How to properly brush British cats?

Almost every owner of British cat breeds thinks about how to comb their pet, how to do it correctly, and what kind of comb is needed to perform the procedure. An animal's coat is the main indicator of internal and external health. How balanced is your pet’s diet, what micro- and macroelements are missing? One glance at the fur and general appearance of the animal is enough. That is why, for the cat’s health and to maintain a smooth and shiny coat, it should be combed periodically.

How many times should you brush your cat?

If your cat is a long-haired breed, you should brush it once a day or at least twice a week. Short-haired cats need this procedure no more than once a week.

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Combs for the British

Every loving animal owner thinks about which comb to choose for his British cat. On the shelves of pet stores there is an incredible variety of such items that can be selected according to the individual preferences of the owner of the furry animal, for every taste and budget. There are different types of combs:

Such a device can be made in the form of a mitten.

with Teflon coating;
comb rake;
with stainless steel teeth;
with rotating teeth;
comb with multi-level teeth;
brush-mitten.

The length of the brush teeth is selected depending on the length of the pet’s coat; it is very convenient that this information is indicated on the product packaging. The hair of the British is quite short, so that all of the above combs can be used; caring for the delicate fur of this type of breed can be replaced by regular wiping with a wet hand. As a result of this procedure, much more hair is removed than with brushes. The British fur coat is the main advantage of a cat, which is why care should be as thorough and effective as possible.

Furminator and its types

This is a very popular miracle tool for combing the coat of a British cat, and the process does not cause discomfort to the animal, and more often, even the opposite. There are two types of furminators - classic type and deluxe. The only difference between these varieties is the presence of a FURejector button in the deluxe line for automatically removing hair from the comb. Each of them is designed separately for each type of cat - short-haired and long-haired.

There are devices for animals with short and long hair.

Before brushing your cat with a furminator, you must comply with the following conditions:

It is advisable to bathe the animal and dry the fur before the procedure.
Do not use if there are lesions or wounds on the skin.
Before the procedure, comb with a regular brush.
Cut off all tangles using scissors.
Start combing slowly according to hair growth. Particularly carefully comb the area of the abdomen and anus.

Possible health problems

Most cats have a natural predisposition to certain diseases. This largely depends on the breed. The following problems are typical for British cats with long hair.

Quite often, cats develop cardiomyopathy - a structural defect of the heart that is not associated with infection and does not affect blood supply, but can provoke more dangerous diseases.
Together with their short-faced relatives, the British often encounter tartar, so regular oral care is essential for this breed.
The structure of your pet's body makes him prone to the problem of excess weight.

In general, the British do not get sick any more often than their feline counterparts of other breeds. Many experts even claim that these cats are distinguished by their strength and health.

How to choose a furminator for a cat

Some owners, having learned that there is a unique grooming device on sale, without finding out anything, begin to place orders and purchase a device that is not suitable. In order not to make a mistake with the Furminator, you should first assess the dimensions of your four-legged friend and weigh him.

Important! The Furminator is purchased based on the width of the blade, which is selected taking into account the size of the Briton.

On sale you can find the following options:

Small is a product whose blade is only 4.5 cm wide. This option is ideal for those four-legged animals whose weight does not exceed 5 kg.
Medium is a device in which the blade width is 6.7 cm. The presented option is ideal for animals weighing 8–10 kg.
Large is a device with a blade 10 cm long. You can ignore such a furminator, because the weight of even the largest Briton does not exceed 10 kg. At the same time, if there is a Maine Coon in the house, for example, then such a device will be ideal for him.

There is also an x-small product for kittens, but it is rarely used because babies do not shed much.

However, this is not all you need to know to purchase the right brush. To choose a Furminator for a British cat, you also need to be aware of the length of the coat. Thus, devices marked “long hair” are suitable for long-haired cats, and devices marked “short hair” are suitable for short-haired cats.

There are devices on sale with an ejector, thanks to which you can remove all unnecessary hairs with one press of a button. If there is no such function, then the hairs that have been selected will need to be collected manually.

For ease of use of the device, special attention should be paid to the handle. In some furminators it is long, in others it is short and wide. There is a large selection, so you need to look for one that you can easily hold in your hand. Otherwise, combing with a regular comb will seem like a simpler and more convenient way, although this is not the case.

If several Britons live in a house, then it is best for the owner to pay attention to tools with a removable blade. This is the best option if, in addition to cats, there are also dogs or rabbits living in the apartment.

