Is it OK to pick up your cat by the scruff of the neck (like their mothers do)?

Question

even when they are no longer kittens. My husband thinks it's ok especially for washing them so they don't scratch you but I'm not sure.

Answer 1

No, only if they are kittens like yonger than a year. Otherwise if they get too heavy it can snap their neck!

Answer 2

wow... snap their neck, that's an intersting concept. I've been working in a vet clinic for 7 years now, and we scruff cats all the time to keep ourselves protected. If your cat is under about 10 pounds you can pick him up quickly by his scruff... and bigger cats can be scruffed as long as they're on something. If you're concerned just keep an eye on the cats gum color (should be nice and pink, not pale or blue tinted) and if the cat seems overly stressed give kitty a break and try again a little later.

Answer 3

It's fine to hold the cat by the scruff of it's neck, but not to pick it up, as it's weight might cause damage. Holding the scruff of the cat's neck is fine, it's usefull for immobilizing the cat (a male cat does this to a female when mating).

Answer 4

Yes, as long as the hind legs are resting on something - an adult's cat's weight cna make picking up by the scruff of the neck a mite painful. But your hubby is right: holding a cat by the scruff of the neck while bathing it is a good way of controling the cat.

Answer 5

All I can say is that if you do it be very gentle. I grabbed mine 3 weeks ago because he and the neighbourhood bully were having a pre-fight yowling session (I'm sure there's an actual word for it but I don't know it) that was upsetting the neighbours. He wouldn't listen to me and so I grabbed him because it was getting worse. Well, he attacked my other hand (that I put up to stabilise him) and sustained bad injuries to my hand from bites and scratches. he took one chunk out of my hand so that you could see the vein & tendon! I have some lovely scars now and had to take 2 weeks off work (I'm a massage therapist). It became very infected and I had to take antibiotics. It's extremely painful. My cat is THE most chilled-out cat I've ever met and you can practically anything to him. He has never bitten or scratched before or since.

So just do it gently (and if yours is ever about to get into a fight - use a hose or bucket of water!)

Answer 6

Pick up, no. Restrain, yes. An adult cat is too heavy to pick up this way, it's too much strain on the skin and it hurts them. But if the cat's butt is in the sink, and all its weight is supported by the sink, then yes it's OK to hold it by the scruff to keep it from biting you.

Answer 7

I am sure there will be a lot of different answers for this, and just to pick them up like that for no reason is not good. The cats do not enjoy behing held like that since cats like to be in control. BUT on the other hand I can tell you as someone who has worked as a vet assistant for 2 years, that is how we held the cats to check their incisions and their gum color. Also we would often have to grab angry cats that way to get them out of their cages. It is ok to do for a short time when you need total control over the cat, but remember the cat will not like it. Some cats can even still kick you with their back claws. Also, most cats don't need to be given a bath if they are healthy. Males that are neutered will not have that stink that non neutered males have (from their urine). Outside cats even can stay clean as long as they are not long haired (stuff gets stuck in their fur).

Answer 8

Scruffing subdues a cat even when they are very old. It is just an instinctive reaction necessary when the mother cat has to transport her kittens that never leaves them. You can throw the neck vertebrae out of adjustment if you are too rough about it.

It certainly is not a good way to pick up a full-grown cat without supporting the rest of its weight with your hands or arms. For bathing, pilling, combing it can sometimes help accomplish your objective.

Answer 9

Well, You can do that but make sure to support the hind legs because if there's no support on the hind legs, it hurt their back and other thing is, since they are not kittens anymore, you or your husband shouldn't do that because it pinches the nerves and can cause the cat to be irritated and be in pain for a while. But you don't really need to give them a bath, that's why they groom themselves and other thing is, they are scared of water since some cats are not able to swim or they are phobic of water. There's a possibility that you can give the cat a heart attack or make the cat go into shock since they are afraid of water. Why do you think they don't like to go in the bathroom? or even go outside in the rain..they don't like to be wet and they only groom themselves. That's why they have rough tongues and also it makes them feel good about themselves..they are the "snobbiest" animal in the world..I know..I have two of them. Good luck.

Answer 10

While they are kittens it is ok, but when they get older, they are too heavy to be picked up in this fashion. However, you can still hold them still if required by holding them by the scruff (ie, if you needed to give them a worming tablet) as long as you don't hold their weight

Answer 11

whenever i bath my cat i pick them up on their scruff to avoid several unwanted scratches from them..but i only do this during their 5 to 9mOnth old..but a year older i dont doit anymore becaue they're too heavy alredy and might cause them to feel a ot o pain because of it.