Grasping the scruff of the neck varies from a gentle squeeze of skin to grasping a larger fold of skin with varying amounts of pressure; sometimes it's accompanied by lifting the cat up or heavily restraining the cat in other ways. The theory behind this restraint is that since kittens go limp when their mothers carry them by the scruff, so a tight grip on the loose skin over a cat's shoulders would trigger the same response.
But this is not the case. Lore Haug. Kittens go limp due to a flexor reflex. This reflex is only present during the first few weeks of the kitten's life. Mother cats grab kittens by their scruff only in the first few weeks of life to transport them.
They do not do this to discipline them, which is a common myth. It's important to remember that we, as humans, are not cats: A mother cat knows the precise pressure to place on the skin at the back of the neck and cats have pressure sensors on their teeth , which explains why they have the ability to carry a mouse in their mouths without making a scratch. Cats are only grabbed by the scruff on their neck in limited circumstances: by their mother during the first few weeks of life, during mating, during fighting, and when they are being attacked by a predator.
None of these situations are helpful to mimic in a home, veterinary, or shelter setting. This is because scruffing is more likely to cause fear and stress, which can result in aggressive behavior. Scruffing entirely removes the cat's options to retreat and their sense of control.
Cats' territorial instincts and common lack of socialization causes them to become stressed in most situations where they are handled by unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar setting. Scruffing removes the option to retreat and a sense of control for the cat, which commonly results in an escalation of stress, fear, and anxiety.
Lifting a cat or suspending their body weight by the scruff is unnecessary and could be painful. There are many different ways of handling and restraining cats that do not involve scruffing or heavy restraint.
Instead, they recommend cat-friendly, low stress, and fear free handling techniques. These methods take a "less is more" approach. Buddy needs his meds to cure a nasty virus and bacterial infection.
Thanks for reaching out! I never want to stress, agitate, or traumatize any animal. Is this article saying to never scruff? Done properly, scruffing a cat should not hurt it? Scruffing an aggressive cat is not wrong at all. You should never scruff and let the cat hang always support their bottom. This article is kind of misleading as cats are not always good patients or pets. Some are too aggressive for even a towel and most of the time the only way to control the head is by Scruffing. This article is total garbage.
This is Misinformation and should NOT be spread around. When done properly there is nothing wrong with scruffing your cat if he is otherwise inconsolable. As long as his body is supported by your other hand it will not harm him at all.
Certain occasions make it necessary for you to have your cat under control. Which is totally fine and how it should be you should be the one in control of your animal in the situation not the other way around. Sometimes this is the only way.
It would probably the worst possible thing. Most of my cats seem to hate things over their face and they get scared and freaked out. This article is total greatness. Yes, but not everyone does it correctly when they scruff the cat. I know someone that does this and claims they know all about cats because they lived with them but they basically ignore them, never clean their litter etc. When I pill any of my cats, I consider the kind of pill and the typical reaction. Candy coated pills Felimazole etc pop right in like a tiddly-wink.
I roll Stripes on her side, gently squeeze the corner of her mouth and squirt it on in. All done! I go thru cans of scrubbing bubbles. I will gather the front two legs in my left hand and gently lay the cat down on his left side.
With my right hand, I will run the pill down the cheek and past teeth and into the mouth. Liquids — pretty much the same idea. I have one cat who understands that pills make him better but still resists the idea. With Justo, I get him on the counter, show him the pill. It goes down but on his sked, not mine. I tell him that moving targets are harder to hit which seems to describe his tactic.
The key is working as a team with the cat. Cats are a lot like yr old children. I honestly think both methods work, but not all cats are the same and some will be better using different methods. I personally use both methods. I have two cats one is very independent, not super affectionate ,9 lb. Ruxin will yowl and try do bite and be very upset when being scruffed, so he works better in burrito cat mode.
However my my pure bred 9 lb. The point is you should figure out what works for your cat and you all cats and people are different. I have the same problem…how to get my cat into the carrier.
Ideas, please. Let her walk around it, play in it, put her fave treats in it, make her think its part of her own toys and things. When it comes time to load her, put a yummy piece of tuna in the carrier and let her go get it. Do this several times, then when she is in the carrier, quietly close the top. When she comes home, leave the carrier out for a day or two. Good luck! Excellent…my cats were so used to seeing the kennel at times they would even go in and take a nap. They need to have safe places just like any other pet.
