Brush vs. Comb?? & Comb teeth

persi & alley

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
6,313
Purraise
15
Location
Farmers Branch, Texas
Here is a photo of the comb that I use to comb Persi at least once a day. I am very lucky that he waits to be combed every time he sees that bottle of Pounce! But everybody tells me that I am too rough on him with that comb and that I am pulling out too much hair. A Persian owner was at my house this weekend and commented on the fact that there was absolutely no loose or shed hair around my house and how unusual it was, but that she understood because of how close the teeth were together in the comb and asked me why I was not using a brush. Well, I mentioned that very fact, that I wanted to get all the loose hair. But he is just under 8 months now (this photo is three months old) and producing fur en masse and now I am seriously wondering if I should be changing the implement that I am using on him. When I use a "standard" cat brush, nothing seems to come out, but this comb pictured below really does pull a lot and snags despite the fact that I never miss a day of grooming him. What do you groomers with longhairs think?

 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
That's the same exact same shedding comb I use on my Ginger, except her tail is SO huge and fluffy that I have to use a long groomer's rake to do her tail.

I also have the comb with the regular teeth, which is not for shedding, and I prefer the one you are using, as I would rather have all that fur she plans to shed come out on the comb rather than all over my house. And her coat stays gorgeous.

I really don't think it's a problem - how much hair comes out in our hairbrushes every day? I have long hair, and I lose so much in my brush daily, I ought to be shining bald right now.

If you are really concerned, I would suggest that you alternate the combs, so you are doing him with the shedding comb every other day instead of every day.
 

cairo

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
387
Purraise
1
Location
Falls Church, VA
Persi looks gorgeous! Now I'm going out to find a comb like that because Cairo is really getting out of control with her fur. The combs and brushes I use on her daily don't do a thing.
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
I use my hair brush on Bijou.
I also vacuum him and he loves it. I use the dust brush attachment and he'll roll around so I can get all of him.
 

mzjazz2u

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 6, 2003
Messages
10,133
Purraise
4
Location
The Beehave State!
That is the comb I use also. I dare say that is exactly why you don't have fur all over the house! Well, that and you probably vacuum.
In my experience, a brush or a wider tooth comb doesn't help keep the shedding fur out nearly as much and my guess would be that you'll end up cleaning more fur from your furniture and carpets/rugs. And start seeing more mats. I do, on occassion, use a brush just to fluff mine up. But that's about it.

I have to agree with Gingersmom. I wouldn't worry how much fur you get out when brusing. I have to clean my hair brush out quite often and just yesterday, had to clean a big wad of my hair out of the shower drain (ok that's kind of gross but....).
 

nekochan

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Messages
2,760
Purraise
22
Location
Chicago, IL
Most brushes really don't get down into a cat's coat, so they only remove whatever hair is already pretty much fallen out and lying on top of the coat (in my experience.) They don't really get out the hair that is ready to be shed! I don't even use brushes anymore. I use a metal flea comb.
 

cairo

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
387
Purraise
1
Location
Falls Church, VA
I went out and got a comb similar to what you have in that picture. I think...

It's got long needles and between each set of long needles is a short needle. It's doing much better than the comb and brush I had been using, but I didn't get a lot of hair out of her.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

persi & alley

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
6,313
Purraise
15
Location
Farmers Branch, Texas
Originally Posted by Cairo

I went out and got a comb similar to what you have in that picture. I think...

It's got long needles and between each set of long needles is a short needle. It's doing much better than the comb and brush I had been using, but I didn't get a lot of hair out of her.
Do you have a longhair? Note Persi's tail, I get a hand full of hair out of just his tail daily. I may also be somewhat rough since he accepts it, in other words, I am not gentle. This is not to be mean at all, and it seems to absolutely prevent hair from being around the house. I want Persi to have as long hair as possible so I was a little worried about taking too much out each day, but like the lady said, and it true for me too, I brush a lot of hair out of my head each day, yet I still have a full head of hair.
 

cairo

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
387
Purraise
1
Location
Falls Church, VA
Yeah, Cairo has long hair now. I expected her to have longer fur than Paris, but I didn't realize it would be this long. When I did her tail I got the most fur out of her, but it wasn't a handful or anything. She also has a thick mane so I get fur out of that as well. Her body fur is not as dense as it is long so the comb breezes through that. I also used one of those shedder tools and it's not doing anything at all. I've seen people use those on huskies and long haired dogs so I know what it's supposed to do, but with Cairo it just pushes her coat down.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

persi & alley

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
6,313
Purraise
15
Location
Farmers Branch, Texas
Originally Posted by Cairo

Yeah, Cairo has long hair now. I expected her to have longer fur than Paris, but I didn't realize it would be this long. When I did her tail I got the most fur out of her, but it wasn't a handful or anything. She also has a thick mane so I get fur out of that as well. Her body fur is not as dense as it is long so the comb breezes through that. I also used one of those shedder tools and it's not doing anything at all. I've seen people use those on huskies and long haired dogs so I know what it's supposed to do, but with Cairo it just pushes her coat down.
I just watched your video, I did not realize your kitties were so young, Persi is 8 months and now just really starting to fill in and probably has a long ways to go in the hair department (I hope so).
 

cairo

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
387
Purraise
1
Location
Falls Church, VA
Haha, actually those videos are from when they were kittens. They are almost 2 years old. Still small though.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
The comb is fine that you are using. But I've very surprised about the comment from the persian breeder regarding brushes. Normal brushes will not do a darn thing for a long hair cat - you have to get to the base of the coat. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for matting close to the skin.

No persian/longhair breeder I know uses a brush - its usless. They all use various size combs for grooming.
 
Top