History of the breed

The emergence of the longhaired British cat as a separate breed can be considered spontaneous, since for a long time it was culled from litters. In Great Britain, only pets with short hair were considered purebred. The British Longhair was officially recognized only in the 20th century. However, the beginning of selection is considered to be 1889, when the first cat was presented at the exhibition.

After World War II, the number of purebred British breeds declined critically. As a result, it was decided to cross them with Persians and Somalis. The second goal was to obtain new colors. However, as a result, a recessive gene (DR) for long hair appeared. It quietly began to be passed down from generation to generation. As a result, more and more British Longhairs appeared in litters.

Gradually they began to be removed purposefully. In 2001, Highlanders were recognized as a new experimental breed by the International Cat Association (TICA). Its clear standards were developed in 2004. Since 2009, British Longhairs have been recognized by the World Cat Federation and began to receive championship titles.

What are they?

All combs are classified according to their purpose and device. Another parameter is the type and length of the cat’s fur.

Cat comb

Division by purpose

The stores offer several different types of combs that perform different functions and differ in appearance.

For combing cats. To remove fluff without damaging the guard hair, two types of devices are used - a simple slicker or a furminator. The first option is a comb with thin metal curved teeth located on a wide rectangular base. Dead undercoat will get tangled in them. The Furminator has a more complex design. This is a comb with a built-in trimmer that looks like a razor. The device only removes fluff that clings to the notches. The guard hairs slip through and remain unchanged.
For removing thick undercoat. If the slicker and furminator cannot cope with the downy hairs, then trimmers will come to the rescue. These are professional combs with stiff bristles. An alternative option is to remove the thick undercoat by hand.
For grooming. For comprehensive cat hair care, several different devices are used - a slicker, a furminator, and a trimmer. Additionally, you may need a tangle cutter - a device with a blade designed to remove matted wool that can no longer be untangled.
For smoothing fur. A massage brush with sparse teeth successfully copes with this task. The comb can be fixed on the hand with straps or have a long handle. It is best if the brush has natural bristles, but options with plastic or metal teeth are popular. A massage comb not only prevents fur from tangling, but also improves blood circulation in the top layer of your pet's skin.
For thinning wool. For grooming cats, plastic combs with a built-in blade are used. They thin out excessively thick wool and remove length.

By coat length

Before purchasing a pet grooming tool, pay attention to the length of the fur.

For longhaired

For long-haired breeds. Owners of such cats should especially carefully monitor the condition of their fur. Thin, long hairs easily become tangled and form tangles. For care you will need a wide-toothed comb. It is better to choose a wooden comb. Unlike plastic and metal analogues, it does not accumulate static electricity.
For short-haired breeds. The coat of these cats is unpretentious, but everything needs care early. The optimal combs for short-haired breeds are silicone mittens and brushes with sparse rounded metal teeth. These tools will remove fluff during the shedding period and give your pet a neat appearance.

By cat breed

The breed of the pet is another important factor influencing the choice of comb. To care for fluffy cats - ragdolls, maine coons, Persians and Siberians - you definitely need a brush to comb out the fluff.

On the contrary, it is prohibited to use slicker for combing Scottish and British cats. Its fine teeth will damage the undercoat characteristic of these breeds. The best option for them is a massager with natural bristles or a wooden comb with sparse teeth.

By device

Scrapers differ from each other in appearance and design.

Metal comb. They have straight, rounded teeth. This comb is used at the final stage of care. It removes all loose hairs from cats with thick, long hair.
Rake comb. This is a comb with an elongated base and short teeth. Suitable for caring for long-haired breeds. Doesn't grab short hairs.
Mitten. Convenient device made of rubber or silicone. On the back side there are short, wide teeth. The mitten removes dead undercoat and massages the skin.
Glove. On the back side there are not teeth, but small pimples. The glove collects dead hair and does not cause discomfort to the pet.
Comber with rotating teeth. This is a comb whose teeth rotate freely, which increases combing efficiency. It must be used carefully, as it can pull out healthy hairs along with the bulb.

For combing out tangles

Brushing the undercoat is not always enough. Tangled hairballs will have to be cut off. Scissors can damage the skin and guard hair, so it is best to use a special device - a tangle cutter. It combines the functions of a comb and a knife, and can be vertical or horizontal, mechanical or electric.

