Buzz
Cats, with their adorable faces and soft fur, are wonderful pets to cuddle with. However, they are also known for their unpredictable nature: they often shy away from strangers and can be conflicted when receiving affection from people they already know. To avoid upsetting, scaring, or hurting your cat, it’s important to know the proper way to pick up and hold them.
Steps
Pick up the cat
Know when the cat wants to be picked up. Sometimes, cats don’t want to be held. Understanding a cat's mood is crucial. If the cat is angry or frightened, you risk getting scratched if you try to pick it up. Pay attention to this and learn to read the cat's emotions.
- Observe the cat's body language. Is the cat hiding from you or not coming out to play? Like humans, cats need their alone time, and if they are hiding, it’s a sign they don’t want your attention right now. Is the cat actively seeking attention, meowing, softly whining, or rubbing against your legs? That indicates they want to play with you. Rubbing against you is also a way for the cat to mark you with its scent, which signifies affection and a desire for you to reciprocate.
- Watch the cat’s tail. If the tail is upright, the cat is happy, and it’s a good time to pick it up. If the tail is flicking quickly or slapping the ground, the cat may be agitated. Unlike dogs, cats don’t wag their tails when they’re happy. If the cat’s tail is slowly swishing back and forth, it’s assessing the situation. If the tail is flicking, it’s not the right time to hold the cat.
- Pay attention to the cat’s ears. When the ears are pointed forward, it means the cat is content and happy; this is the right moment to pick them up. If the ears are pulled back, be cautious—the cat might be agitated. When the cat’s ears are flat against its head, it is defensive or scared. Ears pointed backward or flattened against the head indicate that you shouldn’t attempt to pick the cat up at this time.
Bend down to the cat's level. When you plan to pick up a cat, it might get scared if you're standing too high.
- By bending down to the cat’s level, you can help calm it before picking it up. This also allows the cat to rub against your body, leaving its natural scent on your clothes and body, which will make the cat feel more comfortable when being held.
Place your dominant hand under the cat's body. You should position your hand right beneath the cat's front legs. If done correctly, you’ll feel the ribs instead of the cat’s belly.
- Use your other hand to support the cat's rear and back legs. Position your hand beneath the back legs, just below the paws.
Pick up the cat. Once your hands are in the correct position, you can lift the cat and stand upright. Your hands and forearms placed under the back legs will form a support for the cat.
- Hold the cat close to your chest to make it feel more secure and reassured.
Only use the scruff method in emergency situations. Cats have loose skin on the back of their necks, which mother cats use to carry their kittens from one place to another. However, an adult cat's body is heavy, and this skin will stretch too much if you frequently lift the cat this way.
- In an emergency situation where the cat is frightened, you can grab the scruff to lift the cat, but make sure to support its rear end with your other hand and wrap a towel around the cat if it’s struggling.
- Only grab the scruff if you need to move the cat quickly (for example, in a house fire when you need to escape to safety). In such cases, grabbing the scruff will protect you from being scratched if the cat is agitated.
- You can also use the scruff method if you need to give the cat medicine without it resisting, or if you’re handling an aggressive cat.
Hold the cat and set it down
Supporting the cat while holding it. When holding a cat, you should support its hind legs. Position your forearm horizontally across its belly to provide support. You can also rest the cat's rear end on your elbow so that its front legs rest on your hand.
- Once the cat feels comfortable, you may try holding it in other ways depending on its personality. Some cats like to rest their belly against your chest, with their front paws on your shoulders, so they can observe everything as you move; others prefer to be cradled on their back like a baby.
Petting while holding the cat. When the cat is lying along your arm, you can use your other hand to scratch and pet it. Always remember to continue supporting its body and legs.
- Petting the cat will help it feel more calm and relaxed while resting in your arms. Speaking softly to the cat is also a pleasant way to bond. This way, the cat will feel secure and might even drift off to sleep.
Holding the cat while sitting. If you want to hold a cat on your lap while sitting down to watch TV, let the cat choose where it wants to settle. The cat may choose to lie on your lap, between your legs, or curl up there.
- This method is particularly suitable for young children, as they may hold the cat too tightly or drop it if standing. Instruct children to sit on a chair or on the floor before handing the cat to them. Remind them to release the cat immediately if it squirms or tries to move away. Otherwise, the child could be scratched by the cat.
Putting the cat down. When either you or the cat is done playing, gently and safely place the cat down.
- Bend down so that the cat’s paws are close to the ground or almost touch it. Set the cat's front paws on the floor and support its hind legs as it steps out of your arms, then slowly release your hold. The cat may also choose to jump out of your arms on its own.
Holding a kitten
Start early with this process. The process of introducing your kitten to the outside world should begin when they are 12 weeks old, as after that, it becomes more difficult to train them to enjoy being held.
- Thus, the early weeks of a kitten's life are the perfect time for them to become accustomed to being held by humans.
- Avoid holding the kitten too much during the first week after birth, as this might upset the mother cat, who may neglect the kitten. However, if the mother seems comfortable with your presence or even encourages you to interact with the kitten, you can gently hold or pet them for short periods of time a few times a day. This has been shown to help the kitten open their eyes and start exploring sooner.
- When the kitten is very young (around one or two weeks old), a few minutes of contact per day is sufficient. Gently pick up each kitten, supporting their chest and legs. Hold them carefully with both hands and return them to their spot after a brief interaction.
