Dealing with cat fur can seem like a never-ending task; whether you are hoovering floors and furniture or continuously brushing your cat (not to mention cleaning the hairballs…), there always seems to be something.
If you use the right tool for the job it largely eliminates these problems and that is exactly what the FURminator cat brush aims to do.
This de-shedding brush has built itself a reputation among cat lovers for being easy to use and very effective so let’s find out if it really works when it comes to handling cats who are shedding their fur.
Contents
Why the FURminator is Good
- Removes loose hair
- Removes the undercoat without damaging the topcoat
- Reduces Shedding by up to 90%
- High quality and durable
- User-friendly
- On the whole, cats seem to enjoy it!
Of course, as with any product, there are also disadvantages.
The FURminator is more expensive than many other cat grooming options which may put users off and, if used incorrectly, the tool can cause skin irritation.
The FURminator Explained
This brush allows you to remove any loose hair from your cat’s coat quickly and easily without causing any pain or discomfort. This tool was designed by groomers with firsthand experience of the problems frequently faced by pet owners when it comes to grooming and coat care.
This well thought out de-shedder has an ergonomic handle for user’s comfort and has high-quality stainless steel teeth that are sharp, dense and yet remain gentle.
When you introduce the FURminator into your cat’s grooming schedule you will notice that they are shedding considerably less, their coat will look sleek and shiny and they will also have far fewer hairballs.
Regular grooming helps to improve blood flow, massage the skin and stimulate natural oils – all of which will help your cats coat to be healthy and look great.
How Often Should You Use It?
How frequently you brush your cat really depends on their fur type and how heavily they are shedding. It is best to begin brushing your cat a couple of times a week and then increasing this frequency if your cat is shedding a large amount.
If your cat isn’t shedding much and you just want to keep them groomed and healthy, you can use the FURminator tool once or twice a month.
It is important not to over-groom them using the FURminator as this can result in skin irritations and can even cause too much fur to be removed leaving your kitty with bald spots.
Tips When Using the FURminator
- Brush your cat only when their fur is dry
- Make sure they do not have any mats or tangles – if your cat does have tangles use a detangler first to get rid of these, if the mats are bad you may need to take your cat to a professional groomer
- Stroke your cat before brushing to feel for any lumps, cut or bruises as brushing over these can cause pain
- Use gentle, long strokes going in the direction of hair growth (head to tail)
- Remove the collected hair from the brush frequently as this helps to make each brushstroke as effective as possible
Make sure you DO NOT:
- Apply a lot of pressure
- Brush over cuts, bruises or sores
- Go ‘against the grain’ (tail to head)
- Use the brush excessively in one area
Is The FURminator Suitable For My Cat?
The FURminator is best suited to cats who shed their fur, this means that not every cat should be brushed using this tool. Some cats don’t have any fur at all, some rarely shed hair (Oriental Shorthair) and some lack an undercoat (Turkish Agora, Balinese, Chantilly) so take this into consideration when choosing which grooming brush to use.
As a general guideline; if your cat does not shed very much, consider other grooming options. There are also long hair and short hair version of this brush available, so make sure you choose the one that is suited to your cat’s fur type as this just ensures the comb won’t be ineffective for their fur length or too harsh on their skin.
The FURminator is a very popular and thoroughly tested item, on Amazon it has over 7,000 reviews and of these over 90% award the product 4 or 5 stars.
Of the critical reviews, some users found the teeth too sharp while others said their cat did not like the feeling and so the brush was not useful for them.
Why Use The FURminator Deshedding Tool?
There a few different types of cat brush available (check out our article on the best cat brushes for more information), a de-shedding brush or comb helps to remove the dead hair including hair from the cat’s undercoat which is often missed by many other brushes. This is what the FURminator specialises in, it has been designed to remove a huge 90% of the unwanted, loose hair from your cat and picks up the dead hair that so many other brushes miss.
As there are various brush types available, you will only really need to use a de-shedding brush if your cat is shedding their fur. If you are looking for something to use as part of a daily brushing routine you’d be better off looking at something more general such as a grooming glove.
The FURminator isn’t an ‘all-in-one’, it’s been created for a specific purpose and should be used with this in mind.
For example, you wouldn’t be able to use a brush designed for de-shedding on your cat if your cat has matted fur so you should first use a dematting comb and then you can use the de-shedding comb.
Advantages of Regularly Grooming Your Cat With The FURminator
Your cat will groom themselves frequently but a regular brushing routine has a lot of benefits. Not only is it an opportunity to strengthen the bond between you and your cat but you will also be helping to keep your cat happy and healthy by preventing tangles, reducing shedding and stimulating the production of natural oils.
Another important factor is that when your cat grooms themselves they end up swallowing around two-thirds of the loose hair from their coat, this is what causes them to have hairballs as they cannot actually digest the fur swallowed.
When you brush your cat, you will be removing the loose hair before your cat swallows it and this will considerably reduce the amount of fur they ingest and the number of hairballs they experience.
Our Thoughts
The FURminator makes a huge difference to how much fur a cat sheds, it’s immediately noticeable and the amount of dead hair that is removed in a single sitting is quite astonishing. The pile of fur you end up with at the end of a grooming session is considerably more than what is seen with any other grooming tool, so much so that a lot of users can’t resist snapping a picture of the handfuls of fur next to their, now sleek and shiny, kitty.
Introducing this into a regular grooming routine will mean less cat fur around the house, less hairballs and a cat with a healthy, shiny and mat-free coat.
This de-shedding comb should not be used frequently if your cat is not shedding as it can cause skin irritation and other issues so make sure you use it properly to avoid hurting your cat or negatively impacting their fur. The amount you brush your cat depends on your cat’s coat type and the rate they are shedding so if you are unsure, speak to a groomer or a vet for advice.
It is really important to be gentle when grooming your cat as the FURminator is sharp and can be uncomfortable for your cat if you apply too much pressure. Gentle combing is all you need and the results are outstanding.
It is clear that this comb has been designed by experienced groomers as they have included features that are thoughtful and convenient such as the ejector button, the layout of the teeth and the comfortable handle.
We love the FURminator de-shedding tool and even better, so does our cat. As with anything new, you should introduce it to your cat slowly so they can gradually get used to this new addition into their routine. The majority of cats seem to really enjoy being groomed using this brush as it is gentle but effective and leaves them feeling great.
Although this comb is slightly more expensive than other options, we feel it is worth it as the product is high quality, durable and long-lasting. If you are fed up of your cat shedding hair all over your home, this could just be the tool you are looking for.
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