7 Best Cat Hair Clippers for Cats in 2023

Whether you have a short-haired or long-haired cat, there may come a time when you need to trim their fur. Perhaps it’s become matted, extremely dirty, or you just need to give your precious cat a bit of a trim before the weather gets warmer.


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Whatever the reason, you’ll definitely need a specialized cat hair clipper. So, in this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best hair clippers for cats in 2023. Whether your cat has short hair, long hair, mats and clumps in their fur, or sensitive skin, we’ve got a pair of clippers that’s right for you. Take a look at this list now, and see which one of these products may be right for you.

Different Types Of Cat Hair Clippers

Curious about the major difference between different types of cat hair clippers? Here’s a quick overview of some of the most common product categories.

  • Corded – Corded cat fur clippers offer great performance with consistent power, but must be plugged into a wall to function. This makes them a bit more inconvenient and harder to use, as you must be aware of where the cord is, and avoid wrapping it around your cat.
  • Cordless – Cordless cat hair clippers typically use either removable batteries or a permanent, rechargeable battery pack. They are convenient, but usually have a bit less power than corded cat hair clippers. Additionally they tend to lose a bit of power over time as their charge declines. You’ll need to keep a cordless clipper fully charged to get the most out of it.
  • Brushless motor – Brushless electric motors are more efficient than “brushed” DC electric motors. Cat fur trimmers with a brushless motor typically boast more power than their brushed counterparts.
  • Kits vs. bare tool – Some of the products on this list come as part of a kit, with trimming guide combs, scissors, combs, and other such products. Others are just “bare tools” without accessories – you’ll need to purchase other accessories separately.

Key Components Of Hair Clippers for Cats

Let’s discuss the key components of hair clippers for cats, so that you can understand some of the basics which we’ll be discussing in this article.

  • Blade – The blade is located at the tip of the housing, and is what trims hair. It consists of a rapidly-moving, sharp blade which moves from side-to-side, beneath a metal guard which prevents it from contacting the skin directly. This is what trims your cat’s hair.
  • Motor – There are several different types of electric motor used in hair clippers for cats, including brushless motors, pivot motors, magnetic motors and rotary motors. The speed and power of the clipper, as well as the noise and heat level of the clipper, are mostly determined by the type and quality of motor used.
  • Housing – The housing is the main “body” of the hair clipper, where power, speed controls, and other such controls are located. It’s also where you physically hold the clipper, with an ergonomic grip. Lower-end hair clippers usually have a plastic housing, while more expensive models are usually made of aluminum.
  • Cord or battery charging port – Depending on the clipper, you may have a permanent cord, or a battery charging port where a cord can attach to the base of the clipper, to recharge the internal battery.
  • Guide comb(s) – Guide combs are the plastic accessory which prevent the blade from coming into direct contact with your pet’s skin, and determine the length of your pet’s trim. The longer the guide comb, the longer your pet’s fur will be after you trim it, and vice-versa.

Understanding Blades for Cat Clippers

Blade sharpness and quality is the most important part of selecting a pair of cat clippers. The sharper the blade is, the more smoothly it will glide over your cat’s fur and skin, without “dragging” and pulling hair.

This is one of the reasons that investing in a more expensive pair of cat hair clippers is worth it. The blades will last much longer and be driven by a more powerful motor. Not only that, but high-end hair clippers have removable blades which you can easily swap, if a blade begins to become dull. This ensures you can use the same pair of clippers for years, or even decades.

In addition, blade care is important to keep your blade sharp. After use, you should clean your cat clippers by using the provided brush (if applicable). If your trimmer did not come with any blades, you can use an old toothbrush to remove fur from between the blades. Then, use some blade oil to lubricate the blade, and prevent it from rust and damage. Do this every time you use the clippers, for maximum blade life and sharpness.

Overall Best Cat Hair Clippers

Andis ProClip AGC2 2-Speed Detachable Blade Pet Clipper, Black

Key Features:

  • Detachable blade and removable drive cap
  • Dual-speed (2700-3400 strokes per minute)
  • Locking on/off button
  • 14-foot heavy-duty cord
  • Sealed rotary motor is powerful and runs cool

This cat hair clipper from Andis is corded, and features a high-quality, durable housing and a powerful rotary motor. With the removable blade system, you can swap between different Andis UltraEdge and CeramicEdge blades, allowing you to easily choose optimum coat length for your cat.

It’s been designed to work on all types of cats with all types of coats, so it’s ideal for a pet owner who has multiple furry friends – from short-haired to long-haired cats, and everything in-between. In fact, these super-duty pet clippers can even be used on most dogs, due to the high speed and power of the rotary motor, and the sharp, easily-swappable blades.

