We have two long-haired cats — Billy and Mr. Kitty. Both of them develop mats in their fur that cause irritation, and professional grooming runs $60-80 per cat, per visit. We groom them ourselves at home and have been doing it for years. It saves us hundreds of dollars annually and honestly, once you have the right tools and routine, it’s not that hard.
The trick isn’t some magical brush. It’s a combination of the right tools, consistent brushing, and — for anxious cats — a little pharmaceutical help that your vet can provide.
Quick answer: Brush daily with a Pecute self-cleaning slicker brush ($10), use a GoPets dematting comb for tangles, and if you want to level up, the oneisall grooming vacuum kit is an absolute game changer for keeping hair short and cleanup nonexistent.
Why Long-Haired Cats Need Regular Grooming
Short-haired cats mostly handle grooming themselves. Long-haired cats cannot. Their fur tangles, mats, and traps dirt in ways they can’t manage on their own. If you skip grooming for even a week, here’s what happens:
- Mats form in the armpits, belly, behind the ears, and around the rear. Mats pull on the skin and cause pain.
- Skin irritation develops underneath mats where air can’t reach. This can lead to hot spots and infections.
- Hairballs increase because your cat is ingesting more fur trying to groom themselves through tangles.
- Litter box hygiene suffers — and I’ll be blunt about this one later.
Both Billy and Mr. Kitty have had mat-related skin irritation. It’s not fun for anyone. Consistent grooming prevents all of it.
The Tools You Actually Need
After trying various brushes and tools over the years, we’ve settled on a small kit that handles everything. You don’t need much.
Daily Brush: Pecute Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
This is our everyday brush. It’s lightweight, has a self-cleaning button that retracts the bristles so you can just wipe the fur off, and it’s gentle enough for daily use. The angled bristles get through the topcoat without yanking.
We use this for 2-3 minutes a day on each cat. That’s it. That daily habit prevents about 90% of matting problems.
For Tangles and Mats: GoPets Dematting Comb
When you do find a mat — and you will — this is what you reach for. It’s double-sided: one side has fewer, wider-spaced teeth for tough mats, and the other side is finer for general detangling.
The blades are sharp enough to cut through mats but have rounded ends so they don’t scratch the skin. And the handle is incredibly soft, which matters more than you’d think during those slow, careful sessions where you’re working out a stubborn tangle and your cat is giving you the look.
Never use scissors on mats. It’s way too easy to cut skin because the mat pulls the skin up into it. The dematting comb is designed to separate the mat without that risk.
The Game Changer: oneisall Grooming Vacuum Kit
This thing changed our entire grooming routine. It’s a clipper that connects to a vacuum, so the hair gets sucked up as you cut. No mess. No fur tumbleweeds rolling across the floor. It comes with a ton of attachments — clippers, brushes, guide combs, a nail grinder.
We primarily use the clipper attachment. It cuts through stubborn mats that the dematting comb can’t handle, and it’s great for keeping problem areas trimmed short. If you’re willing to keep your cat’s coat a little shorter overall, this alone saves you a massive amount of brushing time.
The catch: it’s a vacuum. It makes noise. You absolutely need to get your cat used to it before you try using it on them. We left it out unplugged for a few days, then ran it nearby without touching them, then gradually introduced it during treat time. Both of our long-haired cats adapted to it. But honestly, some cats may never tolerate it — know your cat.
For Deeper Combing: A Good Metal Comb
After brushing with the slicker brush, run a Safari cat comb through the fur to catch anything the brush missed. If the comb slides through smoothly, you’re good. If it catches, there’s a tangle starting that you want to deal with now, not next week when it’s a full mat.
Our Grooming Routine
Here’s our actual weekly schedule:
Daily (2-3 minutes per cat):
- Quick pass with the Pecute slicker brush
- Focus on the areas that mat first: armpits, belly, behind the ears, and the “pants” area around the rear legs
Weekly (10-15 minutes per cat):
- Thorough brush with the slicker brush
- Follow up with the metal comb to find hidden tangles
- Use the dematting comb on any small mats before they get worse
Monthly or as needed (20-30 minutes per cat):
- Use the oneisall clipper to trim problem areas and keep the coat manageable
- Trim around the rear (more on this below)
- Check and trim nails
The single biggest thing that reduces grooming work is keeping the coat a little shorter with the clippers. You don’t have to go short — even taking off an inch makes a dramatic difference in how quickly mats form. Both our cats look great with a slightly shorter coat and mat up way less frequently.
How to Deal With Mats
If you find a mat, here’s the process:
- Don’t try to brush through it. A regular brush will just pull on the skin and hurt your cat.
- Sprinkle a tiny bit of cornstarch on the mat. This helps loosen the fibers.
- Use your fingers first to gently separate the outer edges of the mat.
- Work the dematting comb from the outside in. Hold the base of the mat near the skin with your fingers so the comb doesn’t pull on the skin. Short, gentle strokes.
- For really stubborn mats, skip the comb and use the clippers. The oneisall clipper slides under mats and cuts them off cleanly. This is faster and less stressful for everyone.
Never bathe a matted cat. Water makes mats tighter and harder. Always demat first, then bathe if needed.
