Much like any other mid- to long-haired cat breed, Ragdoll cats shed their fur. And if you don’t keep in control of your cat’s shedding, they could end up with matted hair or potentially hairballs from grooming themselves.
That’s why it’s essential to groom your cat, too, and that should involve an excellent de-shedding brush. A de-shedding brush differs from a regular grooming comb because it is designed to detangle the coat, get deep into it, and remove any shed fur.
Finding the right tool that your cat is comfortable with is important. It’s also equally important that the brush is comfortable for you. If you buy something that’s difficult to use or that just isn’t nice to hold, over time, you’ll be more likely to make a mistake and hurt your kitty or start to fall into bad habits by brushing your cat less than you should.
So, let’s look at some of my favorite de-shedding brushes and Floppycatters recommendations.
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Essential Tips for Using Deshedding Tools With Your Cat:
Here are some top tips for making sure your cat doesn’t put up too much of a fight when you use a de-shedding brush:
Introduce them to brushing at an early age so they’re used to it.
Make it a positive experience – reward them with a treat when you’re done.
Start slowly – let them get used to the brush and smell it before you use it, and start with smaller areas before expanding to brushing their entire coat.
Get them comfortable – find a position where they can relax.
Ensure you’re comfortable, too – you’re more likely to be gentle when you’re not struggling.
Tackle every area – it’s easy to focus on your cat’s body, but tricky areas behind the legs need brushing, too.
Pay attention to your cat – stop if they look uncomfortable or distressed. Don’t force the issue, or future brushing will be more challenging.
Start with an area you know your cat enjoys so they relax – leave the more problematic areas to the end.
When you can, use de-shedding tools outside. Many drop dead fur and hair everywhere, and cleaning up outdoors is much easier.
Best Deshedding Brush for Ragdoll Cats
This is one of the best de-shedding tools you can buy for long-haired cats. The blade is circular, and it has a lot of tiny teeth, which means that it can gather up more fur at once. Because of the circular shape, it brushes the hair at different angles simultaneously, which again helps it gather more fur.
The teeth aren’t too sharp, so they won’t cut the fur or hurt your cat, but they will get deep into the coat to remove the loose hair effectively. So, even the harder-to-reach areas of your cat’s coat will be tackled, preventing matting in the long term.
The handle of the pet shedding blade is really comfortable to use, too – it’ll fit snugly in your hand. It won’t leave you with cramps or aches if you spend a reasonable amount of time brushing.
My recommendation is to use this tool outside. That’s because it’s so effective that you will remove a lot of loose fur, which will get everywhere if you do it indoors. You can save some of the clean-up if you have a relaxing spot outside to brush your cat with this shedding blade.
The Safari Cat Comb is a designed comb that is effective at brushing long-haired cats and claims to be suitable for short-haired cats, too. The key is in the different lengths of the teeth – they alternate between short and long – which helps penetrate deeper into your cat’s mane and comb out any pesky loose fur in the coat.
What’s also important is that the teeth are smooth and have a rounded end, which is vital for protecting your cat’s skin as you brush. I like to test all combs on myself before using them on my cats, and this one didn’t hurt my skin.
The handle is wooden and sturdy, with contours to fit your hand, so it’s another option that won’t tire you out as you brush. An advantage of this comb is its smaller size – it’s ideal for carrying with you if you’re traveling and need to quickly brush out a knot caused by loose fur.
One key recommendation – our regular vet has one of these in their office. They’re a cat-only vet and have been working for over 30 years, so it must be good if this is the cat comb they prefer.
Purchase on Amazon.
The EquiGroomer, as you might be able to guess from the name, started as a product for horses but has since been developed for other pets, too. It’s a wooden block with a saw-type blade along one edge, with small teeth designed to snag loose fur.
Significantly, like other brushes and tools on this list, it does not cut healthy hair, only pulling out the dead and loose fur that is tangled amongst the coat. And while the blade is low profile, the block’s design allows you to get close to your cat’s skin without hurting them, so that coat gets a thorough treatment.
Because it snags hair at the ends, it tends to pull less for your cat, so this is a good choice for anyone whose pets don’t like being brushed. The handle is also nicely designed again to feel sturdy and comfy to use, and it’s another tool I’d recommend using outdoors because of how effective it can be.
Purchase on Amazon.
The Shedmonster almost resembles a razor blade you’d use for shaving, but it is a brush only and doesn’t cut any hair. Instead, it has stainless steel tines that are curved and rounded, helping to get deep into thicker coats of cats or dogs and drag out any dead hair while combing the healthy coat and keeping it from getting tangled.
The rounded tips also protect your cat’s skin – it won’t hurt them or give them ‘brush burn,’ but it can be relaxing and massaging. It’s effective at grabbing hair, which you can pull off the tines and throw into the garbage.
It’s another small, lightweight tool you could easily pack in a travel bag. The handle has an ergonomic design that keeps it comfortable even as you slowly and gently tackle the larger kitty’s coat.