Due to its overall versatility, great value, and reliable, consistent performance, the Andis ProClip AGC2 is our top pick for the overall best cat hair clippers in 2023.

PRO’s:

  • Professional-grade rotary motor
  • Can be used on almost any pet
  • Two-speed selection allows you to choose the right speed for your cat

CON’s:

  • Does not come with any guide combs or other such accessories
  • Thick cord may make it hard to trim some unruly pets
  • On the expensive side, compared to some other budget products

Oster A5 Turbo 2-Speed Pet Clipper

Key Features:

  • Adjustable between 3,000 and 4,000 strokes per minute (SPM)
  • Compatible with all Oster A5 detachable blades
  • Incredibly durable and resilient, cuts through hair of any thickness, length, and type easily
  • Comfortable and durable metal housing
  • Runs quietly and with little heat, even during prolonged trims

Overall Best Long Hair Cat Clippers: This Oster A5 Turbo 2-Speed Pet Clipper is our top choice for cats with long hair. With selectable trim speeds of between 3,000-4,000 SPM, it’s without equal when it comes to cutting efficiency. Even the most matted and dirty hair will not be able to stand up to the high-quality motor and extremely sharp blade of this Oster product – which is why it’s our top choice for long-haired cats.

Thanks to its power, it glides smoothly across your pet’s skin with no pulling or irritation, even if you have a long-haired cat. This means a happier cat – and a happier owner. The high-quality motor will remain powerful, and run quietly without excessive heat or noise, even during the most extended trimming sessions.

PRO’s:

  • Appropriate for trimming any pet, even long-haired cats with serious clumps and mats
  • Extremely sharp blade makes trimming quick work, blade is swappable to customize your trim
  • Durable, comfortable metal housing stays cool and is easy to grip for long trim sessions

CON’s:

  • Additional blades are pricey
  • Comes with some basic maintenance accessories, but no guide combs
  • Heavy and large due to high-powered design – may be uncomfortable for those with smaller hands

Wahl Bravura Lithium Ion Cordless Dog & Cat Clipper Kit

Key Features:

  • Full kit comes with guide combs, maintenance brush, charging base, blade oil, travel kit and more
  • Run time of 90 minutes
  • Strong motor ensures uninterrupted performance with no decrease in speed until battery is completely depleted
  • Adjustable “5-in-1” blade
  • Blade is adjustable to #9, #10, #15, #30 and #40.

Best Cordless Clippers For Cats: This product from Wahl is, by far, the best option if you’re looking for a cordless cat clipper. Cordless cat hair clippers are very useful if your cat tends to move around or you don’t like the inconvenience of being tethered to a wall outlet, but they are often underpowered.

That’s not the case with this unit, which boasts a professional-quality motor outputting more than 5,500 SPM. The motor runs quietly and smoothly from battery power, and the unit can be plugged in and used when charging. A full charge takes just under 60 minutes, so it’s easy to keep this unit charged when you need it. Best of all, the blade is adjustable and it comes with a full set of guide combs, so it’s extremely versatile.

PRO’s:

  • Runs quietly with little vibration, noise, and heat
  • Cordless design makes it easy to use anywhere
  • Full kit comes with a variety of useful accessories at no extra cost

CON’s:

  • Battery could run out during extended trimming sessions, or when trimming multiple pets
  • Unit tends to get hot during prolonged trimming sessions
  • Pricey, compared to similar corded models

Wahl KM10 Brushless 2-Speed Professional Dog & Cat Clipper

Key Features:

  • Constant speed control adjusts trimmer speed based on resistance and type of pet hair
  • Extended motor life provides up to 10,000 hours of use
  • Balanced for low vibration and an ergonomic design
  • Delivers between 3,000 and 3,700 SPM
  • Sharp, high-quality #10 Ultimate Competition Series blade set included

Best Cat Hair Clippers For Matted Hair: If you have issues with matting in long-haired cats, this cat hair clipper from Wahl is the best choice on our list. While it may be the most expensive, this is a professional-grade model, which is intended for regular grooming use. The constant speed control feature prevents it from getting bogged down by mats and long hair, and the motor delivers exceptional torque to the sharp blade, allowing it to clip through even the most thick, clumped, and strong hair mats.

PRO’s:

  • Durable and powerful motor will last years and decades to come with proper care
  • Minimizes wrist fatigue with ergonomic, low-vibration design
  • Can be used to remove any mats, and for complete shave-downs

CON’s:

  • The most expensive unit on our list
  • Does not come with any accessories, must be purchased separately
  • The provided power and torque are overkill for most regular trims that do not involve heavy matting

3 More Top Rated Clippers For Cat Hair

Looking to browse more of our top-rated hair clippers? Here are a few of the other products that we’ve reviewed, but didn’t make it into our “most-recommended” categories for one reason or another.

