Furminator for cats: what is it, how to use, how to choose? Reviews + Photos and Videos

Owners of almost all cat breeds are familiar with the problem of hair loss in their pets, when carpets, upholstered furniture, and even the floor are dusted with hairs. The problem is especially acute during the molting period, although owners of long-haired cats are forced to resort to frequent brushing all year round, otherwise both the animal and the apartment will look untidy.

The procedure for removing undercoat and hair is not pleasant for humans, since it is rare that a cat will sit quietly in place for a long time. Brushing also causes a lot of inconvenience for your tailed friend: accidental damage to the skin, pulling out tangled hairs, and a nervous environment.

Sometimes cats are taken to salons (or a groomer is called to your home), but there are many pitfalls here: it’s expensive (at least 500 rubles), the animal may be scared of a specialist, and for wayward purrs, the procedure is often done after anesthesia has been administered. In order not to torment themselves and their pet, many owners purchase a furminator

– a kind of comb-trimmer with a comb-shaped blade and an ergonomic rubberized handle. How to choose a furminator for a cat will be discussed further.

How does a furminator work?

Combing cats using a furminator is carried out due to the adjusted distance between the teeth of a comb sharpened in a special way. The operating principle of the furminator is to gently lift and remove unwanted hair without cutting or pulling out.

The tool does not damage the cat's outer coat (the outer coat slips through the teeth of the device, remaining intact), but it removes dead, lifeless hairs and undercoat.

It is believed that the miracle comb removes about 90% of a cat’s unwanted hair, and also reduces the duration of seasonal shedding by half (by the way, in some individuals, without careful combing, the hair can shed not even for weeks, but for months).

In addition, the use of a cat accessory promotes the uniform distribution of fatty lubricant, which protects the pet from cold and overheating, dust and parasites.

Operating principle

By purchasing a high-quality tool, the owner relieves his pet of pain and tearing out healthy hairs, which often happens when using standard slicker brushes. When used correctly, the device does not cause injury and effectively removes dead hair. The Furminator is suitable for those who prefer not to spend too much time grooming their dog and at the same time do not want to see their pet’s hair flying everywhere. For inexperienced owners of wire-haired dogs, the furminator serves as a complete replacement for trimming.

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Problems usually arise after purchasing a low-quality product. Cheaper models can cause damage to the skin, leaving behind cuts and scrapes. In some cases, the tool does not produce results at all, since it does not collect wool at all.

Advantages of the Furminator

Home treatment with a furminator has a number of advantages over combing with a regular comb and even over salon procedures:

1. Animals do not swallow large amounts of fur when licking;
2. Brushing with a furminator does not cause pain to the cat;
3. The device allows you to remove hair from sensitive areas of the cat’s body (in the genital area, on the stomach, etc.);
4. The tool not only combs the pet, but also massages its body, improving blood circulation;
5. Most cats love the procedure of combing with a furminator (which cannot be said about ordinary slickers and combs);
6. A good furminator pays for itself very quickly and lasts a long time;
7. The cat device removes fur from clothes and furniture.

What is it for?

The history of the instrument begins at the end of the twentieth century. In 1997, American animal groomers came up with the Furminator. Its main purpose is to comb cats and dogs with a variety of coat types. The device removes dead hair, tidies up the undercoat and reduces the number of grooming sessions. The invention turned out to be very effective and quickly gained worldwide popularity. It is purchased by both groomers and ordinary pet owners.

A dog is scratched before a show

Today, there are many brands that produce tools for caring for dogs, cats and even rodents. Furminators are manufactured not only by the USA (FURminator), but also by Germany (Trixie), Taiwan (HelloPet) and other countries.

How to choose a furminator for a cat

Firstly, before purchasing a device for removing undercoat from cats, you need to weigh your pet and evaluate its dimensions. When purchasing a grooming tool, you should pay attention to the width of its blade and the size of the cat:

• Small
  – a furminator with a blade width of 4.5 cm for cats weighing less than 5 kg, as well as small dogs;
• Medium
  – a device with a blade width of 6.7 cm. It can be used to comb animals with a body weight of no more than 8-10 kg;
• Large
  – a brush for removing undercoat and dead hair with a wide blade 10 cm long. Suitable for large, heavy cats (for example, Maine Coons).

There are other sizes of furminators: X-small (3.3 cm) - for a very young cat no older than 4-6 months; X-large (12.5 cm) – for dogs weighing over 40 kg and horses.