Try treats in an open crate before putting treats in a crate that will close before heading out to the vet. I have a multi-cat household, and each one is different fm the next. Some complain the whole way there min drive and others quietly ride along. One of mine was a road kitty. His nose is boogered up fm hitting the Jersey barricade that separated lanes of traffic on the interstate. It was a Sunday after church when I returned for him. He was up against the barricade when I got back, hence the name!
LOL I crept up behind him and snatched him up and pressed him into my chest while wrapping the towel fm church around him. I put him into the back of my pickup that has a camper shell just abt the time the police came to find out why I was on the road. Satisfied, Good Sense and I headed home. He was scared to say the least. Today, many years later, he will actually sit in my lap and allow me to run a comb thru his fur.
He will not allow flea spots or nail trimming. Bottom line, have help if you can get it. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts.
Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Remove any scents from your body that may be offensive to your cat. Strong-smelling perfumes or colognes may be bothersome to him. The scent of a dog may be especially unsettling. Allow your cat to become comfortable with you before you try to scruff him.
Calmly petting him and allowing him to rub up against your hand will relax him. You may need to spend extra time on this step, depending on if your cat has a calm or skittish temperament.
Remove your cat's collar, if he has one. A cat can be held by the scruff with a collar on, but this is not recommended unless you are experienced with handling cats in this way.
Although the scruff is flexible, the collar is not, and you might tighten the collar around his neck by accident. Place your cat on a supportive surface. Having your cat on a sturdy and even surface, such as a table or counter top, will allow you to scruff him more easily. Scruff your cat when he is relaxed and awake.
Grasp as close to the ears as possible to lessen the chances that your cat will struggle or attempt to bite you. This will let you know that you are grasping in the right place. When you tighten your grasp, the skin should still feel relatively loose in your hand. If it feels tight, you may have grasped too much skin; loosen your grip slightly. Your cat will probably let you know if you are holding the skin too tightly.
Do not grab too little scruff. Re-adjust your grip to pick up more skin. Unless your cat is very aggressive, you should notice that he doesn't mind the grasping at all; he might even become very still.
Sometimes this alone is enough to stop your cat from doing something you don't want him to do, or to calm him while you clip his nails or give him medication.
Lift your cat by the scruff. Before attempting to lift your cat by his scruff, remember that cats, especially older ones, typically do not need to be held this way. Use extreme care in picking up your cat by the scruff if he is heavy.
Lifting a heavy cat by his scruff could place extra tension on his neck muscles and skin, which would be uncomfortable and painful for him. After grasping the scruff of a heavy cat, fully support his back end with your other hand. Depending on the size of your cat, you may need to wrap part of your other arm around his hindquarters.
Scruff your cat only for only as long as necessary. Although scruffing is not painful for your cat when done properly, it can become uncomfortable if done for too long. Also, keep in mind that even the most patient cats will get tired of being held this way and may try to swing around to loosen your grip, or kick you with their back paws. If he senses that you are being too rough or are anxious, he may not want to cooperate with being scruffed.
Some cats will vocalize softly, as if to say "Hey, I'm not the biggest fan of this, so let's get this over with soon. Release the scruff. If you have lifted your cat, release the scruff after gently putting him back down gently on a supportive surface. Provide positive reinforcement afterwards to reward him for having good behavior when being scruffed. Examples of positive reinforcement include petting, talking, and treats. While a healthy cat won't get injured in this way, he will learn that you are too rough and he might not be as cooperative the next time you pick him up by the scruff.
Part 2. Understand why cats are more easily controlled when held by the scruff. Mother cats carry and control their kittens by firmly grabbing the scruff with their mouth.
If you've ever seen a kitten get handled this way by its mother, you'll see that the kitten instinctively becomes still and draws his limbs close to his body.
Many cats will continue to do this as adults when they are grabbed by the scruff. Become familiar with situations in which you should not scruff a cat. Avoid scruffing your cat in situations that would agitate the cat or increase the risk of injury for you or your cat.
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