Wahl SS Pro Clipper Kit

If you’re looking for a single-speed clipper set, look no further than the Wahl SS Pro Clipper Kit. It has PowerDrive performance and will quietly cut through thick and matted coats with ease. This clipper offers 3,200 SPM with a rotary motor and a professional, detachable blade for a smooth finish. The kit includes a #10 Competition Series blade, storage case, drive tip removal tool, two replacement drive tips, two stainless steel attachment combs, a cleaning brush and blade oil.

Oster A5 Golden Pet Clipper

These clippers were almost our #1 pick for the best overall hair clippers for cats in 2023. This unit comes in a single-speed or 2-speed model, features a heavy-duty metal body, and speeds of between 2,100 and 2,700 SPM.

The detachable blades are easy to swap out, and compatible with all Cryogen-X™ blades, Elite Cryogen-X™ and Take Down Quick Wide blades. The rotary motor is quiet, stays cool, and delivers consistent torque and speed, to make quick work of even the dirtiest grooming jobs.

Andis ProClip Excel 5-Speed

Andis Excel 5-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper now comes in a variety of colors to let you personalize, and if you are a professional groomer, this can also prevents confusion in busy shops. This Certified Pro clipper has a powerful, rotary motor clipper for complete animal grooming. You can use lower speeds for cooler running and clipping around sensitive areas, and higher speeds for a prettier coat finish. This clipper is equipped with a 4×4 blade drive with 25% more blade torque. Also the clipper blade is detachable for easy changing and cleaning. It is a bit more expensive than other clippers, but you definitely get what you pay for in power and design. It is lightweight and easy to use and is 10% faster than AGC Super 2-Speed!

FAQs Regarding Cat Hair Clippers

You’ve got questions about cat hair clippers, and we’ve got answers. Here are some of the most frequently-asked questions about cat hair clippers in 2023 – read on, and make sure you understand everything you need to know about purchasing a pair of the best cat hair clippers!

Do Dog Clippers Work For Cats As Well? Yes – to a point. It depends on the size of your dog, the size of your cat, and the dog clippers you have. Dogs tend to have thicker, more dense fur than cats, so most dogs need a more powerful, larger set of dog clippers. In comparison, cats mostly have very fine, soft hair, so they do not need a cat hair clippers that are quite as powerful.

This means some dog clippers will be louder and generate more heat, compared to cat clippers – which can lead to discomfort, given how skittish and uncooperative your cat can be during the trimming process.
As long as you clean the clippers between each use, and make sure they are in good condition, though, you can use dog clippers on your cat. If you plan on trimming your cat often, though, we definitely still recommend investing in a pair of high-quality cat hair clippers from this list. Having the right tool for the job is key.

Can You Use Human Clippers on Cats? Sure, as long as you don’t plan on using them to cut human hair ever again, and your clippers are powerful enough. Using the same pair of clippers for both your pets and yourself is not exactly hygienic – and because pet hair is thicker and denser than human hair, most human clippers can’t keep up.

This means your clippers will have a tendency to get “bogged down” in your cat’s hair. This leads to pulling of the skin and fur – and an unhappy kitty! In the long run, using human clippers on cats will also shorten their lifespan, because the motor and blade have to work so much harder than they were intended to.

Finally, human clippers usually come with shorter guide combs, compared to cat clippers. This means that you may not have the proper guide comb for your cat, so you may be forced to cut their hair shorter than you intended. If you’re in a pinch, you can use human clippers on cats – but we don’t recommend doing so long-term, for all of the above reasons.

What Is The Best Way To Prevent Hair Matting? There are a few good tips you can use to prevent hair matting in longer-haired cats. First, keeping your cat’s teeth healthy is a necessity, because they use their teeth to work out mats themselves. In addition, start a regular daily or weekly brushing and grooming routine, to catch minor mats before they become serious. You should use a special brush made for long-hair cats, and a mat breaker that can easily cut through tough knots and mats.
Finally, you can also pet your cat more to keep their fur in good shape, and look for potential mats. You should also take your cat to the vet regularly and watch their diet, to maintain their overall health, and consider seeing a professional groomer every few months.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading – and now that you’ve learned everything there is to know about the 7 best hair clippers for cats in 2023, you’re sure to make the right buying decision – no matter what your budget may be. So take another look at our picks now, browse your favorites, and find the right tool for grooming your precious furry friends!

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