Observe the mother cat while holding the kitten. Depending on her personality, the mother cat might be very protective of her kittens, and you should avoid causing her stress or making her view you as a threat to her babies.
- If the mother is very protective, you should still hold the kittens early on to help them get used to humans. Choose moments when the mother is away (for example, when she’s eating or using the litter box) to play with the kittens, which will help reduce her anxiety.
Hold the kittens at least once a day. This will help form a habit, and the kitten will begin to associate being held with bonding and affection.
- Hold the kittens for about five minutes, ensuring that the experience is calm and gentle.
- Avoid encouraging rough play or letting them bite or scratch your hands by treating your hands like toys. Doing so can create a bad habit. The kitten might start to associate your hands with playtime instead of cuddling, making it more difficult to interact peacefully with an adult cat.
Approaching a stranger cat
Introduce gradually. Like people, most cats feel uneasy around strangers, and it may take them time to become comfortable with a new person. Be respectful of their comfort zone by letting them approach you first before attempting to touch or hold them. This gradual process also gives you a chance to understand the cat's personality and determine whether it's safe to hold them.
- If you're not familiar with the cat, treat it as if it were a wild animal. Since you don’t know if the cat is friendly or potentially carrying any infectious diseases, it’s safest to stay cautious until you know more.
- If the cat’s owner is present, ask whether the cat enjoys being touched or held before picking them up. Remember, the cat belongs to its owner, so you should respect their wishes, even if they don’t allow you to interact with their friendly cat.
Move slowly. Sudden movements will frighten the cat, so crouch down gently and speak in a calm tone.
- Avoid direct eye contact (as cats perceive that as a threat), and gradually extend your hand towards the cat. Let the cat approach you and sniff your hand to feel reassured.
Avoid picking up the cat unless necessary. Especially when the cat's owner is not present, you should not try to hold or embrace a cat you are not familiar with. This could make the cat anxious and potentially pose a danger to you.
- Remember, you may be scratched or bitten, which not only hurts but can also lead to infections (such as from scratches or bites, cat scratch fever, or rabies).
- If you need to care for a stray cat (for example, rescuing it from a dangerous situation), you can gently grasp the scruff of the cat’s neck. Hold it carefully just beneath the skull, but make sure you grip firmly. Support the cat's body by placing your hand under its rear, and use a towel to wrap it if it struggles.
Training the cat to get used to being held
Start early. Cats begin to get used to the outside world at 12 weeks of age, meaning that beyond this age, it becomes more difficult to train them to enjoy being held.
- Cats that were not regularly held as kittens (such as those raised in harsh conditions or born in a kitten mill) will be less likely to enjoy being held as adults. Therefore, the first weeks of a kitten’s life are the ideal time to teach them to accept being held by humans.
Use positive reinforcement. While some cats may not enjoy being held due to their natural temperament, most cats can be trained to accept it if they know a reward is coming afterward.
- Train the cat to remain calm and still while being held by saying the word "stay", and placing your arm gently beside the cat. If the cat stays still, say “good” and reward it with a treat, head scratches, or a chin rub.
- Once the cat is comfortable staying still, place another hand gently on the side of the cat and say “stay”, placing it under the cat’s belly to simulate holding without lifting the cat off the ground. If the cat stays still, praise and reward it again.
- Finally, pick the cat up while saying “stay”. If the cat does not struggle, say “good” and reward it with a treat while holding it against your chest.
- Practice this new skill a few times a day over several days. Then, try repeating the process without offering food as a reward, such as by giving the cat head scratches instead.
Avoid punishment. Cats do not respond well to punishment. It typically backfires and makes them more difficult to train.
- Punishing a cat only causes them to run away, making it even harder to hold them. Additionally, punishment increases stress responses, which can lead to illness, incontinence, and excessive grooming behaviors.
- Instead, focus on training the cat using positive methods, patience, and treats that the cat enjoys.
Advice
- Don't blame yourself if the cat doesn't like being held. Cats typically start learning how to communicate around 12 weeks of age, meaning that if they weren't often held as kittens, they may not enjoy it as adults. Additionally, some cats have unpredictable personalities, so they may enjoy being held one moment and prefer solitude the next.
- When holding a cat, gently scratch under the chin or behind the ears, or at the base of the tail. Many cats find these spots comforting, and this action helps them associate being held with positive feelings.
- If you attempt to pick up a cat and it immediately sits down, this is a sign that the cat doesn’t want to be held.
- Never try to pick up a cat while it's eating or using the litter box, as you could get scratched or bitten.
- Understand the personality of the cat you're interacting with. Some cats enjoy being held, while others do not. Therefore, be cautious when picking up a cat unless you're certain that the cat enjoys it.
- If a kitten is scratching your furniture and you need to stop it, you can gently pick it up by the scruff, which is a soft way to deter the kitten from its behavior.
Warnings
- Improperly holding a cat can cause injury to its bones or internal organs, so always supervise young children when they hold a cat.
- If the cat becomes panicked or agitated while you're holding it, immediately set the cat down, as it may scratch or bite you in defense.
- If you're scratched or bitten by a cat, treat the wound right away. You may need to get a vaccine or take medication to prevent infection or treat inflammation.
