What blades are best for cats?

The most popular lengths of blades for clipping a knotted or matted cat are sizes 10, 15 and 30. The most popular types of blades for cats are standard A5 blades, or cat blades, or 5 in 1 adjustable blades.

Standard blades are also called A5 blades. Standard blades come in 11 lengths, from under 1mm (a size 50 blade) to over 1cm (a size 3 blade). A size 10 blade is under 2mm, a 15 is just over 1mm, and a 30 is 0.5mm (best length for matted coats). Standard blades are the same types of blades you'd use for clipping dogs.

Standard blades by any brand, fit all A5 model clippers by any brand. To find out if your clippers are an A5 model, search A5 in our Help section to view the A5 clipper chart. 

Specialist cat blades also fit all brands of A5 model clippers. Cat blades come in sizes 10 (under 2mm) and 30 (0.5mm). They come in different colours so you can easily identify them to keep them separate from dog blades. The teeth and coating on a cat blade, are different than dog blades. Cat blades are designed to go through a cat's finer, denser coat more easily, and leave a smoother finish with fewer blade marks. You'll find them under Blades > Cat Blades.

Adjustable 5 in 1 blades are another popular blade type used for clipping cats. They are 1 blade you can adjust to 5 different lengths. 5 in 1 blades only fit the model that they are made for. So if you have a Wahl Creativa for example, or an Andis Vida, although those are all 5 in 1 models, they each have their own blade.

Before buying a blade for clipping a cat, first make sure you know what model of clipper you have, so you can check the blade you buy will fit your clippers.

Blade tips when clipping cats

A sharp blade is extra important for cats due to their finer, denser coats compared to most dog coat types. A dull blade is more likely to grab or chew a cat's coat. If you use your clippers for both dogs and cats, save at least one blade to put aside exclusively to use for your cat clients (cat blades come in different colours which helps avoid accidentally using them on your dog clients). A dog's coat will typically blunt a blade faster than a cat's coat will.

Standard steel blades (that fit A5 model clippers), and cat blades, can be sharpened over and over, saving you buying a new blade each time it goes dull. Trimmer blades and 5 in 1 blades are not usually sharpened, so when they eventually become dull, you'd need to buy a new blade. Cat fur tends not to dull blades as fast as most dog coat types, so both clipper and trimmer blades tend to stay sharper for longer. 

Here's are a couple of reviews from customers who use the size 30 cat blade made by Andis > 

"I have an older long haired cat who won't let me brush her and gets dense mats on her back and around her tail and backside. This blade was great for getting rid of the mats. Prefer this to the number 10 blade, got underneath the mats much more easily. Do get a cooling spray and go slow." 

...and another said: "worked great...shaved without nicking the cat...so he's happy too!"