Look at your cat’s overall body language. Is he hiding from you or not coming out to play? Just like adults, cats need alone time, and if he is hiding it is a good indication he does not want your attention at the moment. Is he actively seeking attention, meowing, purring, or rubbing against your legs? These all indicate that he is interested in socialization. Rubbing against you in particular indicates he is trying to leave his scent on you, which is an affectionate feline bonding habit and indicates he is open to affection from you in return. Unlike dogs, cats’ tails don’t wag when they’re happy. A slow back and forth tail movement usually means your cat is assessing a situation. If your cat’s tail is wagging, it’s not a good time to attempt to hold your cat. [2] X Research source Look at your cat’s ears. Ears that are facing forward means your cat is feeling playful and content; this is a good time to pick him up. If your cat’s ears are facing backwards, watch out! Backwards-facing or flat ears indicate it’s not a good time to attempt to hold your cat. [3] X Research source
Crouching down to his level allows you to reassure your cat before you attempt to pick him up. It also gives him the chance to rub against your torso, which deposits his scent pheromones on your clothing and body and helps him feel more comfortable when you hold him.
Use your free hand to support your cat’s bottom and back legs. Place it under his hind feet so that your hand is above and behind his paws. [4] X Research source
If it is an emergency and your cat is scared, you can pick him up by the scruff, but be careful to support his body weight with your hand under his rump, using a towel to wrap the cat’s body if it is struggling. [7] X Research source Only scruff a cat if you need to move it quickly (for instance, if the house is on fire and you need to exit to safety). In these types of instances when a cat is highly agitated, scruffing a cat can prevent you from being scratched. [8] X Research source You can also hold a cat by the scruff if you need to administer medication without the cat struggling, or if you have to handle a feral cat. [9] X Research source
When your cat is comfortable being held, you can try holding him in different ways–it really depends on your cat’s personality. Some cats like to be held against your chest with paws up on your shoulder so they can see over your shoulder as you walk; others like to lay on their backs with their stomachs up like human babies. [11] X Research source
Be sure you instruct the child to let go of the cat immediately if it struggles or acts as if it would like down. Otherwise, the child may end up being scratched. [12] X Research source
Bend down so that your cat’s paws touch or are close to the ground. Put his front paws on the ground and support his hind end as he steps out of your arms, and release your hands gently. [13] X Research source Your cat will do most of the work by jumping out of your hands.
This makes the early weeks of a cat’s life the ideal time to teach it to enjoy being held by humans. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Avoid over-handling kittens in the first week of life, as doing so might upset their mother and potentially cause her to reject them. [15] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source However, if the mom does not mind your presence or seems to actively encourage you to notice her kittens, you can briefly hold or pet even newborn kittens a few times a day. Doing so has been shown to help kittens open their eyes earlier and begin exploring earlier. [16] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source When the kittens are very young (two weeks or so), a few minutes a day is plenty of stimulation. Gently pick up the kittens one at a time supporting their chests and legs. Hold them carefully in both hands, and place them back down in the same place.
If she seems overly protective, it is still important that you handle the kittens in the early days so that they become properly socialized to humans. Just try to time your interaction with the kittens for when she is out of the room (for instance, while she eats or uses the bathroom) in order to reduce her anxiety. [17] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
Aim for five minutes or so, and keep the time together peaceful and gentle. Don’t encourage rough play or allow the kitten to use your hands as toys by biting or scratching. This can create a bad habit by associating your hands with toys instead of petting and holding, creating a feisty cat that can be harder to play with as it grows into an adult. [19] X Research source
If you don’t know a cat, consider it a wild animal. Since you have no way of knowing if a cat is friendly or not, or even whether it has a transmittable disease, it’s best to err on the side of caution until you have reason to believe otherwise. [20] X Research source If a cat’s owner is nearby, ask whether the cat likes to be touched or held before attempting this. Remember, a cat is its owner’s property, so you must respect the owner’s wishes even if they refuse to let you touch a perfectly friendly cat. [21] X Research source
Avoid direct eye contact (which cats see as a threat)[22] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source , and slowly extend your hand toward the cat. Allow the cat to come to you, sniffing your hand for reassurance.
Keep in mind that you might be scratched or bitten; not only can scratches and bite marks hurt but a strange cat may have any number of communicable diseases (such as infection at the site of the bite or scratch, cat scratch fever, or rabies). [23] X Research source it. In situations where you must handle a strange cat for its own safety (for example, to remove it from harm’s way), you can try holding the cat by the scruff of its neck. Gently but firmly squeeze the extra skin just under the base of the cat’s skull. Be careful to support his body weight with your hand under his rump, using a towel to wrap the cat’s body if it is struggling. [24] X Research source
Cats who were not handled much as kittens (for example, those raised feral or in kitten mills) are less likely to enjoy being held as adults. This makes the early weeks of a cat’s life the idea time to teach it to enjoy being held by humans. [25] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
Train your cat to remain calm and hold still to be lifted by saying the word “hold” and laying your hand on the cat’s side. If the cat remains still, say “good” and reward with a small cat treat or a scratch on the head or chin. [26] X Research source When the cat is comfortable with holding still, add another hand to the cats side when you say “hold”, gently cupping your hands under the cat’s stomach to simulate holding but leaving her feet on the ground. Again, if the cat remains still, say “good” and reward with a treat. [27] X Research source Finally, add an actual lift when you say the word “hold,” and if the cat does not struggle when you lift her, say “good” and reward her while you hold her securely to your chest. [28] X Research source Reinforce this new skill a few times a day for several days. After that, try reinforcing the behavior through means other than treats, such as head scratching.
Punishing a cat will only cause it to run and hide, making it even more difficult to hold. In addition, punishing a cat increases its stress response, which can cause feline illness, incontinence, and compulsive grooming. [29] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Instead, train your cat using positive reinforcement, patience, and his favorite cat treat.
