I have grown up with cats in the house...I have always tended to their needs, and of course played and held?

Question

them. Someone recently told me that there is a certain way to hold cats(apparently her vet told her this) Obviously I know how NOT to handle one..You know pull by the tail, etc,,But a correct way? Is she just feeding me a line full of bull or what? My vet has never brought up how to properly hold a cat/kitten..........

Answer 1

yea there are i feel that people really dont pay attention to it.
I use this website for alot of things I have a cat that is 1 yrs old.. and I always wanna be careful animals can be fragile.


There are many ways to pick up and hold a cat, but they can all be broken down into two different categories: the right way, and the wrong way. Just like holding newborn infants, you need to offer the right amount of support and pick them up in the right positions to prevent injuries to your cat (and to yourself if your cat gets hurt and scratches you!).

You can pick up small kittens by the scruff of the neck without causing it any pain or injury because it has very loose skin and it doesn't weight very much. However, you should never pick up a larger adult cat in this way because they are much larger and therefore weigh more. The extra weight will cause a significant amount of pressure to be placed on the skin around an adult cat's neck if picked up in this way and can cause injury.




To properly pick up an adult cat you should place one hand under it's belly while placing the other arm across the cat and hold it close to your chest. If a small child wants to pick up an adult cat they may need to use two hands underneath the cat, one under the cat's belly near it's hind legs, and the other hand between the front legs, then holding it close to their chest.

Answer 2

Well, I am sure there are wrong ways of holding them, but a long-time cat owner like you (or me) knows how to hold a cat, even by instincts, I mean if the cat has no pain and lives a happy long life with you, it means you have been holding it properly. I personally hold my cat like you hold a human baby.

Answer 3

I have one cat I hold like a baby, cradled in my arms. Another cat that sits in my arms upright, like burping a baby. And another cat that gets all stiff no matter how I pick her up but when you rub her she wants you to be aggressive about it.

As long as you're not hurting the cat and you're not in danger of the cat hurting you, do what feels natural to the both of you. You can tell if the cat is comfortable or not.

Answer 4

I had my vet tell me to support their hind ends when holding them, but my cats seem fine without this. I think that as long as your cat is comfortable you're doing it right. My big tomcat loves it when my little nephew holds him (he follows him meowing until he picks him up), but since Tommy's 17 pounds and long, my nephew winds up dragging half of the cat on the floor. Tommy loves it and hasn't suffered any problems from it. So if it ain't broke, don't fix it. You know what's best for your cats trust that.

Answer 5

It really depends on the cat. So really there is no certain way for EVERY single cat just they have there personal preferences like us. And I'm sure you know how your cats like to be held. By the way you sound like a really great owner. :)

Answer 6

As long as your not holding it by it's head, don't worry about it, tell your friend she really has way too much time on her hands as is judgmental on the weirdest stuff! If the cat seems happy your holding him right. If he's not happy maybe you should rethink your hold

Answer 7

there is no specific way to hold a cat shes just feeding you bull

Answer 8

yes.. the 'recommended' way is to support the hind end. (comforts the 'falling' fear in them )...BUT.... as long as your cat is comfortable, however you are holding him / her..... there should be no problem. if you do feel the cat flipping, or turning when you pick it up... try the 'bottom support' & see if that stops that.