Picking up of a cat

PICKING UP OF A CAT

  • Pick up the cat by placing a hand over the top of the animal and around the opposite side, with palm of the hand supporting the sternum or chest.
  • Alternatively, gasp the cat by the loose skin over the back of the neck close to the head (scruff). This is a natural handhold for lifting a cat.
  • If the cat becomes unruly, the head can be tilted backward, which unbalances the cat and lessen the inclination to bite and scratch.
  • Most of the cats do not resist this, but some may strike out to claw with the front feet and may, if extremely excited, attempted to scratch with the hind feet as well.
  • Grabbing a cat by this method makes use of a phenomenon retained from kittenhood. When queen picks up her kitten by the scruff of the neck to catty it, the kitten becomes limp curling up the paws and tail, until it is released.
  • This behavior response prevents possible injury caused by the mother having to bite tightly or by the kitten twisting its neck in struggling.

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Last modified: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 9:32 AM