Colt cutter

Knitting cutters vary in the length of their teeth. For British, Oriental, Siamese and Russian Blues, devices with short blades are chosen. Long teeth are optimal for Persian, Neva Masquerade, and Norwegian Forest cats.

For combing out fleas

A flea comb is a convenient device for removing parasites after washing or treating a pet. Its teeth are frequent and thin, made of metal or plastic. They separate hairs and help remove fleas, lice, their larvae and eggs.

A flea comb should not be used if there are ulcers, ulcers, inflammations or abrasions on the pet’s skin.

This is interesting: Distinctive features of the British cat breed from the Scottish one

Character traits

The true character of a British cat emerges as it matures. The kids of Foggy Albion are still as active and cheerful as their relatives. However, a sexually mature individual acquires truly aristocratic calm and tact. It is difficult to scare or enrage a Briton. The animal expresses negative emotions with a silent protest: it can hide somewhere, consciously avoid its owners, but no aggression should be expected from it.

Such cats get along well with other pets, but do not tolerate small children who will pester the animal too actively. The British usually hide in secluded places from overly active children.

An aristocratic cat does not like to be pampered, so even when leaving it alone in the apartment, the owners do not have to worry about the integrity of the vases and curtains.

Furminator for cats - what is it?

A furminator is a hand-held device designed to comb out the undercoat of cats, dogs and even rabbits. The device resembles a classic brush, but only with a trimmer. Thanks to special teeth, it is possible to easily grab fallen hairs and pull them out of the general mop. Some compare a comb to a rake.

Important! With the help of a furminator, the combing procedure is not a torment, but a real pleasure for the purr, because it combines massage with combing.

Some believe that such an innovation is useless, and that the undercoat can be removed using a regular brush. However, this is not true, since combs only smooth the hairs or pull them, instead of removing unnecessary ones.

With the help of a furminator you can:

Speed up the molting process.
Improve the structure of hair hairs and the appearance of the coat.
Avoid damaging the guard hairs.
Improve the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
Improve blood circulation through massage.

You can use the device when you need to comb your pet in the shortest possible time without scaring it.

Operating rules

There are no rules regarding the use of combs. The main thing is to use the tool strictly for its intended purpose - combing wool.

Before you start brushing, you need to bathe your cat with shampoo, but do not use hair conditioner.

The use of a comb does not require any specific skills from the cat owner. You just need to follow the general recommendations:

For the procedure, you need to choose a place that will then be easy to remove. There will be a lot of wool. To simplify the cleaning procedure, the cat can be placed on a bedding.
If there are tangles in the wool, they need to be removed. You can try to sort out the lumps - if they are not very matted - or cut them off with scissors if they have become real felt.
You need to comb your pet strictly in the direction of hair growth. Not only will your cat not like brushing in the opposite direction, but it can also damage the structure of the guard hair.
There is no need to press the comb too hard during the procedure.
When treating the surface of the abdomen and groin area, you must be as careful as possible. These parts of the body are very sensitive and if the cat doesn't like something, it may scratch or bite.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other cat grooming tool, combs have their positive and negative sides.

The advantages include:

ease of use;
a large range of models - manufacturers offer different types of scratchers, so you can choose the right tool for each cat;
the ability to choose a tool for specific needs - for example, you can buy a comb for combing out fur and undercoat or a model designed for tidying up the “pants” of long-haired cats.

There are practically no downsides to cat brushes. The high cost of the product can be considered as such if you plan to purchase a tool from a well-known manufacturer. The downside is also the formation of static electricity if the comb is made of plastic.

Brushing the cat Vasily

Review of popular models

The most popular furminator models on the modern market, which have deservedly received the highest ratings from users:

FURminator deShedding;
HelloPet;
TRIXIE;
Dele.

It is better to purchase the first three brands in specialized stores or grooming salons to avoid counterfeits.

FURminator deShedding

It is considered the most expensive and high quality. The material of the trimmer teeth is high quality steel. The handle is made of eco-rubber with a special application according to the “anti-slip” formula.

In the “classic” version, the cost of the device is about 1,800 rubles.

The “deluxe” modification with an ejector button for removing hair from teeth ranging from 2,100 to 3,000. The comb sizes are available for kittens, small animals and large cats. Due to high-strength materials, it has a long service life.

Trimmer comb TRIXIE

Made from materials with a shorter service life, but has a better price-quality ratio and enjoys well-deserved popularity. The cost of the product, depending on the size of the comb and teeth, is from 900 to 1,500 rubles.