The Anxious Cat Secret: Gabapentin + Churu Treats
Here’s the real game changer that nobody in the cat grooming articles talks about.
Our cat Billy takes gabapentin daily for general anxiety — prescribed by our vet. We discovered that giving both long-haired cats a dose about two hours before a longer grooming session makes the whole experience dramatically calmer. Our vet specifically approved this for pre-grooming use.
Gabapentin is a prescription medication. You need to get it from your vet with proper dosing for your cat’s weight. Don’t use human gabapentin — some human formulations contain xylitol, which is toxic to cats. Talk to your vet, explain that grooming is stressful for your cat, and ask if gabapentin is appropriate. Many vets routinely prescribe it for exactly this purpose.
Then, right when you start grooming, put a plate of Churu treats in front of them.
We’ve bought Churus 26 times on Amazon at this point. They’re basically cat crack. The combination of mild gabapentin sedation and a Churu plate in front of them means our cats will sit through 20-30 minutes of clipping and brushing with minimal complaints.
We also use the Churu to mix in Billy’s daily gabapentin dose — he licks it right up without even noticing the medication. For more on why Churu is our go-to (and the ridged plate that makes treat time way less messy), check out our best cat treats guide.
The Sanitary Trim (Yes, You Need to Do This)
This is the part nobody wants to talk about, but if you have a long-haired cat, it’s essential.
Long fur around the rear catches litter and waste. Your cat then sits on your couch, your bed, your lap. Keeping the fur around their hindquarters trimmed short improves everyone’s quality of life — the cat’s included.
Use the clipper on a short guard and go very slowly. This area is sensitive, and your cat will let you know if you’re being too aggressive. The gabapentin + Churu combo helps enormously here. We do this about once a month.
When to Skip DIY and See a Groomer
Take your cat to a professional groomer if:
- Mats are tight against the skin and you can’t slide a comb under them
- Your cat becomes aggressive during grooming despite calming aids
- There’s skin irritation or sores under matted areas — see your vet
- You need a full lion cut — this is harder than it looks and easier to mess up at home
For everything else, home grooming works great and saves you $120-160 per visit for two cats.
The Payoff: A Well-Groomed Mr. Kitty
When we keep up with brushing, Mr. Kitty is a legitimately beautiful cat. His coat is soft, fluffy, and mat-free. He’s also noticeably more comfortable — less scratching, less overgrooming, and he seems to enjoy being petted more when his fur isn’t pulling.
It takes us about 5 minutes a day in total brushing time and one longer session a month with the clippers. That’s it. The tools pay for themselves after skipping a single professional grooming visit, and your cats will be more comfortable for it.
If you’re on the fence about grooming at home, start with just the slicker brush and a dematting comb. That’s under $25 and handles 90% of long-haired cat maintenance. Add the grooming vacuum when you’re ready to stop finding cat hair in places you didn’t know existed.
Related Articles
- Best Cat Water Fountain — Stainless Steel Wins — hydration is essential for coat health
- How to Keep Cats Off Furniture — less fur on the couch when they have better options
- Best Heated Cat House for Outdoor Cats — outdoor cats need extra grooming attention
- Hidden Litter Box Cabinet — keeping the litter area clean pairs with the sanitary trim
Products Mentioned in This Article
Pecute Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
Lightweight everyday brush with a self-cleaning button that retracts bristles for easy fur removal.
- Self-cleaning button retracts bristles so you just wipe fur off
- Gentle angled bristles get through the topcoat without yanking
- Lightweight and comfortable for daily 2-3 minute sessions
- Not effective on existing mats — you need a dematting comb for those
- Bristles may bend over time with heavy use
oneisall Dog/Cat Grooming Vacuum Kit (7-in-1)
Clipper-vacuum combo that sucks up hair as you cut — a game changer for keeping cleanup nonexistent.
- Hair gets sucked up as you cut — no mess or fur tumbleweeds
- Comes with a ton of attachments including clippers, brushes, and nail grinder
- Cuts through stubborn mats the dematting comb can't handle
- Keeping the coat slightly shorter dramatically reduces matting
- It's a vacuum — the noise requires slow acclimation for cats
- Some cats may never tolerate it
- At $60, it's the most expensive grooming tool
GoPets Dematting Comb (2-Sided)
Double-sided dematting comb with rounded blade ends that cuts through mats without scratching skin.
- Two sides — wider teeth for tough mats, finer teeth for general detangling
- Rounded blade ends won't scratch the skin
- Incredibly soft handle for comfortable extended sessions
- Requires patience and slow, careful strokes on tight mats
- Not a replacement for clippers on really stubborn mats
INABA Churu Cat Treats (Chicken Variety, 50-Pack)
Lickable puree treats used during grooming sessions to keep cats calm and distracted.
- Cats sit through 20-30 minutes of grooming while licking a plate of Churu
- Great for mixing in gabapentin or other medications
- Every cat we've tried it on loves it
- Can be messy without a ridged lick plate
- You'll go through them quickly during regular grooming sessions
Safari Cat Comb
Simple metal comb for catching tangles the slicker brush missed after a brushing session.
- Reveals hidden tangles that the slicker brush missed
- Very affordable at about $5
- Smooth metal teeth glide through properly brushed fur
- Not designed for dematting — only for finding and catching starting tangles