Grooming tools for cats and dogs

Cats are particular about being groomed — the right tool makes the difference between a cat that tolerates it and one that bolts for the nearest cupboard. Coat type plays a big role in what's actually useful, so I'd rather point you toward something that genuinely works than something that just looks versatile. Before I do that, tell me: short-haired or long-haired cat, how patient are they about being brushed, and are you mainly dealing with shedding, detangling, or general upkeep? And since you've got a dog in the mix too — what breed or coat type is the dog?

That's actually one of the better combinations to work with — both short, dense coats, both shedding machines. You don't need a detangling tool, you need something that gets into the undercoat efficiently without being rough on the skin. What's your cat's tolerance like when it comes to pressure — does she lean into brushing or is she more of a 'three strokes and I'm done' type?

Perfect — that actually helps narrow this down considerably. For a shedding-focused household with one tolerant Lab and one impatient short-haired cat, I'd go with the FURminator deShedding Tool. Get the small size with the short hair setting for the cat, and the large short hair version for the Lab — they're the same design, just scaled. The FURminator reaches the undercoat without cutting the topcoat, which is exactly what both of these coat types need. For your cat, short sessions with it are genuinely effective — you don't need to groom her for long, and she won't need you to. For the Lab, it will pull out an almost alarming amount of undercoat in one go, which is satisfying and dramatically reduces what ends up on your sofa. It's not cheap, but it's the one tool serious about shedding that actually delivers on both species.

Honestly, for the best results you want two — the small cat version has finer, more closely spaced teeth that suit a tabby's finer coat, and using the large Lab one on her would be too harsh. That said, if you want to start with one to test the water, get the small short hair version first and try it on the cat. It'll work adequately on the Lab too — just slower, since you're covering less area per stroke. But if the Lab is your bigger shedding problem, start with the large. Either way, the FURminator short hair range is what I'd point you toward — it's the right tool for both animals, just at the right scale.

Good call — the Lab will give you immediate, dramatic results and you'll know straight away if the tool is worth it for both of them. The FURminator large short hair is easy to find on Amazon UK. Just go slowly the first time with the cat when you get to her — let her sniff it, keep the first session to under a minute, and she'll likely come around once she realises it doesn't pull.