How to Handle Your Kitten or Cat
From LoveToKnow Cats
Have you ever watched the mama cat pick up her babies? If you have, then you know they pick up there babies by the scruff of the neck. This is NOT how we should pick up our cats or kittens – only the mother cat knows how to do this.
Common Methods for Lifting a Cat
There are several ways to handle your cat or kitten. You may want to try them to see which one works the best for you.
Begin with placing one hand under the cat's stomach and the other hand under her rear as you lift her. Gather her close to your body with the hand that's supporting her belly, and hold her steady against you as you support her rump with your other hand. Gently cross her front legs, and rub her chin as you move her face away from you. When lifting cats out of a cage or from a waist-high surface, if the cat's body is perpendicular to you, simply reach around and along her body with one arm, with your elbow near her tail and your hand up around the front of her chest. Bring her toward you slowly, then lift her gently against your body and delicately cross her front legs. Then comfort her with a chin scratch or an ear rub with your free hand.
The best way to pick up your cat or kitten is to support their hind legs securely with one hand and hold the upper part of your cat’s torso with your other hand. If you have a frightened cat, then get a thick towel or blanket and wrap the cat from the neck down, making sure to put her paws in the blanket or towel. This will prevent the cat from scratching you, plus you have them in a bundle to get to a safe place like their travel box.
Start Early
If you are lucky enough to get your cat as a kitten, start handling them on a daily basis, several times a day, so they become used to you and used to cuddling, and most of all feeling safe and secure. If you adopt a cat at a later age, start slowly with handling them, be patient and know in time you two will become friends and a family. An animal always knows when it has been rescued. Give her some time and all will come together.
Previous Tips
- Bringing a New Cat Home
- How to Pick a Vet
- How to Give a Cat a Pill
- Taking a Great Photo With Your Cat
- How to Clean a Cat’s Ears
- Making Your Own Air Freshener
- Cat Safety Tips
- Naming Your New Kitten or Cat
- Kitty Birthday Party
- Homemade Herbal Flea Collar
- Homemade Cat Toys
- Bringing a New Kitten Home
- Recipe for Homemade Cat Treats
- How To Make a Cat First Aid Kit
Learn More
Comments
Hi Kimia,
First, understand that many cats do not like to cuddle. They don't mind being petted, but cuddling is not something every cat enjoys. If you are trying to hold him, he may feel confined and that may be why he keeps running away.
I don't think he hates you or he wouldn't come around you in the first place. It is likely just that your parents don't try to hold him as much.
Try to site very still on the coach and coax him into your lap by hold some small cat treats or perhaps a small piece of ham or turkey. If he climbs onto your lap to take the treat, do not try to confine him. Give him the treat and praise him for coming to you.
Over time, he will likely enjoy at least sitting near you. However, he may not even like to cuddle. Cats can be very independent creatures, but that is one of the things most cat owners like too.
-- Contributed by: LoriSoardhi pamela i'm kimia and i'm 12 years old i brought a kitten 2 months ago and he's still doest like me i'm really really tring to be nice to him and i dont yell at him and i gave him his own space he doest like me stroke him or touch him couse he just scratch's my hand or bites me but he is getting along really really really well with my mum and dad and i cry.I hold him the way i should hold him i change his place i feed him he doest cuddle with me but he does with my mum and dad i got him in summer so i was with him all day i played with him and then after 3 hours i tried to stroke him but he pulled away and gone upstaires to my mum and dad i'm with him all day when i know something is wrong with him i stay home and dont go to school and try to take care of him but he still hates me really really really really really hates me please tell me something that i can make him to like me he is still a little kitten he is 2 months old my mum and dad dont even stroke him when he does something bad they yell at him and i try to stop them and when they say "NO" to him he stops but when he bites me and i just say no calmly he doest stop and i sometimes bleed because of his bited but i still dont say anything to him because i think he's going to hate me more please tell me what i can do to make him like me my uncle told me that i should show him whoes the boss and he said but right no it looks like he is your boss i want to just look like his mother and i want him to really really really really really really really like me please please please help me thank you and bye
-- Contributed by: kimiaHi, Pamela. It can be very disappointing to get a new pet, want to cuddle it and it isn't interested. We once rescued a kitten from a local animal control center and she was the same way. It took her quite a while to warm up and I actually had to teach her to enjoy sitting on laps. Every cat has a different personality and some enjoy affection more than others. I was very patient and fed my cat treats and let her learn to trust me.
Over time, as your cat realizes you are the one who feeds her and cares for her, she will warm up. When her belly is full is a good time to pick her up, place her on your lap and stroke her. She'll be sleepy and likely more willing to let you pet her.
You can also read more about this topic in the article Bringing a New Cat Home. Did you know that you can even clicker train your cat?
Most of all, be patient. It isn't anything you're doing and it isn't that the cat doesn't like you, she's just getting used to a new home and new situation. Any kind of change is very traumatic for some cats. If you are still having problems or are concerned about your pet, please let us know. We're here to help!
-- Contributed by: LoriSoardThis page has been accessed 896 times. This page was last modified 18:07, 18 July 2007.
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