It is not so uncommon for an inexperienced cat owner to go for the scruff when they try to control their feline friend. While it might seem a bit extreme, whether or not it's okay to scruff a cat is a more complicated question.

Scruffing is one of those things that would shock a non-cat owner.

It looks violent, brutal, painful, and generally like it'd be extraordinarily unpleasant for one of these fluffy fellows.

Is there a hidden side to scruffing that people don't talk about, though? Is it sometimes just "necessary?"

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In this cat guide, TAG24 will take a look at whether scruffing a cat is okay. Is it safe and comfortable to scruff your cat, and how can you do it so that it is as pleasant for your kitty as humanly possible? Let's take a look!

Scruffing a cat is when a human grips the loose skin at the back of a cat's neck and uses it to hold and immobilize the creature. It is a natural handhold, as cats have loose bits of skin on the back of their neck from childhood when their mothers pick them up and move them around via this particular spot.

In general, when a person scruffs a cat it is to fulfil a particular purpose. A vet will scruff your cat when they want to control its movements for the purpose of an exam, giving it medicine, taking its temperature, or something similar. In other contexts, owners may scruff their cat when they need to pick it up and put it in its carrier to take it to the vet or cattery.

People use scruffing as a way to handle cats in situations like those described as it effectively paralyzes them, making it far less likely that they will lash out and hurt you. With this in mind, it is a very controversial way to treat a cat, with many cat advocacy groups such as International Cat Care speaking out against scruffing.

This handling technique is called "scruffing" simply because you are grabbing the cat by what is known as the "scruff" of its neck.

Contrary to popular belief, scruffing does not actually paralyze your cat, it just triggers a submissive reflex from their childhood. When a cat is still a kitten, the skin on the back of its neck is especially loose so that their mother can easily pick them up and move them around when necessary.

If you have ever watched a mother cat look after her babies, you will see that she will often pick them up by the scruff of their necks. This allows her to move them closer for grooming, or to help them get to a safer space. The kittens will get instinctively submissive in such a situation, allowing their limbs to go limp and not resisting their mother.

As a result, the passiveness you will get from a scruffed cat is simply because they instinctively loosen up and get non-aggressive when scruffed properly. Of course, if you fail to do it the right way, you could be in for a world of hurt.

Many animal welfare groups and veterinarians believe that scruffing an adult cat is bad for their physical and mental health. In particular, it is believed that scruffing an adult cat is an incredibly intimidating thing to do, especially when it is combined with other forms of physical restraint (which it often is.)

In addition, most people don't know how to scruff their cat properly and don't realize that adult cats no longer have an excessively loose patch of skin on the back of their necks. As a result, an attempt to scruff many cats will actually escalate that kitty's aggression, and may cause a fight.

The fear and panic associated with being scruffed can also hurt the relationship you have with your cat, causing it to be more aggressive and less friendly to you in the long term. It can cause distrust, increased cat anxiety, and severe aggression. Overall, frequently scruffing your cat is almost guaranteed to be a bad thing.

Speaking to Martha Stewart's Madeline Buiano on the subject of scruffing, chief Petco veterinarian Whitney Miller said that one of the main reasons why people shouldn't scruff their cat is because it "eliminates a cat's ability to control their environment and movement," thereby causing a risk of severe anxiety.

According to Miller, scruffing "can cause fear and anxiety and result in them batting your hand or running away... People should never hold or restrain a cat by their scruff, as it could compromise their trust with the human handling them."

Yes, scruffing an adult cat can cause physical pain and distress. The loose bit of skin on the back of a cat's neck will generally start to reduce during a cat's adolescence, and will more-or-less disappear by the time it's an adult. Once this happens, pinching their skin and pulling them into the air from the back of their neck can cause some serious harm.

Once your kitty is fully grown, this should become a last resort for when your cat is in immediate physical danger. Alternatively, and preferably, it should only be done by a professional veterinarian who knows what he or she is doing. If you are doing this commonly, and for no legitimate reason, it can be considered animal abuse.

There are a variety of risks associated with scruffing a cat, both physical and mental.

It's important to narrow these risks down and define them so that people understand what could happen if they decide to grab their beloved kitty by the back of the neck and pick it up.

Here are the main dangers of scruffing a cat:

• Your cat's scruffing reflex may not be triggered and it might attack.
• The connective tissue on the back of the cat's neck might not withstand the weight, separating and tearing. This can cause irreparable damage and extreme pain for your feline friend.
• The cat might feel severe pain due to the pinching hold.
• Extreme cat anxiety and fear may result, as the cat may think it is being attacked.
• Your pet may lose trust and respect for you.

If you commonly scruff your cat, you may have an emotionally and physically damaged kitty on your hands. It won't like you very much, certainly won't trust you, and may have some serious health problems in the future.

Mother cats will stop scruffing their kittens about two-to-three months after they have been born. As such, while we'd never recommend scruffing a cat, if you have to then this natural deadline should be your cut-off. It might seem early and harsh, but scruffing an adult cat can cause serious harm.

So, if scruffing is so awful, surely there's a better way to pick up your cat? Well, indeed! There are many different techniques that will avoid your own risk of injury, and the risk that your cat may be hurt when getting picked up. By using an alternative method, you will save yourself and your cat a lot of trouble.

Here's the best way to pick up your cat without scruffing it:

Step 1. Reach around your cat's chest with the flat of your hand.

Step 2. Support your cat's bottom with your other hand.

Step 3. Now lift your kitty, supporting its hindquarters with your forearm while doing most of the lifting with the other. This should provide plenty of support for your cat, and better control, making it safe for both of you.

It is important to always support your cat's body to prevent injury and avoid frightening it. Always be very careful, and try to avoid picking up your kitty where possible.

When you need your cat to obey you, you need to get it into its carrier and to the vet, or if it is behaving very aggressively towards a small child, scruffing is an acceptable reaction. It simply needs to be done carefully, safely, and exceptionally rarely – those are the rules, and that's how it should be done.

As long as you are cautious about scruffing your cat, and only do it when absolutely necessary, you shouldn't feel bad about it. Just make sure that you get shown how to do it properly by your vet beforehand.