What should I do if my cat doesn't like to be held or picked up?

Question

Whenever I pick up my kitty, it meows really loud and scratches me and jumps away from me. What should I do?

Answer 1

My kitty doesn't like it either. What I am doing is picking him up briefly and taking him somewhere he likes to go. Like out to the front porch or his food bowl, or his cat scratch post. I am hoping that he will start thinking that being picked up isn't all that bad after all

Answer 2

if he doesnt like being held, try to avoid picking it up, unless absolutely necessary.

maybe your not holding him right:

IN HANDLING the cat be sure to do it in the way she likes. Never stroke her fur the wrong way. In lifting her from the ground, do not lift a cat by the upper part of her body, leaving her hind legs hanging uncomfortably. If this is done roughly there is danger of rupture. Lift her gently by placing one hand under the fore legs, and at the same time lift her hind legs with the other hand. In this way the whole body will be supported at once and she can be carried very comfortably. Do not take her up by the nape of the neck. A grown cat is too heavy to lift in that way.

maybe he's in pain: run your hand over the cat's body and if it flinches, hisses, or runs away. not rubbing it, just petting. if it is then call a vet.

hope that helps

Answer 3

Don't pick him up if he doesn't like, and just try to make friends with him. This may take a year.
I once had a used cat that didn't like to be picked up. After a while I found he didn't mind if I picked him up and petted him. But if I picked him up, carried him to the kitchen, and opened the front door, then he would go RAMBO on me. A light-bulb went off. Obviously, he was afraid of being thrown outside.

Answer 4

About 15% of cats do become antisocial and would rather be admired from afar than to be petted or doted on. That's just something that has to be accepted.

A direct stare is body language to cats that basically says, "I'm going to kill you." So don't make much direct eye contact with her until she really feels comfortable in the house and is freely walking about without hiding.

Glance at her when you call her name so she knows you're talking to her, but look away, then look back at her, etc., so you're not intently staring.

The way to a cat's heart is through her stomach. One thing I find that really wins over just about any cat is to hand-feed her some boiled chicken breast or tuna.

Answer 5

My answer to you is then don't pick up your kitty. My cat is lovable at nite and will sit on my lap but he likes to be with me on HIS terms. He will meow and jump off if I pick him up to either move him or get him for the vet.Some cats are always cuddley others standoffish,like people. Some people like to be hugged others never want to be touched. We are allowed to live with them on their terms and we should accept that.

Answer 6

Cat Treats and Time, Let the cat be in its own space. Some cats don't like to cuddle right away but once they get used to you coming and going and feeding and watering and cat treating then...your cat will come to you for love and affection! Play with this aggressive scratcher w/string or a shoelace but never leave the string or shoelace where she can take it away and swallow it, supervised playtime!! Good Luck! >^^<

Answer 7

Do it on his terms.

I had a half feral I was taming down. He did NOT want to be touched!!!! He'd stand for a head rub if I did it quick, but nothing else. Eventually I could stand next to him if he was eating, and one day just reached down and used both hands to stroke ONCE down his sides. He had a mouthful of chicken he didn't want to drop so he just growled at me and I left him alone.

But after that it was a turning point for him. I could stroke one side as he walked by and he didn't try to nail me. I worked it slowly so I could actually put a hand under his chest while talking to him and lift up his front feet about 1/2" off the ground for a second then put him down. When that was ok, I went on to two hands, just minimal contact but there was contact.

I'd push it slightly once a week, to see what he was ok with and what he would yell about. I knew we were onto a real roll when I grabbed his love handles as he was walking away from me and slid him backwards on the wood floor and he didn't object, I could pick him up IF (and that's a big if) he knew I was setting him down by some food. There had to be a reason for me to pick him up and if food was involved within 15 seconds of his being lifted, it was ok.

Once he was ok with that, I'd lift him down off the table when he was done and that was ok too.

It took about 6 months but he started wanting to lean against me when I was watching TV, then moved into my lap, but soon as he'd have enough I had to stop immediately if I was petting him.

Now he's practically grafted to me, so they can do a real turnaround, but you have to work with them slow and talk at the same time.

Grabbing hands or sudden lifts startle a lot of cats and they react out of uncertainty. By not picking them up for a while and only working on the touch, it'll mellow your cat out so there's no trying to get away.

Answer 8

some kitties just don't like to be held and you have to go with what the cat want's.....

if it's a kitten you could hold it , stroke it and talk to it in a calm voiceand it may learn to enjoy being held........ maybe give it treats as you hold it.... if it's more than a few months then i doubt it will change

Answer 9

cats really don't like being held and petted like a dog. If you want to be your cats best friend just ignore it and when it feels the need for some human attention it will come to you.

Answer 10

Some cats don't like to be held and rather be on the ground. My cat is like that, and that's what she prefers. I hold her sometimes just to irritate her a little, but that's their preference. There's nothing much you can do if your cat doesn't like to be held, sorry to say.