The overall dimensions of the product are 7×15 centimeters. The handle is made of rubberized material and does not slip. Users note the lightness of the device and its ease of use.

HelloPet

Equipped with a handle and trimmer blade made of impact-resistant materials. The comb width is 65 mm, the number of teeth is from 60 to 97 for animals of different types of wool and dimensions. The cost of the device, depending on the size and frequency of the trimmer comb, is from 1,200 to 1,800 rubles.

Dele

This popular Chinese product can be bought on Aliexpress. Available in modifications S, M and L, having blade lengths of 5, 6.6 and 10 centimeters, respectively.

A small and lightweight device will last much less than the expensive FURminator, but its advantage is ease of use and low cost.

The cost, depending on the modification, is from 380 to 515 rubles.

Advantages of a furminator for combing cats

Undoubtedly, the Furminator for British breed cats has many advantages.

Among these:

There is no discomfort during the procedure, and as a result, pets do not have any fear of the manipulation.
While licking, cats do not swallow large amounts of hair; all excess hair is easily removed.
With the help of the device, not only combing is carried out, but also massage, which the animals especially like.
Thanks to the device, you can painlessly remove dead hair located in the “pants” area, under the tail or on the stomach.
A reliable device will last for more than a year.
Using a furminator eliminates the need for people to constantly clean their apartment due to the large amount of wool on sofas, beds and even furniture.
The device is easy to use.

Advantages

Manufacturers of furminators advertise their products, listing the following advantages when used for combing cats:

there is no injury to the animal’s skin;
do not cause pain to the cat;
healthy guard hairs are not damaged during the combing process;
removal occurs in the right places and only dead parts of the undercoat;
using the device helps prevent the occurrence of tangles;
the animal gets used to combing painlessly and quickly;
the pet enjoys the procedure;
due to the effective removal of loose hair, the cat swallows less hair when licking;
the molting period is effectively reduced;
at the same time the skin is massaged;
The source of pollution in human housing is promptly eliminated.

Recommendations for selection

You need to choose a comb very carefully. The procedure itself can become an extremely unpleasant and uncomfortable experience for the animal. It is important to find tools that will not cause your pet pain, but will still do their job effectively and efficiently. A consultant at a pet store will help you choose functional models. In order for the seller to guide you through the products he has, you must explain to him what breed you need a cat comb for.

It is better to choose massage products made from natural bristles or with metal teeth. Artificial materials will become electrified and give your pet a static shock.
Make sure of the quality of the metal - in order not to spoil the wool, purchase tools made of steel.
Choose accessories with appropriate tooth lengths: a comb for short-haired cats can be small, while long-haired cats need combs and brushes with multi-level teeth.
On massage models, be sure to check the flexibility and stiffness of the bristles. Too soft will not bring any benefit, and too hard will injure your pet.
Make sure the structure is strong: test it a little and try to pull out the bristles.
Be sure to smell the new accessory. Fluffy pets are very picky about smells, and if you take out a odorous Chinese instrument, the animal will run away from the procedure.
Don’t rush to immediately buy products that have different types of bristles on the sides - first try single-function models.
Make sure that the teeth on the combs and brushes are rounded - this way the combing process is guaranteed not to injure delicate skin.
While caring for your pet’s comfort, don’t forget about yourself. It will be good if you hold the product in your hands and feel whether it is comfortable to hold and use.

What should you not buy?

To avoid wasting your money and scaring your pet away from a useful procedure, do not purchase:

plastic combs;
brushes with hard bristles;
products with sharp teeth.

Based on the above recommendations, you can easily choose the accessories you need to care for your pet. The right tools will provide furry animals with a clean and beautiful coat after the combing procedure, and you will be freed from fur that sticks to everything.

How does a furminator work?

The combing procedure with the help of a device occurs due to a certain distance between the teeth of the comb, which have a special sharpening. That is, by running the device over the fur, it rises a little, and then only those hairs that are lifeless and come out without difficulty are captured. The same wool that fits tightly is simply passed through the furminator.

People who have been using the device for a long time note that with its help it is possible to reduce the duration of shedding, because the undercoat is removed much faster. In addition, in a short time you can remove about 90% of the hair that should fall out . Regular use of the device ensures that fat and dirt do not accumulate in your pet’s fur coat.