A cat is a beautiful, useful and somewhat mysterious animal that has lived next to humans for many thousands of years. Ancient Egyptian papyri tell how the pharaohs loved to have them in their palaces, and the priests even deified them, comparing them with the gods. And at the same time, a person is not always able to properly handle his pet.
The owner of the cat wants to cuddle his pet, hug, pat on the nape, scratch the abdomen, that is, to express his disposition in every possible way. You can use a piece of paper tied to a thread, a sun bunny, balls of thread for games and communication - everything that can only interest a cat. However, taking an adult animal by the scruff is not very reasonable.
Small kittens and adult cats
When the kittens are still small, the mother cat can carry them by grasping the scruff with her teeth. In this case, the cub resembles a limp child's toy, which does not have its own will and mind. One glance at this action is enough to remember it forever. And people remember, and then act thoughtlessly. An adult cat is taken as if it is a small kitten, and it makes no difference how to treat it.
However, the physiology of small kittens and adult animals is different. In the "childhood" age, the skin of babies has not yet hardened, it can stretch well, and the muscles have not yet strengthened. Therefore, when a cat takes its offspring with its teeth by the scruff, it does not cause significant inconvenience to it.
In an adult pet, the skin is rougher, the muscles are already sufficiently formed and strengthened. Careless handling by the owner can cause her some discomfort. In general, if you really want to or without it just in any way, you can apply this method to raise the cat or move it from place to place. But this should be done carefully, since the stretched skin can cause her anxiety, and also just start to choke. Do not forget about the weight, much more than that of a kitten. If you pull too sharply towards yourself, damage to the spine is possible.
In addition, according to professionals, such treatment reminds the pet of childhood, which can offend him, and you no longer deserve the cat's favor. It is not known how reasonable this is, but there is an opinion. Outwardly, this can be expressed in aggressive behavior, when, instead of apathy, the owner receives a couple of deep scratches or bites.
It is necessary to correctly take an adult animal under the neck and abdomen, without squeezing too hard and without causing discomfort.
If there is no other way out
In some cases, you have to take the cat by the scruff of the neck in order to get it out from under the sofa, remove it from a branch, or for other reasons. And then you need to do everything right in order to avoid potentially mutual injury.
Take a small fold of skin on the nape of the animal, but sufficient to hold it securely, and pull slightly. Look at the cat's reaction. If she is not showing signs of aggression, suffocation, or discontent, effort can be added.
It is necessary to lift it into the air not abruptly, without jerks and haste. Such an effort will only increase the potential risks for both - both the cat and its owner.
After you have made sure of the safety of the measures taken, you can lift it up and move it to the desired place.
