Fleas cause irritation to your cat and to you, so it’s often an issue that needs addressing very quickly. Upping your efforts by using a flea comb for cats can lead to a big improvement in the removal and reduction of fleas and ticks.
Adding a high quality cat flea comb to your armory can prevent flea infestations before they have a chance to take hold in your cat’s coat; the best flea combs for cats will drag up flea eggs and larvae as well as adult fleas.
There are a few factors that make a comb purchase worthwhile, but we’ll get to those a bit later. We’ve put together a list of a few of the best flea combs for cats and placed them here for you to get a quick overview of what’s out there.
Now that you have a rough idea of what a comb to remove fleas looks like, we’ll take a closer look at each of the options above and explain why they’ve earned a place on our list.
Best Flea Combs For Cats ( Top Recommendations)
1. Safari Cat Flea Comb
The Safari Flea Comb offers the best value for money. It’s an incredibly cheap cat flea comb that works perfectly thanks to it’s sturdy metal teeth.
The spacing between the metal teeth is ideal for catching medium to large sized adult fleas without getting caught in small knots of fur.
It’s available in two variations, one with a single row of teeth (better for short haired cats) and one with a double row which is usually makes for the best comb for long haired cats or dogs.
The Safari comb comes highly recommended by many professional cat groomers for it’s durability and ease of grip, and we can confirm that it’s easily one of the best around in both of those deparments.
The hand shaped plastic handle make it easy to hold steadily while you groom your cat and look for any trapped fleas. You also get a handbook along with it that teaches you the best practices for combing your cat for fleas.
It’s hard to imagine a more effective model that could exist at this price, so we’ve stuck it proudly at the top of the list.
2. Sentry Cat Flea Comb
The Sentry flea comb for cats has a very similar shape to the Safari comb we just looked at. It’s also very competitively priced, which makes it one of the best flea combs around today.
The metal teeth are once again perfectly aligned to smoothly slide through fur and pick up dirt, debris and most importantly, fleas.
We’re not sure we like the handle as much as the Safari, but that’s something that’s definitely down to personal preference.
It’s a bit chunkier width-wise, and for us that meant it could rotate a little while we were combing, something that we didn’t see with the flat handle of the safari flea comb.
Despite that, it’s clearly a very high quality cat brush that will last you through years of use. Given how cheap it is, it’s hard to let the handle knock any points off it. A perfect purchase if a comb with a thicker handle seems more “your thing”.
3. Honbay 4 Piece Flea Combs
For the sake of adding a little variety, here’s our winner for the best plastic cat flea comb.
Part of the reason we tend to favor metal combs is because of their durability. There’s no worrying that the teeth will snap off with a metal comb.
With that said, you get a pack of 4 plastic combs that feel sturdy enough to last you just as long as a metal one would. If one breaks, you have 3 more to go! You might also find that you prefer to hold this as opposed to a comb with a handle. It’s probably one of the best flea combs to hold, since it feels a lot more comfortable in your hand than cold metal.
It’s a great option for those with multiple cats who want to keep a separate comb for each of them. I imagine they look a little less intimidating to cats too, being small and colorful!
4. Pet Republique Cat Flea Comb
Back to combs with metal teeth, and here we have Pet Republique’s take on a classic style cat flea comb.
At about half an inch long, the teeth are a little longer than the other two metal flea combs we’ve looked at, so this is definitely a good fit for long haired cats.
They also seem a little closer together than other combs we’ve used, meaning we had an easier time keeping the fleas in the comb long enough to dunk them in water, but also got caught in knots a fair bit more often.
Again, due to the sheer amount of competition in the cat flea comb market, and since good flea combs are fairly easy to manufacture, it’s very reasonably priced.
As always, we can’t mention a Pet Republique brand product without drawing attention to the 15% of all profits they donate to American Animal Rescue Society. Good stuff.
5. Hertzko Cat Flea Comb
Last but not least we have the Hertzko double toothed comb.
It’s a funky color and feels really nice to hold. The grippy plastic handle means there’s no slipping around at all while you wrestle both comb and cat simultaneously.
With a double toothed comb, we can see how you’d make shorter work of a job like de-shedding, but with flea control, the double row of teeth does make the job a little trickier since you have to check both sides. We personally found single toothed flea combs to be better because it was easier to check if fleas have been caught when compared to combs with a double row of teeth.
