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Proper way to use a slicker brush?

post #1 of 10
6/1/07 at 2:55pm
Thread Starter 
Do slicker brushes even pull out old fur?

The reason I ask is because I bought one months ago before I bought the zoom groom and I could not figure out if I was brushing right or not. I guess partly because I do not know if the brush is just a regular brush or if its one that is supposed to pull the old fur out. I mean this should not be that hard to figure out right?

Ok so any advice for me out there?
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post #2 of 10
6/2/07 at 9:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ping View Post
Do slicker brushes even pull out old fur?

The reason I ask is because I bought one months ago before I bought the zoom groom and I could not figure out if I was brushing right or not. I guess partly because I do not know if the brush is just a regular brush or if its one that is supposed to pull the old fur out. I mean this should not be that hard to figure out right?

Ok so any advice for me out there?
I do not know what a slicker brush is. Here is what I use and it works very well in all respects. I do not know what it is called, either.
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post #3 of 10
6/2/07 at 10:26pm
The slicker brushes I use on the dogs pull out a ton of hair.. but the plastic ones I've seen marketed for cats don't look like they'd do as much.. I've never tried one to see, though.
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post #4 of 10
6/4/07 at 10:43am
we have 2 metal slicker brushes. with stimpy you can get enough fur for another cat. with my other 2, you don't get anything. they just don't shed much. we tried the plastic slicker brushes, but they are worthless.

i also tried a comb like the one poster showed a picture of. i returned it because it didn't get anything off of stimpy. i couldn't figure that out.
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post #5 of 10
6/4/07 at 10:47am
I use the same thing Persy&Alley uses on Wickett. (Love the treats in that pic too). I use that or a slicker on Frankie. I find that the comb works WAY better for gettin at the undercoat than the slicker does.
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post #6 of 10
6/4/07 at 10:50am
We've only had success with the metal dog slicker brushes (the ones that don't have the plastic tips). We first use the zoom groom to loosen as much as possible then use the slicker brushes to clean up afterwards. In using the slicker brush, we lightly brush in the direction of the fur growth.
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post #7 of 10
6/4/07 at 11:30am
A slicker brush is a wide brush looking thing. I use the one with the metal tines as well. It is best to brush in the same direction as hair growth, being very careful or not brushing the areas of the body with many bones or that are very sensitive (i.e. spine, tail, underbelly). When brushing along the back you should stay parallel to the spine so as not to brush along all the vertebrae (ouch!).

The picture posted by Persi & Alley shows a comb. Combs are great for getting all parts of the body, especially the underbelly and tail.

If your kitty stays still long enough you can comb and then brush. My slicker brush definitely gets out A LOT of fur from Merlynn and some fur from Piccolino. But they are definitely used to remove the loose/dead fur.

Tips: Keep the brush flat with the area you are brushing. Do not fluff up at the end of the stroke. Short overlapping strokes are best. Try the brush on yourself to see how it feels. Start softly. If the cat wants you to brush harder, he/she will let you know.

Good luck!
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post #8 of 10
6/4/07 at 12:02pm
Excellent directions above! Sierra has a slicker brush, and I find it more effective at removing excess hair, especially at times like this during shedding season. That's not to say our Zoom Groom isn't a great product, we use this, too, but as my personal opinion, the slicker brush works better during this time of year, perhaps because we were both used to it first~and Sierra does have a lot of hair! Sierra will only agree to brushing during her bonito treat, but as long as she's munching on her yummy flakes, I could brush her for ages I brush a bit, remove the hair from the brush, then brush a bit more, remove the hair from the brush...

A very important thing before using a slicker brush is to first practice on your own inner arm. This will give you an idea of how it feels, and, therefore, how much pressure to use when brushing your little one. As already stated, be sure to not brush over the bony prominences of her back, that would really hurt!
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post #9 of 10
6/4/07 at 12:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by littleraven7726 View Post
with stimpy you can get enough fur for another cat.
Welcome to my world!

Shedding blades are useful for removing old hair and undercoat. Something like the Furminator is a shedding blade. They should have special instructions in them as they can cause irritability to cat's skin so read and follow them closely.
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post #10 of 10
6/5/07 at 4:34pm
I also use the comb pictured above and it works quite well. Very well in fact! I also use the Furminator pretty regularly. I don't care for slicker brushes because they pull so much on my long haired cats. And I agree, the ones for cats that are plastic are pretty much useless. The slickers may work better for short haired cats but I have not just not been impressed with them.
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