Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase using my link. There is no cost to you.
What Is the Best Brush for a Ragdoll Cat?
Here’s a quick list of the best brushes for ragdoll cats (in order) before we go into a more detailed review of each brush below.
- Slicker brush
- Dbuy 3 Pack Cat Groomer Brush Set
- Burt’s Bees Pin and Bristle Brush for Cats
- Aumuca Cat Brush with Release Button
- NEW 3 In 1 Cat Steamy Brush
- Rubber grooming pad
- Cat Arch Self Groomer
When choosing the best brush for ragdoll, you want to make sure the brush is effective, easy to use, and recommended for ragdolls. Also, it’s important to remember that the most expensive ragdoll brush on the market might not always be the best option.
Grooming a Ragdoll Cat
Ragdoll cats need regular grooming, and brushing your ragdoll cat or kitten is a key part of their weekly routine.
When grooming a ragdoll cat it’s important to understand what type of fur they have. We have two ragdolls – Mr. Fudge and Teddy.
Mr. Fudge is a chocolate seal point ragdoll and Teddy is a seal sepia mink ragdoll. The “mink” part of Teddy’s name explains the type of fur he has. It’s silkier, finer and thicker than other types of ragdoll cat and so we’ve found he needs a lot more grooming than Mr.Fudge, who’s fur is easier to maintain.
We love this video from Love Cat Groomers which talks about all elements of grooming a ragdoll cat.
How Often Should You Groom a Ragdoll?
As a guide, we groom Mr.Fudge on average once a week, sometimes twice in the winter when his coat is thicker. We groom Teddy between 2-4 times a week, including having to cut out some bigger clumps of fur which typically form under his belly. We use these Ragdoll grooming scissors, which are technically for dog grooming but they work well!
It’s safe to say we’ve tried a lot of different types of brushes for our two ragdoll cats over the last few years, and that’s why we’ve created this guide. We want to help you find the best ragdoll cat brush without having to buy them all and work out which one is your favorite (like we did!)
What’s the Best Brush to Use On Ragdoll Cats?
One key question all ragdoll cat owners will ask is what is the best brush for ragdoll cats? We’ve selected our top 7 brushes based on:
- Ease of use
- Suitability for ragdolls e.g. how gentle the brush is on your ragdoll
- Value for money
- How enjoyable the brush is to use – for you and your ragdoll!
When grooming your furry family member, you want to make sure you’re choosing the best brush for ragdoll cats specifically. There are a lot of choices out there, so it’s important to choose a brush that is recommended for ragdoll cats.
We went through a lot of different combs/brushes and grooming tools when we first bought our ragdoll cats home, so hopefully, with this list, you won’t need to do the same!
Also, ragdoll cats don’t have an undercoat so you need to be careful when using some ragdoll grooming brushes, such as shedding tools, as they might hurt your ragdoll cat in the process. For example, we were using the Furminator at first and when I did my research I realized the Furminator is not suitable for ragdoll cats.
One positive is, unlike many other cat breeds, you will hopefully find your ragdoll cat enjoys their grooming sessions. Our sepia ragdoll cat, Teddy, always ends up lying on his back purring when we groom him – something I’ve certainly never experienced with any of my cats before!
Our Top Pick: Slicker brush
A Slicker brush is the style of brush we use, and by far the best type of brush we’ve found for our ragdolls.
As ragdoll cats don’t have an undercoat, you do need to be careful and gentle when choosing a brush. Therefore, we’ve voted Slicker brushes as the best brush for ragdoll cats. We’ve found them to be the most effective at removing hair and Slicker brushes are gentle on your cat’s fur and skin, remain a great price and are easy to use.
Here’s our ragdoll, Teddy, hugging the winning style of brush! Slicker brushes have lots of thin wire pins which help to draw out both the loose fur and deeper tangles your ragdoll mat have. Slicker brushes aer super easy to pull out all the loose fur from the brush (if you can prize it away from your beloved raggie).
We’ve also found this, larger style Slicker brush which has extra long pins – the best brush for ragdoll cats if yours is particularly floofy!
Second Best Brush For Ragdoll: Grooming Mits
We were skeptical about grooming mits at first, however, the Dbuy 3 Pack Cat Groomer Brush Set has been a success in our household!
We’ve voted the grooming mits set as our second choice because they have become part of our weekly routine and they are by far the easiest tool to use.
One of the best things about the Dbuy 3 Pack Cat Groomer Brush Set is that your ragdoll cats will feel like they are being stroked, and you can control how hard you brush more easily.
With our ragdoll cats (two lively boys aged two and three), we don’t use the grooming mits as much as the Slicker brush as they are happy to be groomed, however, they are a particularly great option for cats who hate being groomed.
The Dbuy 3 Pack Cat Groomer Brush Set (which is what we have) also comes with two ‘corner massage combs’ which we’ve attached to our dining table. I’m not sure if they work that well as grooming tools but our cats definitely approach them now and then for a little ear scratch.
