#catcare

alex_thevet's profile picture

For years, scruffing was the default way to hold a cat still. We now know better, and if you're still grabbing the back of the neck, it's time to retire the habit. Scruffing means gripping the loose skin at the back of the neck, often lifting the cat or pinning it down by it. The old justification was that it mimics how a queen carries her kittens. But that only applies to tiny kittens, for a few brief seconds, and a kitten going limp for its mother is not the same as an adult cat being restrained. In a grown cat, scruffing doesn't calm them. It frightens them. The stillness people read as "relaxed" is usually fear, the freeze of an animal that feels it has no escape. It also tends to backfire. A scared cat is a cat that struggles harder next time, learns to dread handling, and is more likely to lash out. You make every future vet visit, nail trim and pill harder. What to do instead: - Less is more. Use the lightest contact that does the job. Many cats settle better with gentle support than firm holding. - Support the body. A hand under the chest and one supporting the back end, so they feel secure rather than trapped. - Let them keep their feet. Cats feel safest with all four paws on a solid surface. Don't dangle or flip them. - Go slow and read them. Flattened ears, a thrashing tail, dilated pupils or a low growl mean back off and give them a moment. - Use a towel, not a grip. For a wriggly or anxious cat, gently wrapping them in a towel ("burrito" style) is far kinder and safer than scruffing. The whole modern approach is about working with the cat, not overpowering it. A cat that feels secure and in control of its own body is calmer, easier to handle, and far less likely to bite. Gentle genuinely is more effective, not just nicer. #cathealth #cathandling #fearfreevet #catwelfare #catcare

Alex the vet

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