Secondly, you should consider the length of the cat's fur. For long-haired friends, they produce tools with long teeth, denoting o (long hair) on the packaging. Owners of short-haired cats should look for furminators with short comb teeth with the inscription “Short hair” on the package.

Thirdly, you need to decide on a convenient way to remove combed wool. Furminators with an ejector (FURejector button) allow you to remove cat hairs with one click. Classic-type tools do not have such a button, so the wool will have to be removed manually.

Fourthly, it is important to pay attention to the convenience of the furminator handle. It would seem that this element is not so important, but if the handle is too short (thin, wide, etc.), the process of removing hair and undercoat will turn into an unattractive task for the cat owner.

Fifthly, those owners who simultaneously keep individuals of different breeds (for example, short-haired British cats and long-haired Persian cats) can purchase a tool with removable blades. By the way, such a furminator can also be useful for those who plan to remove hair not only from cats, but also from other pets (dogs, guinea pigs, ferrets).

Selection

Choosing a tool for your pet is quite simple. The choice is made based on the size of the dog. For small and toy breeds, toy and small models are suitable. For medium-sized ones, it is best to purchase the “medium” (medium) option. Large and giant furminator models have been specially developed for larger individuals.

New furminator in packaging

How to use a furminator comb

So, we found out that the furminator for cats works as a kind of trimmer, removing excess undercoat and dead fur. Now let's look at how to use this tool correctly:

1. According to the rules, before using the furminator, you should wash your pet with a special shampoo and then dry it thoroughly;
2. If the cat's coat is relatively clean, you can do without washing. Then you will need to remove all accidentally attached twigs or other objects that may get tangled in the long hair;
3. If you are going to treat a long-haired cat, you should carefully examine its coat for tangles. If there are any, they will be removed using a hair cutter (otherwise the furminator will capture hairballs, causing discomfort to the animal);
4. If there is damage to the cat’s skin (abrasions, unhealed stitches, etc.), combing will have to be postponed;
5. The owner must be calm during treatment: screams and chaotic movements can cause anxiety in the cat;
6. Before using a furminator for cats, you should think about the animal’s posture during the procedure. The best option is to lay your pet on its side. Although you can comb it while standing or sitting. The main thing is not to irritate your mustachioed comrade;
7. The process is always carried out in the direction of cat hair growth. If you act differently, you could hurt your pet. The muzzle, belly and tail are areas of special attention where you should not be too zealous.

There is no single answer regarding how often you can use a furminator for cats. During shedding, long-haired individuals can be subjected to the procedure daily. Short-haired - twice a week. In addition, it is advisable to use a furminator in late spring or early summer to save your pet from the heat. The rest of the time, the tool is used for those with long hair no more than 1-2 times a month, and for their counterparts with short “hair” even less often.

By the way, the Furminator is not a lifesaver for all cats. So, for obvious reasons, it is not worth buying an accessory for hairless cats (Don Sphynx, Peterbald, etc.). Owners of cats without undercoat (Balinese, Angora, Chantilly Tiffany) and with short, thin and rarely shedding hair (Singapore, Oriental cats) should also give preference to a regular comb. Also, the furminator is not useful for animals with a small amount of guard hair and unusual vegetation on the body (La Perm, Cornish Rex).

What do experts say about this scratcher?

Animal groomers recommend using the tool in accordance with all operating rules to avoid its damage. Replacement will cost a large sum.

Too frequent use dulls the furminator, so the dog owner will have to periodically change the comb or sharpen the old one.

Experts strongly advise purchasing only original models. They are expensive, but the tools are made of high quality and the blades last twice as long. Analogues are much cheaper, but they are not always useful.

Where to buy a furminator

Owners, exhausted by the need for regular brushing with a regular comb, will probably wonder where to buy a furminator for cats? Let's consider several options:

1. At a pet store or veterinary pharmacy.
   Here you can purchase a high-quality furminator with a guarantee (usually 30 days), having received a sales and cash receipt in your hands. True, the price of goods in a pet store (or pharmacy) is almost always slightly overpriced (at least 800-900 rubles);
2. In the online store.
   There are many offers on the Internet for the sale of grooming accessories at prices ranging from 400 to 2500 rubles. In addition, virtual stores often offer discounts; the seller offers to deliver goods directly to your home. In addition to Russian online stores focused only on the sale of pet supplies, you can also search for the furminator on large foreign Internet sites, for example, you can buy it really inexpensively on Aliexpress or Amazon. But delivery from afar can be quite long, and there is no certainty that the goods will arrive undeformed;
3. In hypermarkets (like Auchan or Lenta).
   The only drawback of buying in such a place is the modest range of furminators.