Third Best Ragdoll Grooming Brush: Burt’s Bees Pin and Bristle Brush for Cats
We’ve chosen the Burt’s Bees Pin and Bristle Brush for Cats as our third choice in the battle for the best comb for ragdoll cats if you find the Slicker style of brush or grooming mits aren’t for you.
First up, we love the 2-in-1, eco-friendly wooden design of the Burt’s Bees 2-in-1 brush. This style of brush for ragdoll cat has two different sides. The wire bristle side is excellent for general detangling and mat prevention, with long enough metal bristles to really get down to the skin without irritating your ragdoll.
Plus, the soft-bristled hemp side works amazingly to smooth and condition their fur, while also providing a slightly more indulgent massage.
Top tip: Try rubbing your ragdoll’s belly, head, or cheeks with the soft-bristled side and watch them purr with delight!
4. Aumuca Cat Brush with Release Button
The Aumuca Cat Brush with Release Button is another style of slicker brush which comes with the added benefit of a “self-cleaning” function (the dream!). The self-cleaning button allows you to easily pop out all the collected fur making it easier to keep the brush clean.
We’ve put this style of brush fourth because personally we prefer a shorter handled slicker brush for ragdoll cats and the pins on this brush are slightly smaller than some of the other slicker brushes available.
5. NEW 3 In 1 Cat Steamy Brush
We’ve updated our list of best brushes for ragdoll cats for 2024 and we couldn’t not include the NEW 3 In 1 Cat Steamy Brush!
I’ve seen this style of brush on TikTok but I haven’t personally tried it yet on my ragdolls. I like the idea that a little bit of water/steam would help to clean your ragdoll even more deeply but apart from that we can’t comment!
6. Rubber grooming pad
Another gentle option for your ragdoll cat is a rubber grooming pad. The grooming pad’s teeth are wider and it’s easy to hold, so your ragdoll will think you’re petting them, similar to the grooming mits we explored earlier.
Again, I think other brushes in this list are better for detangling fur but the grooming pad is another good option if your ragdoll is fussy and doesn’t like being groomed.
7. Cat Arch Self Groomer
We’ve not tried a Cat Arch Self Groomer personally but a friend of ours who has a ragdoll maine coon mix has, and she said her kitty loves it!
She still grooms him with other brushes, but if it helps a little and feels nice on your ragdoll cat’s back, what’s not to love?
Best Brush for Ragdoll Kitten
When choosing the best brush for ragdoll kittens, you might want to use a softer brush while they’re still growing. All of the brushes for ragdoll cats we’ve discussed are suitable for ragdoll kittens, but I’d say the Burt’s Bees Pin and Bristle Brush for Cats or the Dbuy 3 Pack Cat Groomer Brush Set would be the best for kittens based on how gentle they are and how easy they are to use.
When you bring your ragdoll kitten or kittens home you want to get them used to being groomed right away. Even if you find you don’t need to groom your ragdoll kitten as often as their fur isn’t as long, it’s still a good idea to get them used to be brushed from an early age. Plus, it’s a great bonding activity!
How Often Should You Brush a Ragdoll Cat?
I remember googling how often to brush a ragdoll cat when I first bought Mr. Fudge home.
I wanted to make sure I was giving him the best care whilst getting him used to being groomed straight away. We had a long-haired cat when I was growing up who would hiss and show his claws whenever you tried to brush him, so I knew I wanted to make Mr. Fudge feel comfortable from day one.
When I brush my cats, I always do a general groom too. Grooming which includes clipping their claws if needed and checking their paws for any dirt.
There are a lot of benefits to grooming your ragdoll cats around one or two times a week. Weekly grooming of your ragdoll cats helps to:
- Prevent their coat from getting matted and tangled.
- Reduce the number of furballs/hairballs they produce, as they’re not swallowing as much fur when they groom themselves.
- Reduce the amount of fur they shed.
- Keep their gorgeous coats silky smooth.
Top Ragdoll Grooming Tips
We hope you found this guide to the best brushes for ragdoll cats useful! Before we go here are some of our top brushing tips:
- Try and stick to a routine – we groom our ragdoll cats 2-3 times a week depending on the season.
- Use the same brush – get them used to the brush and keep using it.
- Treat your ragdoll – give them a nice massage on the top of their head or even a couple of treats after you’ve groomed them. They will start to enjoy the experience and associate the grooming with rewards, making it easier for everyone involved!
- Don’t be too rough – if your ragdoll is meowing or yelping a little bit too much you’re probably hurting them.
- Look out for matted fur – even if you’re grooming regularly you may find the occasional matted piece of fur. It’s best to carefully cut our matted areas of fur with a small pair of scissors, such as these Ragdoll grooming scissors.
If you’ve got any further recommendations or comments, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
3 Comments