Grabbing a cat by his neck can lead to anxiety, stress, aggression, and distrust. Madeline Buiano is the staff writer for MarthaStewart.com, sharing her knowledge on a range of topics—from gardening and cleaning to home and pets.
In adult cats, scruffing triggers fear and stress rather than relaxation. The only time an adult cat is held by the scruff is during mating—if a female in estrus, or “heat”—or when under attack by a predator.
Once a kitten has reached about twelve weeks of age, they will be too heavy to lift by the scruff without causing them pain or discomfort, and lifting an adult cat by the scruff will be both painful for them and place too much pressure on their shoulder blades, and can even cause bruising beneath their fur, which will ...
Cats are animated animals, filled to brim with enthusiasm and energy. Yet, when handle by the scruff, they enter a trance like state. Some may perceive the act of holding a cat in this manner as painful for the cat but it's theorized that skin behind the cat's neck is loose and without feeling.
A simple training method involves praising and petting your kitten when it leaps onto acceptable surfaces while scolding and removing it from unacceptable surfaces. The spray bottle can help train your kitten to stay off specific surfaces.
By scruffing your puppy when it misbehaves, you are essentially imitating what its mother would have done. Scruffing should never be too firm or aggressive. Grab the dog's scruff, shake gently and say “no.” It's important that you have eye contact with your dog when doing this.
Gently and firmly grasp the loose skin on the back of the kitty's neck as close to the ears as possible. The closer to the ears you scruff, the more control you will have over your cat's head and any struggling or biting.
Spraying your cat with water can make her uncomfortable
For one, spraying your cat with water is straight up not nice. It might seem hard to believe that a few drops of water could be all that uncomfortable, but your cat really could perceive it that way.
When dominating a cat, don't be rude to the cat. Don't mock the cat while doing it. Just be firm and loving as a cat-mom, and you will get across the message that the cat's not rejected. Time, patience, honesty, confidence and consistency are the best ways to establish enough trust that you can dominate a cat.
Never carry your adult cats this way! You can cause serious injury to your cat and it is quite likely to be painful. This is especially true for heavier cats, but adult cats of any size really shouldn't be carried this way. A friend of mine picked up my cat like this and I just about threw him out of the house.
Above all, any type of punishment for biting is not recommended. Always respond calmly and do not further escalate the situation. Research shows that punishment, including yelling, squirt bottles, scruffing and physically hitting your cat is not effective and the cat does not learn from it.
The good news is, despite their reputations for being antisocial, cats love bonding and they do forgive and forget. So, if you're at a loss as to how you're going to rebuild trust and affection with your cat, don't fret.
We encourage all veterinary clinics to pledge never to scruff cats. There may be very rare exceptions when scruffing is needed as a very last resort for temporary restraint if there is an imminent danger to the cat or to personnel, but scruffing should never be used as a routine means of restraint.
Some cats can recover quickly from neck and back injuries, however, an injury to the spine can be very serious and long-lasting, even life-threatening, if not treated promptly and effectively.
This is uncomfortable for the cat and may cause it to struggle and scratch you. You should always pick up a cat with its head above its body. Never pick up a cat upside down! Of course, some cats like to be held differently, especially if it's your cat and it's more comfortable around you.
Most cats love to snuggle, and they're typically responsive to being held if you introduce them to it gradually. The best way to approach your cat for a hug is to start with a few soft pets, then carefully pick them up. Be sure to secure all four of their legs so that they don't dangle.