Brushes & Combs: What Owners Use
A member asked r/BritishShorthair what to brush their kitten with, and 14 owners named what they use. It's a small group and a thread from about a year ago, so treat this as first-hand experience and not a ranking. Plenty of owners use more than one tool, so the numbers add up to more than 14.
The short version
- Most owners use more than one tool (8 of 14), often something to loosen the coat and a comb to finish.
- A comb was the most common tool: 6 of 14 owners, mostly metal.
- Silicone or rubber came next (5), and one owner described it as quite gentle.
- The EquiGroomer was the most-named product (4).
- The FURminator divided people: 3 owners use one or something like it, and another warned against it.
What owners use
- Comb (6 owners): mostly metal, and one was recommended by a groomer. One owner saves it for the head and uses a wire brush on the body. Another finishes with a small comb to pick up the fur the rubber brush has loosened.
- Silicone or rubber (5): one is the Kong ZoomGroom, and three use a cheap silicone brush, which one of them called the most effective brush they've tried on their British Shorthair. One owner uses a rubber glove because their cat hates being brushed: it just feels like being petted.
- EquiGroomer (4): named without much comment, though one person replied just to second it. One owner who uses it with a metal comb says two of their cats are fine with grooming, while the third tolerates it for a treat.
- FURminator or similar (3): one owner calls it amazing for this breed's plush undercoat despite the price. Two others keep it for heavy shedding and use it now and then.
- Wire brush (3): one with plastic tips that worked well for its owner, and two used alongside a comb or a silicone brush.
- One owner each: a V-tooth deshedding comb, a brush with round bristles, and a handheld vacuum that one cat loves so much it follows its owner around for a turn.
What didn't work
- A wire deshedding brush and a rubber curry comb both failed for one owner.
- Wire and soft bristles: another owner isn't a fan of wire, and found soft bristles don't get through the coat.
The FURminator argument
One owner warned that the FURminator has a blade that cuts the hair. Another replied that theirs has steel teeth that aren't sharp against a thumb. Both the FURminator and the EquiGroomer are steel-edged tools, and both makers say they lift loose undercoat without cutting healthy hair. A Reddit thread can't settle that, so our advice is the same for both: keep sessions short, use light pressure, save them for shedding season, and stop if you see redness or your cat objects.
Tips from the thread
- Test it on yourself. Run the brush over your inner wrist. If it scratches you, your cat probably won't like it either.
- Let your cat choose. Cats can be fussy, so you may have to try a few before one sticks.
- Stop while it's still fun. Go slowly and finish before your cat gets tired of it. A treat helps.
- Kittens: two owners said a kitten doesn't need much brushing yet. They differed on starting early: one says it's worth getting them used to it now, as it's harder when they're older, while the other says there's no need until about a year old. We'd start early with short, gentle sessions.
Our take
A rubber brush and a metal comb will cover most of the year for not much money. Add an undercoat tool only if shedding season gets out of hand.
Where to buy
These are on our brush picks (affiliate links). The comb, glove and slicker brush there are our own choices, since nobody named a brand for those. We only link what we could find on Amazon US.