And because of the rounded edges on the tines, you have complete control of your animal without dragging it into their skin. If your cat has a shorter coat, you’ll still have no trouble using it without hurting them.
Purchase on Amazon.
Floppycatter recommendations
I asked our Floppycatters for some recommendations and picked out some of the more popular suggestions. Follow us on Facebook for regular Floppycatter tips and product recommendations.
A couple of readers suggested the Furminator. It’s a well-known product that effectively removes hair from your cat’s coat. However, part of the reason it’s so effective is because it uses razor blades and cuts the coat, removing not just shed fur but healthy hairs, too. It won’t maintain the nice glossy coat but will be very good at removing hair to prevent matting and hairballs.
I’m not a fan, and some other Floppycatters on the Facebook post agree. Still, it got a couple of positive mentions, so I included it, and you can decide.
Purchase on Chewy.
One Floppycatter put forward the Slicker Brush, which gently removes loose fur from your cat’s coat using several fine bent bristles that shouldn’t harm your cat’s skin. It’s an effective brush that removes dead fur and smooths and protects healthy hairs.
Plus, it has a handy cleaning feature. Once you’re finished, press the button, and the bristles will retract, leaving you to wipe the loose fur from the flat surface into the garbage.
Purchase on Chewy.
The Undercoat Rake has a couple of mentions on Facebook and is a straightforward, cheap, and effective solution for combing your pet. It has two rows of rounded tapered steel needles, so they won’t hurt your cat’s skin as you comb. They’re long, so they have no trouble penetrating deep into a furry coat and dematting it while it gathers loose hair.
The design is basic but comfortable, with a wide brushing area to help you tackle more of your cat’s fur in one go. There might be better tools for some trickier areas, but it should be adequate for general brushing.
Purchase on Amazon.
The FurGoPet looks a lot like the Furminator, but it doesn’t use razor blades to cut the hair. Instead, its fine teeth gather loose fur to remove it, combing the remaining coat. It’s a small tool with advantages – it can be easy to carry around with you, and it can quickly get into nooks behind your cat’s legs to tackle harder-to-reach areas.
However, this does mean brushing the rest of your cat will take longer. So, it’s good that the handle is comfortable to hold, and the stainless-steel combing edge won’t irritate your cat while you work.
Purchase on Amazon.
The ZoomGroom is a rubber brush with a fun cat-shaped design to help comb your cat’s fur and remove dead hairs. Because it uses rubber tines, it feels incredibly comfortable on your cat’s skin, more akin to a massage than being brushed.
However, it is less effective than a brush with finer bristles tackling matted fur or removing as much hair as possible. At the same time, the cat shape might be fun. It could be more ergonomic and comfortable than other options on this list. One interesting point is that reviews suggest it helps pick up fur from your furniture, so you could multitask with it.
Purchase on Chewy.
The SleekEZ resembles the EquiGroomer and is another product with versions for horses, too. It’s a wooden block with a fine wave-pattern blade that snags and removes dead hair from your cat’s coat. Because of the thin design of the blade, it doesn’t retain fur, so it will be dropped everywhere – another tool best used outdoors.
The handle doesn’t have an ergonomic design to it. Still, it is rounded, so it should fit in your hand relatively comfortably. It is more of a targeted de-shedding tool than a brush, so expect it to be okay without combing the healthy fur.
Purchase on Amazon.
FAQs
How often should you brush a Ragdoll?
You should aim to brush your Ragdoll cat twice a week. This is enough time to prevent hairballs from forming and will help to keep your cat’s coat smooth and clean. Leaving it longer could result in hairballs, and their fur may get matted if neglected.
It’s essential to ensure that you don’t just brush their main body, but you get the problematic areas, too. If you want to brush your Ragdoll cat more often than twice a week, you can, but it’s unnecessary. Suppose it’s something that your cat particularly enjoys. In that case, it can be an excellent, calm bonding session for you and your kitty.
How do you brush a Ragdoll cat?
You should brush a Ragdoll cat slowly and follow the natural direction of the hair where possible. You may use different tools for the body and trickier areas, like behind the legs. Keep your cat calm and free from distractions so they lie still while you groom them.
It would be best if you started brushing your Ragdoll cat at an early age to help them get used to the brush and the grooming process. The later you leave it, the more likely they are to resist. Positive reinforcement – using a treat when the brushing is over – helps to let your cat know that brushing is a positive experience.
How do you stop a Ragdoll from shedding?
You can’t stop a Ragdoll cat from shedding. It’s a natural process for them. Instead, make sure you feed them a healthy diet to maintain the quality of their coat and brush regularly to remove shed fur so that it doesn’t become matted or get eaten as a hairball.
Some people recommend bathing your cat to reduce shedding. Still, it’s not usually necessary, and cats generally hate baths, so they can be more trouble than they’re worth. A healthy and balanced diet and regular brushing are enough to control your Ragdoll cat’s shedding.
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Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
