake, too, thanks to the bristle-release button.

Price at Time of Publish: $19.19

Dimensions: 8.5 x 4 x 2 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

People / Jeanne Geer

Amazon

Stainless steel bristles with protective rubber tips are perfectly spaced

Loosens and removes excess fur with ease

Self-cleaning design makes for easy hair removal

Too large for accessing some areas

Depets makes our favorite slicker brush. This grooming tool has a comfy, grippy handle and stainless steel bristles with protective rubber tips. We found it easy to hold and maneuver, and although the large size makes it hard to access all areas, it moves pretty effortlessly through a cat's coat.

With perfectly spaced bristles, this slicker brush does impressive work loosening and removing excess fur from the undercoat. Cleaning it was no problem, either. All you have to do is push the button on the back to retract the teeth, which releases the collected hair. All things considered, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product to any cat owner.

Price at Time of Publish: $7.49 (orig. $15)

Dimensions: 6 x 2 x 2 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

People / Alessandra Amodio

Amazon

Comfortable grippy handle makes it easy to use

Large brush head ensures a quicker combing session

To clean, you just have to press one button

No protective beads on bristles

The Safari Slicker Brush is the best option for large cats. This sizable tool has a sturdy feel and a comfortable grippy handle. The large head allows you to quickly brush your cat's entire body, and the stainless steel bristles do an excellent job of deshedding and removing loose fur. While the bristles don't have protective beads at the tips, they didn't seem to bother the cats we tested it on.

After using this tool, you can expect your cat's coat to be shinier and softer. Thanks to the self-cleaning design, all you have to do is press a button to release the hair into the trash. In the end, we think the price is right on point.

Price at Time of Publish: $19.99

Dimensions: 10.5 x 6.5 x 2.5 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

People / Alessandra Amodio

Amazon

Comb serves as a great backup tool to slicker brush

One-button cleaning system on the slicker

Great value for a set

Too large for some cats or areas

This set from Kalamanda comes with a slicker-style brush and a comb, each with lightweight yet sturdy plastic handles and stainless steel teeth. The brush is on the larger side, so while it's great for the back and belly, it's not ideal for smaller areas — and it might be entirely too big for some cats. Still, it was effective at removing loose fur, knots, and dander.

Plus, the comb is a great backup for places the brush may not be able to access, like the head, cheeks, and legs. Both tools are easy to clean — hair just pulls right out of the comb, and the brush has a "one-click cleaning" feature that instantly releases the fur with the press of a button. For less than $15, this cat grooming set is a stellar value.

Price at Time of Publish: $11.99

Dimensions: 8.5 x 3 x 1 inches | Bristle Material: Stainless steel

People / Elise Wojczyk Wang

Amazon

Lightweight wooden handle, so even kids can brush your cat

Exceptionally soft bristles are effective at removing loose hair

Leaves coat smooth and soft with regular use

Not ideal for dematting or deshedding

If your cat has sensitive skin, we suggest this boar hair brush from Mars Coat King. The natural bristles are exceptionally soft, but they seem to be securely attached to the wooden paddle. They glide over your cat's hair and remove loose, excess fur from the surface while making their coat smooth and ultra-soft.

Though this brush doesn't do much in terms of detangling or deshedding, we think using it regularly would likely prevent knots. Since the collected hair sticks to the boar bristles, it's hard to pull it out by hand. But it comes off pretty easily with a comb. With a price tag of under $15, this gentle cat brush is undoubtedly worth buying.

Price at Time of Publish: $12.99

Dimensions: 7.5 x 2 x 1.5 inches | Bristle Material: Boar hair

People / Skye Senterfeit

There are a few types of cat brushes to consider, including slickers, soft-bristle brushes, rubberized massagers, combs, and rakes. According to Dr. Matejka, the right option depends on your cat's coat and what you're trying to achieve.

Rakes like the FURminator deShedding Tool are good for deshedding and combing through knots. Slickers like the Depets Self-Cleaning Slicker are also good deshedders and a go-to for removing matts. Combs are great for accessing hard-to-reach areas, and gentler options are best for smoothing and softening.

Cat brushes often have stainless steel bristles, which are typically very effective at deshedding and detangling. As with the Aumuca Cat Brush, some have protective rubberized tips, which make them a little gentler on your pet's skin.

You'll also find options with boar bristles, like the Mars Coat King Cat Hair Brush, which resemble human hair brushes and are generally good for more sensitive cats.

When buying a cat brush, consider your pet's hair length. "Long-haired cats may require a slicker brush with tightly packed bristles that can penetrate the thick fur and detangle knots," says Dr. Matejka. "For short-haired cats, a rubber brush or grooming mitt is often effective in removing loose fur and promoting healthy skin."

"Yes, it's generally okay to brush a cat every day when done gently and with the right tools," says Dr. Matejka. She explains that daily brushing can prevent hairballs and matting. "It can also help distribute natural oils in your cat's coat, keeping it shiny and healthy."

Dr. Matejka adds that it's best to introduce new grooming tools gradually to avoid a negative reaction. "If your cat shows signs of discomfort or stress during brushing, it may be best to reduce the frequency or seek guidance from a professional groomer or veterinarian," she adds.

Based on our tests, the best tool to remove matted cat fur is the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. The stainless steel bristles gently yet effectively move through knots and tangles while capturing loose hair. That said, any high-quality slicker brush should work to get rid of matts.

It depends on what they're trying to achieve, but groomers often use softer bristle brushes to make a cat's coat smooth and shiny. If the cat has existing matts or tangles, they might reach for a slicker or rake tool to remove them. For bathing, groomers might use a silicone or rubber massager-style brush.

We took our time researching the best cat brushes on the market and selected 22 to try firsthand. All components of each brush were carefully examined, including the handle, head, and bristles.

We then used them to brush at least one cat's entire body, noting how easy they were to maneuver, how well they worked, and the cat's reaction during the grooming session. Lastly, we cleaned the brushes and recorded how long it took. After two weeks of use, each cat brush received a score for quality, ease of use, effectiveness, ease of cleaning, and value. Those with the highest overall scores are featured in this roundup.

Theresa Holland is a freelance commerce writer at PEOPLE who covers a wide range of topics, including pet care, home goods, beauty, skincare, and more. For this article, she used testing insights from real cat owners and interviewed Dr. Carling Matejka, DVM, veterinarian and spokesperson for Solid Gold.

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