Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Lorna Whittemore
Veterinarian, MRCVS
Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Lorna Whittemore
Veterinarian, MRCVS
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
As cat parents, we’re all familiar with the signs—white, dry, flaky skin indicates that your cat has a bit of dandruff going on. Dandruff is a pretty common problem and can be caused by many factors, including allergies, poor diet, medical conditions, and, in some cases, infrequent brushing.
Though cats groom themselves, brushing can help get rid of dead hair and skin build-up that may contribute to dandruff, especially in areas your cat has trouble reaching. If you’re not sure where to start, check out these cat brush and comb reviews to get an idea of what might work best for your cat.
If you suspect that your cat has a skin condition, please speak to your vet before choosing a brush to make sure it won’t cause discomfort for your cat.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
FURminator Cat Deshedding Tool
Two options for different coat types
Has a rejector button to release the hair
Doesn’t cut into the skin
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Best Value
Hepper Deshedding Brush
Self-cleaning
Gentle bristles
Waterproof
Check Price
Premium Choice
Bass Brushes Hybrid Pet Groomer
Two brush types in one
Made with bamboo
Distributes healthy oils throughout the coat
Check Price
Best for Kittens
Frisco Cat Dog Pin Bristle Brush
Double-sided
Gentle on your kitten’s skin
Plastic heads on pin teeth to avoid scratches
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Ozark Pet Dog & Cat 2-Sided Grooming Tool
Two grooming tools in one
Easy to clean
Great for heavy shedders
Check Price
The 10 Best Cat Brushes for Dandruff
The best overall cat brush for dandruff is this de-shedding tool by FURminator. There are two sizes available, one for long-haired cats (purple) and one better suited to short-haired cats (turquoise). This popular de-shedding tool targets the undercoat and gets rid of loose hairs and dead skin that may have built up below the top coat.
Size: 2 x 5 x 8.75 inches
Material: Metal, stainless steel
Brush type: Deshedding tool
Color: Purple, turquoise
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The FURminator has a curved edge to suit the cat’s body shape and an ergonomic handle to make the process a bit easier for you, too. We love the FURrejector button at the top, which releases the hair when you’re done grooming.
According to user reviews, the FURminator can remove a great deal of dead hair without damaging the top coat or cutting the skin. On the downside, it’s pretty expensive compared to most of our other picks.
Pros
Two options for different coat types
Has a rejector button to release the hair
Doesn’t cut into the skin
Ergonomic handle
Curved shape for extra comfort
Cons
Expensive
The best cat brush for dandruff for the money is Hepper’s Deshedding Cat brush. Cleaning this brush is a breeze—with one simple click, the hair is instantly removed from the bristles. The bristles are soft enough to be gentle on your cat while grooming, yet dense enough to remove dead, excess hair. The brush is also waterproof—all it needs is a quick rinse after your grooming session. The only issue we found with this brush is that hair must still be manually removed at times—the eject button doesn’t work well when the bristles are clogged with super fine hair.
Two options for different coat types
Has a rejector button to release the hair
Doesn’t cut into the skin
Ergonomic handle
Curved shape for extra comfort
- Two options for different coat types
- Has a rejector button to release the hair
- Doesn’t cut into the skin
- Ergonomic handle
- Curved shape for extra comfort
Expensive
- Expensive
Size: 8cm x 19cm
Material: ABS plastic with stainless steel bristles
Brush type: Deshedding
Color: Pink, blue, gray
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Disclaimer: At Petkeen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Pros
Self-cleaning
Gentle bristles
Waterproof
Reasonably priced
Cons
Not great for very fine hair
If you’re looking for the ultimate quality, check out this bamboo hybrid groomer by Bass Brushes. This groomer combines soft bristles and pin teeth into one brush for a double-action effect—working healthy oils through the skin and hair—which helps keep dandruff at bay—and untangling the coat to avoid matting and knots.
Self-cleaning
Gentle bristles
Waterproof
Reasonably priced
- Self-cleaning
- Gentle bristles
- Waterproof
- Reasonably priced
Not great for very fine hair
- Not great for very fine hair
Size: 2.2 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
Material: Wood
Brush type: Hybrid groomer brush
Color: Bamboo-dark finish
The hybrid groomer is suitable for dogs and horses as well as cats, so though it’s far from the cheapest brush, it’s multipurpose and stops you from having to buy multiple brushes. It’s mostly suited to larger cats with long and medium-length coats, but Bass Brushes does sell smaller brushes too, which you can also find on Chewy.
