"People should never hold or restrain a cat by their scruff, as it could compromise their trust with the human handling them," say Dr. Miller. Overtime, your cat may associate the pain they feel from scruffing with you—which may cause them to fear you.
6 Reasons You Should Never Grab a Cat by the Scruff
Koch. Moreover, suspending their weight by the nape of their neck can cause pain. It causes fear and stress: Scruffing can activate the sympathetic (fight or flight) response that increases feelings of fear and stress, explains Dr. Koch.
Can I pick up a cat by the scruff of the neck? No, a kitten or cat should not be picked up by the scruff of the neck. The scruff is the loose skin at the back of the cat's neck and it may seem logical to carry a cat this way, after all, this is how mother cats carry her kittens around.
“The more points on a cat's body that are touching your body, the more comfortable and relaxed your cat will be,” says Mikkel Becker, a cat training consultant. Never pick up a cat by the scruff of the neck or by the front legs. Picking up a cat the wrong way can cause the animal discomfort or even injury.
You can position her so that her hind quarters are supported by the crook of your arm." She should end up securely cradled or sitting on one arm like a rabbit while your other arm makes a kitty seat-belt. A cat's legs should never dangle, as this can make her feel unsupported and unsafe.
As a general rule, you should use both hands to pick up your cat. One hand should scoop up his behind while the other hand supports his front chest. Limit the amount of time your cat is dangling mid-air and provide your cat with as much body contact as possible to hold him securely.
I've found that resting the three middle fingers my left hand on top of the cat's head and placing my pinkie and thumb under each ear works very well. I'll scratch their head to distract them and increase their happy factor, but can easily apply firmer pressure or even reposition my hand to scruff them if necessary.
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 ...
Although you may see it as a way to reprimand or restrain an unruly cat, scruffing can be very stressful for your feline. "Scruffing eliminates a cat's ability to control their environment and movement, which can cause fear and anxiety and result in them batting your hand or running away,” says Dr. Miller.
Don't Cradle Your Cat on Her Back
There are some cats who don't mind being carried that way but most don't like being placed on their backs and held. It's also a somewhat dangerous position to carry her because all claws will be pointed toward your face.
Many of us were taught that “scruffing” a cat—or grabbing the animal by the loose skin at the back of the neck—is not only an effective mode of restraint, but also causes cats to relax. The thought behind this is that kittens relax when their mom carries them by the scruff.
As a stress response, cats stiffen up and freeze when seized by the neck. Grabbing your cat by the neck is known as "scruffing," and it really activates an anxiety reaction in cats, causing them to lock up in a protective position.
Scruffing is a holding of loose skin at the back of a cat's neck, the resulting effect will see immediate paralysis, almost stone like, without any motion or sign of panic. This motionless may also be known as a cat's "fate" as it hangs from the loose skin.
Simply carrying cats supporting them in a football hold can prevent cats from wiggling or squirming. We can rest our hand on their head or back of their neck so they remain still as opposed to hanging them by the scruff. By being gentler, many cats are less reactive or aggressive.
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.
One of the more common ways to deal with this is using a method called “scruffing.” It involves grabbing the animal by the loose skin on the back of their neck — sometimes dogs are handled this way too. It mimics the way that the animal's mother might have carried it when it was young.
Some cats like to perch their legs on your arm and look back over your shoulder so they can enjoy the view. Others like to be held on their backs like a human baby. Nigbur says as you explore, pet her and talk to her to make her feel more comfortable and secure.
The best thing to do when a cat hisses is to back away and give them the space they're asking for. Rather than petting your cat or picking them up, talk in a low, soothing voice. Dr. Morici adds to check on your cat after they've had time to de-stress.
Cat scruffing takes away their sense of control: This increases their fear and stress, potentially leading to aggression. Scruffing is uncomfortable and may even be painful for the cat. Scruffing could also damage your relationship with your cat.
Some people might think that it's safe to pick up a cat by the scruff of their neck as this is how mother cats pick up their kittens. But humans are not mother cats and kittens lose scruff as they grow older. Picking up a cat by the scruff can actually cause trauma, pain and muscle damage.