Despite that it’s a very high quality brush that is suitable for both cats and dogs, so if you have both then it could be a worthwhile investment.
Why should you use a flea comb for cats?
Combing for fleas not only makes you aware of a flea infestation quickly, it can also prevent it taking hold if you’re quick enough.
If you regularly comb your cat, you’ll be able to spot live fleas or larvae before the problem escalates, giving yourself the best chance of preventing it.
Removing a majority of the adult fleas can be achieved with a flea comb alone providing it is used to the best of it’s abilities. You’ll also be removing hard-to-see flea dirt and eggs, stopping the birth of a new generation of settlers.
Regular combing is also great for reducing the risk of hairballs, and for making your cat’s coat all shiny and healthy. So your cat benefits even if they aren’t infested, and you get peace of mind.
Are cat flea combs effective on their own?
It depends on the level of infestation. If you catch them shortly after they’ve landed on your cat, you’ll be able to remove many of the adult fleas and ticks. This prevents larvae or eggs being laid, and mitigates any risk of further infestation.
If you’re dealing with an ongoing infestation that is likely to have many different generations of fleas, then you’ll need to be targeting the whole flea life cycle.
Many cat owners now opt for topical treatments, since they’re a one off application and can offer protection for around a month. They target the whole life cycle usually by paralyzing adult fleas and inhibiting growth in younger fleas to prevent more eggs being laid.
Although they aren’t as popular as they used to be, cat flea collars can also offer a good level of protection for cats who spend a lot of time outdoors.
If your cat is especially keen on lying in plant pots or grassy areas, then a collar will emit gases that aren’t harmful to your cat, but prevent fleas ever landing on them.
Plastic flea combs vs Metal flea combs
Both types of flea combs are pretty cheap to buy now, so the decision should be based solely on effectiveness and durability.
Metal flea combs are almost always better than plastic combs, but you still need to be sure that you’re getting the best deal even when buying a metal one. Many come with teeth that are too far apart to catch medium sized fleas, which renders them close to useless.
On the other hand, plastic flea combs are susceptible to breaking with continued use. We’d recommend you opt for a high quality metal cat flea comb to avoid disappointment. Stainless steel cat flea combs are often the best option, since stainless steel is renowned for being durable.
Opting for one of the combs from our list above should ensure that you get a quality product that lasts a very long time.
Tips for using combs on your cat
It’s no secret that most cats aren’t too keen on being forced into doing something they aren’t ready for, so to help you make the process a bit smoother we’ve put together a few tips. Here’s a list of tricks worth trying to make grooming easier when using a flea comb.
Choose a time that suits your cat best
Cats hate being dragged away from something they have their mind set on. If you try grabbing your cat as it’s about to leave the house and attempt to brush them, you’re almost definitely going to have a bad time.
Choose a time when your cat isn’t busy or asleep, but looking for attention. If you turn the brushing activity into something that favors both of you, you’ll be making your life much easier in the long run.
Avoid too much contact between brush and skin
Avoid putting too much pressure on your cat’s skin with the teeth of the comb. If you hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to your cat’s body, you should be able to drag the comb downwards without the teeth making too much contact with their skin.
Your cat isn’t as delicate as you think, so a small amount of contact is nothing more than the equivalent of a light scratching session for them.
Just remember to be firm enough that the comb moves smoothly through the fur without being caught on small knots.
Prepare a way to kill the fleas
A good cat flea comb will bring out all the flea eggs, flea larvae and adult fleas. Larvae and eggs are pretty easy to dispose of, getting rid of fleas isn’t always as easy.
There are few things more frustrating than finally finding an adult flea in your cats fur using a flea brush and having it jump free.
If you don’t fancy crushing fleas on a piece of paper, then you can fill a small jar with warm soapy water and dunk the brush in to kill any fleas before returning to combing your cat.
Preventing re-infestation using a flea comb
Remember that prevention is always better than having to deal with a full blown infestation and thus have to treat fleas that are settled in carpets and linen.
Regular combing can serve to keep your cat free of adult fleas before they get a chance to reproduce. In the event you don’t catch them in time, you’ll be quick to the mark to start a more effective treatment.
With time, we promise your cat will come to enjoy being brushed, and will be thankful for your helping hand in ridding of them of those annoying fleas and ticks.
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