Pros
Two brush types in one
Made with bamboo
Distributes healthy oils throughout the coat
Untangles coats
Suitable for cats, dogs, and horses
Cons
Expensive
Not the best choice for short-haired cats
- Frisco Cat Dog Pin Bristle Brush – Best for Kittens
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Size: 9.26 x 2.76 x 2.56 inches
Material: Plastic, rubber
Brush type: Double-sided brush
Color: Green, gray
Kitten skin is a little more sensitive, so you’ll want to look for something nice and soft. We recommend this pin bristle brush. It has soft bristles on one side, which are perfect for kittens, and pin bristles on the other with plastic heads for smoothing out the coat and getting rid of dead hair.
Two brush types in one
Made with bamboo
Distributes healthy oils throughout the coat
Untangles coats
Suitable for cats, dogs, and horses
- Two brush types in one
- Made with bamboo
- Distributes healthy oils throughout the coat
- Untangles coats
- Suitable for cats, dogs, and horses
Expensive
Not the best choice for short-haired cats
- Expensive
- Not the best choice for short-haired cats
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Size: 9.26 x 2.76 x 2.56 inches
Material: Plastic, rubber
Brush type: Double-sided brush
Color: Green, gray
Soft bristle brushes are great for keeping the fur soft and smooth and spreading oils throughout the skin and coat, which helps prevent dandruff. The only downside to this brush is that it may not be strong enough to handle heavy-shedding cat coats, so if you’re planning on using this on a heavy-shedding cat or kitten, you might want to consider something else.
Pros
Double-sided
Gentle on your kitten’s skin
Plastic heads on pin teeth to avoid scratches
Moisturizes the coat by spreading healthy oils
Inexpensive
Cons
It may not be strong enough for heavy shedders
Ozark’s 2-in-1 grooming tool can be used on both short and long-haired, but it’s especially good for long-haired and thick-haired cats that shed a lot more. It has a de-shedding head for tackling loose hairs in the undercoat and a blade for helping you cut through mats without damaging your cat’s skin or coat. It’s made of stainless steel, which is one of the easiest materials to clean, and has an ergonomic grip.
Double-sided
Gentle on your kitten’s skin
Plastic heads on pin teeth to avoid scratches
Moisturizes the coat by spreading healthy oils
Inexpensive
- Double-sided
- Gentle on your kitten’s skin
- Plastic heads on pin teeth to avoid scratches
- Moisturizes the coat by spreading healthy oils
- Inexpensive
It may not be strong enough for heavy shedders
- It may not be strong enough for heavy shedders
Size: 7 x 4.25 inches (large), 7 x 3.5 inches (small)
Material: Polypropylene, steel, plastic, metal
Brush type: Grooming tool
Color: Blue, pink
Several users were impressed with how smooth their cats’ coats looked after using this tool and considered it a good option for cats who dislike being brushed. The small version of this tool is best suited to cats and small and medium dogs, whereas the large tool is better for large dogs.
Pros
Two grooming tools in one
Easy to clean
Great for heavy shedders
Affordable
Cons
The handle may be a little small for larger hands
Fine-toothed combs are good for cats with dandruff—especially if it’s limited to specific areas like on their rump or part of their back—because the teeth are pretty adept at getting right into the fur and pulling out flakes. If your cat has dandruff in one or just a few specific areas, this Hartz Groomer’s Best flea comb may be the helping hand you need.
Two grooming tools in one
Easy to clean
Great for heavy shedders
Affordable
- Two grooming tools in one
- Easy to clean
- Great for heavy shedders
- Affordable
The handle may be a little small for larger hands
- The handle may be a little small for larger hands
Size: 0.6 x 3.7 x 10.4 inches
Material: Stainless steel
Brush type: Flea comb
Color: Purple, black
Made with stainless steel teeth and an ergonomic handle, this comb is designed to remove fleas and flea eggs, but there’s no reason it can’t be used for dandruff, too. It also helps with de-matting and detangling and we’re pretty impressed with the low price to boot. The only concern here is that if your cat has dandruff all over or sheds heavily, it may take you quite a bit of time to give their fur a complete going over with this little comb.