Price

The price of a furminator for cats depends on many factors; here is a rating of the most popular models:

• Furflex Furminator, a professional tool for high-quality pet hair care, the high price hides excellent quality and long service life
• Delight, a variation of the previous option, the cost is slightly lower, but the technical characteristics are almost identical, there are options on sale with different numbers of teeth
• HelloPet, a great mid-range option, is the most popular

Feedback from cat owners about the furminator comb

Based on numerous responses from people who bought a tool for their pets, we can safely classify the Furminator as a useful cat fur care item. The following are some reviews from grateful owners:

Review #1:
“My friend and I have been running a Scottish cattery for 5 years. Therefore, I can safely say that no slicker will remove the undercoat as well as a furminator. We comb our pets with American FURminator combs; there are no balls of wool anywhere, although the seals’ coats are very thick and they shed a lot...”

Review No. 2:
“Previously, when Barsik was molting, fur was everywhere. Particularly annoying were the red hairs that had settled on dark clothes. And it was unpleasant to see the cat’s hair on the kitchen table. The furminator helped me a lot, although I didn’t have high hopes for it. I was even surprised when I combed out a whole mountain of wool for the first time using this device...”

Review #3:

“I was forced to buy a furminator by misfortune: the cat swallowed hair to such an extent that intestinal obstruction developed. My cat, named Molly, by the way, loves it when I brush her: she purrs and caresses her. The hairs separate quickly; it takes me no more than 15 minutes to do everything…”

Instrument care

Even treatment products require routine maintenance. And you also need to keep an eye on the furminator. In order for the instrument to serve the owner for a long time, certain rules must be followed.

After use, wash the furminator in warm water without soap. Then a special cap is put on it, which protects the blades. Do not allow the device to fall, as this will cause damage.

Warning! The Furminator cannot be used if its blades are damaged!

Varieties

Before purchasing the best version of the device, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of common brands.

Among the many varieties of furminators, the most popular are:

1. Furminator Ink is an original product manufactured in the USA. It has two manufacturing options: Classic and Deluxe, their differences lie in the automatic and manual collection of combed wool. This is the most expensive and reliable device, which has a shock-resistant ergonomic handle and self-sharpening teeth. Its working surface does not require replacement for a long time. The new model of the device is equipped with an automatic cleaning button for removing removed hair. The cost is 1.5–2 thousand rubles.

2. Trixie, this comb (Furminator) is produced in Germany by a German company with 40 years of experience. Gently combs thick fur without damaging the skin. There are three versions of the device for animals with different undercoat thicknesses. With this comb you can comb medium to long hair. The work surface is made of stainless steel and has a plastic handle with a rubber grip. Due to the structure of the teeth, only dead undercoat is pulled out during operation. Costs from 800 to 1400 rubles.
3. Foolee (France), such devices have a bright, unusual design, a variety of colors, and a comfortable handle with a special curve. The device is effective in operation and removes 95% of shedding hair. The Furminator is available in four sizes (from XS to XL), the choice depends on the weight of the cat. Its cost is from 1300 to 1700 rubles.
4. Hartz, this device is used for combing Scottish cats. Has metal teeth. The set includes a brush for combing. The model is equipped with a protective cap, a rubberized handle with a button for cleaning the blade from wool.
5. Hello pet, a simple and effective device. This is a modern self-cleaning device. It has a stainless steel body and a rubberized plastic handle. Produced in Taiwan. The device is made of metal. It has frequently spaced metal teeth, which allows you to gently comb out the cat's fur, skipping the guard hairs. The three models offered have different comb modifications. Reduces shedding by 90%. Recommended for cats with long hair. Excellent value for money and quality. Cost 1200-2300 rubles.

6. IPTS, one of the most popular types of trimmer combs (furminators). It is intended for British cats, has a relatively low price, and excellent quality of hair combing. It copes well with thick undercoat without causing pain to the cat. Frequently spaced teeth allow the hard guard hairs to pass through, while the soft hairs of the undercoat cling to the numerous notches located along the entire length of the comb teeth and are pulled out of the wool. The disadvantage is the fairly frequent need to change blades (at least once every two years). For expensive models they change much less frequently. Approximate cost: 1-2 thousand rubles.

There are no particular differences in the design of furminators produced by different companies. They are based on a blade with teeth and slots (patented).