Furminator for long-haired cats
For grooming long-haired cats, it's worth purchasing a specialized comb—a Furminator marked "Long Hair." It significantly facilitates the removal of excess hair, especially during shedding season. The original Furminator from the manufacturer FURminator is more expensive than Chinese alternatives, but it lasts longer and allows for gentle grooming without damaging the pet's growing hairs or skin.
Content
What is a Furminator?
The device's design is simple: a comb-blade with closely spaced, sharpened teeth is attached to a rubberized handle. These teeth don't damage the outer hair, but gently grasp and remove excess soft undercoat—the part that can be difficult to groom on cats with long fur.
Using a furminator is not recommended for cats without an undercoat or with other coat characteristics. These include Turkish Angora, la perm, Turkish van, Balinese etc.
During shedding, loose undercoat hairs form clumps, which are the source of many household problems: they settle on floors, furniture, and clothing, can get into the respiratory tract and eyes, and can even cause allergies. The remaining hairs become tangled with the guard hairs, forming mats. These sometimes need to be trimmed, which can negatively impact the pet's appearance. These problems can be solved by using Furminator for long hair, because:
- elongated teeth (compared to models for short-haired cats) allow you to comb through the fur, reaching the very base and the most problematic areas, preventing the formation of tangles and without damaging the skin;
- the close arrangement of teeth ensures high-quality combing;
- Differences in blade width allow you to choose the right option based on your pet's age and size.
An additional benefit of using a Furminator is the improved appearance of the coat. The shine and smoothness are due to the even distribution of oils throughout the body during brushing.
Varieties
FURminator models for long-haired cats are designed for pets with hair lengths of 5 cm or longer. They are part of the DeLuxe line and feature an additional FURejector button for automatically clearing the teeth of accumulated hairballs. The manufacturer offers these models in two sizes (based on blade width):
- Small (4 cm) – for small animals weighing 4.5 kg.
- Large (7 cm) – for large pets weighing over 5 kg.
Theoretically, no one is stopping you from using, for example, a size S for large cats. The only issue is convenience and the time it takes to brush their entire body. If you have several pets of varying sizes, you can easily stick to one size at your discretion.
Cost of a Furminator
The full price of a Furminator for long-haired cats averages 1,800-1,900 rubles. Sometimes online stores offer discounts (up to 25%), allowing you to buy it for less.
Recommendations for use
The following recommendations will help ensure the safety and effectiveness of using the Furminator:
- Do not use if the cat has any injuries, rashes or inflamed areas.
- Use only for brushing. Before beginning the procedure, it is important to ensure there are no mats. If any are found, remove them first, for example, with a mat cutter.
- Do not use on wet or damp fur. You can bathe your pet first, but in this case, wait until it is completely dry before brushing.
- Brushing movements should be smooth, without pressure, and only in the direction of hair growth. Be especially careful around the abdomen, paws, and genitals.
- The device is suitable for daily brushing, but in practice, 1-2 uses per week during shedding periods and once per month at other times of the year are usually sufficient. Each "session" lasts 10-20 minutes.
How to comb your hair correctly
- Before using the Furminator, make sure there are no wounds, ulcers or other damage on your cat's skin.
- If your pet has long hair, carefully inspect it for tangles and carefully remove them first.
- The cat's coat should be clean; bathing is possible if necessary. After bathing, the hair should be completely dry—do not brush damp or wet fur.
- Comb the fur strictly in the direction of hair growth, without applying strong pressure or abrupt movements. Pay particular attention to the muzzle, groin area, and paws, using extreme gentleness.
Reviews
Julia, owner of the cat Cassandra:
"I didn't have high hopes for the FURminator when I bought it, but it turned out to be a great product for my cat, Cassandra. It's very well made and easy to use. Now, there are practically no hairballs in the corners of our apartment, and Cassandra eats a huge amount of fur when grooming. I've never regretted the purchase; the only downside is the price."
Grisha:
"We decided to buy a Furminator for our Persian cat, as using a slicker brush was practically useless. Surprisingly, he allows himself to be brushed, even enjoys the procedure, and now looks much neater. Hopefully, with regular use, we'll be able to remove as much unwanted fur as possible and save time cleaning the apartment."
Kirill, owner of two cats:
"The Furminator is indispensable during our cats' shedding season. Thanks to regular brushing, they no longer develop mats, they no longer swallow their own fur, and the furniture and clothing in our house are now less woolly. We've had it for over a year now and it still looks like new, combs everything just as thoroughly, and the blade never gets dull. It's truly a high-quality product."
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