Pros
Great for removing flakes from small areas
Very inexpensive
Made of stainless steel
Helps detangle and get rid of mats
Cons
Removing dandruff from all over the body may be time-consuming
- Babyliss Pro Pet Longer Slicker Brush
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Size: 5.5 x 10.25 x 1.5 (small), 5.75 x 11 x 1.75 (medium), 6.25 x 11.25 x 1.5 (large) inches
Material: Silicone, plastic
Brush type: Slicker brush
Color: White, black
Slicker brushes might look uncomfortable, but they do a pretty thorough job of removing dead hair from your cat’s coat, and—as long as you’re not pressing too hard—they don’t cause your cat any pain or discomfort. This slicker brush by Babyliss comes in three sizes and the handle is made with bubble gel to give you a more comfortable experience and better grip when brushing.
Great for removing flakes from small areas
Very inexpensive
Made of stainless steel
Helps detangle and get rid of mats
- Great for removing flakes from small areas
- Very inexpensive
- Made of stainless steel
- Helps detangle and get rid of mats
Removing dandruff from all over the body may be time-consuming
- Removing dandruff from all over the body may be time-consuming
Size: 5.5 x 10.25 x 1.5 (small), 5.75 x 11 x 1.75 (medium), 6.25 x 11.25 x 1.5 (large) inches
Material: Silicone, plastic
Brush type: Slicker brush
Color: White, black
Here at Petkeen, some of us use slicker brushes on our own cats and have always had a good experience—our cats seem to really love the feeling and even keep coming back for more! Some users expressed concern about the bubble gel handle, however, as a few pets were able to chew into it. If you keep it out of your cat’s reach when not using it, though, you should be fine.
Pros
Gentle on your cat’s skin
Feels good for many cats
Comes in three sizes
Great for tackling shedding
Anti-slip handle
Cons
Determined cats may be able to chew into the handle
If you’d like a brush that helps a bit with cleanup, this slicker brush comes with a self-cleaning button to neatly dispose of the dead hair when you’re done. This saves time, as picking out the hairs with your fingers can be time-consuming and even painful if you prick your finger on the teeth. The bristles are also retractable to keep your fingers extra safe when you store the brush away.
Gentle on your cat’s skin
Feels good for many cats
Comes in three sizes
Great for tackling shedding
Anti-slip handle
- Gentle on your cat’s skin
- Feels good for many cats
- Comes in three sizes
- Great for tackling shedding
- Anti-slip handle
Determined cats may be able to chew into the handle
- Determined cats may be able to chew into the handle
Size: 7 x 3.8 x 2.5 inches
Material: Plastic
Brush type: Slicker brush
Color: Yellow, black
In addition to cats, this product can be used on a variety of other pets including dogs and rabbits. When we checked out user reviews, we found that though most pet parents were happy with this brush, some were disappointed that it broke after using it for a while. Some also felt that the bristles were a tad too sharp for their pet.
Pros
Self-cleaning feature
Retractable bristles
Can be used on dogs and rabbits as well as cats
Helps remove mats and tangles
Cons
It may be too sharp for sensitive cats
It may be prone to breakage
- Frisco Metal Cat & Dog Comb
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Size: 7.49 x 1.38 x 0.24 inches
Material: Stainless steel
Brush type: Comb
Color: Silver
This simple, dual-sided pet comb comes with fine and wide teeth to help you get at stubborn mats and tangles. The wide side is good to start out with for detangling and de-matting and the finer side is for the perfect finish. The teeth are rounded to be gentle rather than sharp on your cat’s skin.
Self-cleaning feature
Retractable bristles
Can be used on dogs and rabbits as well as cats
Helps remove mats and tangles
- Self-cleaning feature
- Retractable bristles
- Can be used on dogs and rabbits as well as cats
- Helps remove mats and tangles
It may be too sharp for sensitive cats
It may be prone to breakage
- It may be too sharp for sensitive cats
- It may be prone to breakage
Size: 7.49 x 1.38 x 0.24 inches
Material: Stainless steel
Brush type: Comb
Color: Silver
As mentioned, fine-toothed combs are great for getting flakes out of your cat’s fur in small areas, but you may need to devote a bit more time if you’re planning on brushing your cat thoroughly with this comb. It also doesn’t come with a handle, which might be a dealbreaker for some. If you’re looking for sturdy and simple, though, this comb may do the trick.
Pros
Made of stainless steel
Sturdy, simple design
Smooth teeth
Good for mats and tangles
Cons
Time-consuming if all-over brushing
No handle
- HandsOn Cat Grooming Gloves
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Size: 6–7 inches (small), 7–8.5 inches (medium), 8.5–10.5 (large), 10.5 plus inches (extra-large)
Material: Nylon, synthetic fabric, vinyl/PVC
Brush type: Grooming gloves
Color: Black
If your cat isn’t a big fan of tougher brushes, this pair of grooming gloves are soft and protective enough to avoid you getting scratched in the process. They’re fine for all coat types and you can massage your cat with them while you get to work deshedding to soothe their nerves, improve their circulation, and distribute healthy oils around the skin and coat.
Made of stainless steel
Sturdy, simple design
Smooth teeth
Good for mats and tangles
- Made of stainless steel
- Sturdy, simple design
- Smooth teeth
- Good for mats and tangles
Time-consuming if all-over brushing
No handle
- Time-consuming if all-over brushing
- No handle
Size: 6–7 inches (small), 7–8.5 inches (medium), 8.5–10.5 (large), 10.5 plus inches (extra-large)
Material: Nylon, synthetic fabric, vinyl/PVC
Brush type: Grooming gloves
Color: Black
We also like that these gloves come with an adjustable wrist strap to stop them from slipping around on your hands as you groom. The only downside to gloves like these is that the nodules are quite wide, so though they’re built to deal with shedding, they’re not quite as thorough at eliminating flakes—especially those in small areas—as combs, brushes, and grooming tools.
Pros
Made of soft material
An alternative to tougher brushes and tools
Can be used as a massage tool
Improves circulation
Gentle for sensitive cats
Cons
Not the best at getting rid of flakes in small, hard-to-reach zones
Made of soft material
An alternative to tougher brushes and tools
Can be used as a massage tool
Improves circulation
Gentle for sensitive cats
- Made of soft material
- An alternative to tougher brushes and tools
- Can be used as a massage tool
- Improves circulation
- Gentle for sensitive cats
Not the best at getting rid of flakes in small, hard-to-reach zones
- Not the best at getting rid of flakes in small, hard-to-reach zones
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Cat Brushes for Dandruff
With so many cat brushes out there, choosing the best one for your cat’s needs can feel like a real mission, but we’ve got some tips to help you out.
First of all, if your cat has consistent skin issues like dryness, flakiness, and/or soreness, we advise you to take them to a vet for diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, like if your cat has sore skin, brushing will be painful for them, which is why it’s best to talk to a vet if the problem goes beyond a bit of flakiness here and there.
If your cat isn’t suffering from a health issue, though, brushing can be really helpful for eliminating and preventing dandruff. If you’ve decided to go this route, think about the following before you buy:
Your Cat’s Age
Are they a kitten or an adult? If you have a kitten, you’ll want to look for something soft enough for their sensitive skin, like a double-sided brush with both soft bristles and gentle pin teeth.
Your Cat’s Coat Type
Are they a light, moderate, or heavy shedder? For heavy shedders, you might need a heavy-duty de-shedding tool like the FURminator or the Ozark grooming tool that tackles dense undercoats, whereas, for lighter shedders, a simple slicker brush or flea comb might do the trick.
Your Cat’s Reaction to Being Brushed
If your cat is reluctant or afraid of brushing, it might be a good idea to start with something small and non-intimidating to get them used to the feeling. Silicone grooming brushes, for example, may feel less intense on your cat’s skin than deshedding tools and slicker brushes.
When they’re more used to brushing or are at least tolerating it in short spurts, you might choose to move on to more heavy-duty-style grooming tools if necessary.
Your Budget
Some brushes—deshedding tools like the FURminator in particular—can be quite pricey. It’s hard to fault the more expensive brands when it comes to quality, but if you just can’t justify spending that kind of money, there are plenty of cheaper options available.
Conclusion
To review, our top pick for the best cat brush for dandruff is the FURminator deshedding tool which helps keep your cat’s coat in tip-top condition while removing the shedding undercoat and dead skin. Our best value pick is Hepper deshedding brush made of silicone, which may be a good option for cats who dislike brushing because it’s so gentle.
Finally, our premium choice is the Hybrid Pet Groomer bamboo brush by Bass Brushes. This pricey but quality brush doubles up on teeth types, with soft bristles and pin bristles all in one place.
We hope you’ve found our reviews helpful and are ready to tackle your cat’s dandruff problem. Remember, when in doubt, see a vet. Good luck!
Featured Image Credit: ANURAK PONGPATIMET, Shutterstock
Sources
Web MD – What is Dandruff Web MD – How to Brush Dandruff
- Web MD – What is Dandruff
- Web MD – How to Brush Dandruff
