How To Pick up a Cat Like a Pro

holding Abyssinian cat

Most cats have a very unique and particular character to them compared to other pets.

Even if it can’t be generalized, as each cat has it’s own personality and character, certain common traits tend to characterize them.

Cats are usually curious, independent and careful when it comes to being clean and well groomed as they are very neat animals over all.

Just like dogs, cats have a complex communication system to them and they express themselves mostly through their body language.

Also read: cat body language explained.

Within their species they communicate through sounds, body postures and also smells that can mark their territory to other cats who may be lurking around.

They also have managed to develop certain mechanisms to be able to relate to us humans better.

For example, they use vocalization to communicate with us and also to sometimes express themselves to other cats too.

But, what is the best way how to pick up a cat like an expert?

Let’s find out…

How to pick up a cat right?

When you are picking up a cat you have to take into account that they are very sensitive beings and can easily feel vulnerable and threatened if you don’t pick them up the right way.

Don’t forget that from their perspective, you are a giant.

If you want to learn how to pick up a cat properly, don’t miss the following guide and advice on how to do so without getting scratched, hurt or injured even.

If you want to pick up your kitten right, here are the steps to take:

  1. First you have to place both hands under your kitten’s armpits very gently, but yet firmly.
  2. Then by holding it by the armpits, gently lift it up until she is on both her back paws raised upwards.
  3. The next step is to put your arm over the kitten slowly, rest her front paws on that arm and then begin to lift her carefully.
  4. When the hind paws come off the ground, you will need to quickly slide your free arm under the kitten so it can rest her hind paws on it securely.
  5. You can use the arm that is holding the hind legs to rotate the cat and make it look at you from the front with it’s paws on your shoulders. This also lets you carry it around safely without hurting it.
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how to pick up a cat like a pro…

How to pick up a cat by the skin of it’s neck?

Picking up a cat by the skin of it’s neck should only really be done to keep it out of danger and harms way.

Usually, kittens stand still when they are getting picked up by the neck skin.

This happens because when they are very small their mother picks them up in this manner, therefore they let go of their paws and let themselves hang.

Adult cats can also tend to maintain this special behavior, although it is important to check first if the kitten is comfortable with being picked up this way before hand.

Here are the steps to take when picking up a kitten by it’s neck skin:

1. Remove the collar

The first thing to do is to remove the cat’s collar as we do not want our little buddy feeling uncomfortable, as the collar is going to interfere with us picking him up like this.

This is an important step because the skin on it’s neck is very flexible and soft, while cat collars are hard and rigid in comparison.

If we try to pick it up by the collar we can hurt and hang it so never try to pick up your cat or kitten by it’s collar!

2. Hold the cat by the skin of the neck carefully

After holding your little kitten by the skin of it’s neck, do not lift it immediately.

Instead, hold her for a moment like this to check if she is comfortable being held like this by the skin of her neck.

If your kitten stays calm and still, this means that she is being positive and now you can pick her up by her neck skin safely.

If you kitten on the other hand panics or takes a grumpy attitude it means that you should not pick her up this way.

At least not for now.

3. Consider your cat’s medical situation

One important thing you should always keep in mind is taking into account your cat’s medical situation.

This is very important because if your cat is overweight or has some disease such as arthritis, it is not recommended that you carry it around by the skin on it’s neck because it can then cause pain.

4. Hold enough skin

You should lift your cat up by taking enough skin to hold, because too little skin can hurt or feel uncomfortable for your kitten.

It may also be necessary to adjust the amount of skin after lifting it to make sure it is comfortable and safe.

The cat will remain calmly hanging like this until you let her go again, that is unless it starts to feel afraid or panics for some reason.

Some cats tend to make soft sounds to let their human know that they don’t feel very comfortable with this position and that they want to be let go soon.

Listen to your cat and respect how it feels about being held like this.

It is absolutely forbidden to move the kitten around harshly or shake it in this position.

5. Lower it again carefully

Once you have moved your kitten to it’s destination, you can carefully start to lower the little one down again.

Once she is on the ground again, you will have to hold her by the neck just a little longer until she is completely safe and then finally you can let go again.

It is advisable to give your kitten some sort of reward when she let’s go, to reinforce the good behavior.

If at some point you are too nervous or afraid to hold up your kitten in this way, you can always contact your local vet who will guide you on how to pick up a cat right.

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The best techniques

1. Use Positive Reinforcement

Making your small kitten understand that it can get a reward and positive reinforcement if she stays still and calm when you pick her up can make the task of collecting her much more easier.

You can use a verbal command, such as “hold”, for when you are going to pick her up or when you are going to touch her.

By training your kitten, you can give the signal and then touch him gently without having to lift him up completely off the ground.

When the cat allows you to touch it and stays calm you can reward it by giving it it’s favorite treat or toy.

Then when your little kitten is comfortable with the touch, you can start holding it for longer, gradually starting to grab her by the sides of her little body.

When you feel ready, pick her up and give her the command just as you are picking her up. Hold for a short time at first and then hold her a a low height as well to get used to it.

Later you can then reward with some sweets or good affection.

The more comfortable your cat is when you pick it up, the longer you are going to be able to hold him for.

In return you can always give sweets or even catnip to your little friend, to reinforce the positive behavior in your cat.

You must progress slowly with this technique and make sure your kitten stays calm and relaxed the entire time.

2. Learn what your cat likes

Cats can vary when it comes to how they prefer to be carried and held.

Each kitty has personal preferences and such, even though some of the different types of cat breeds are more social than others.

Some cats are happy and content when you pick them up from underneath, with their arms joined together to form a sort of cradle.

Other kittens or cats prefer to be picked up like children instead, holding their chest against yours with their front paws resting on your shoulders, or with their chest and paws forward resting on your own chest.

Holding cats like this is just adorable and so cute to see.

Holding them against your chest like that can give them a sense of security and belonging.

3. Be careful, always

Cats are sensitive when it comes to how and where they are loaded and held

For example, a small kitten may be more likely to panic if you move it beyond a corner of the home or into stairwells, where the nearest escape route is far below it.

Knowing a safe and effective way how to pick up a cat, or a kitten can make a world of a difference.

Many cats are terrified when they are carried by children as they don’t know how to handle these young things and children can even drop them at times.

Never, let your kids play or handle your new cat or a new kitten without close supervision.

Another factor that can cause anxiety and stress for your kitty while she is being carried around is the fear of where you may be taking her.

If you only ever pick her up just to take it to the vet, any other time you may want to pick her up she will relate the gesture to the same thing.

In this case, your kitten will have a situation which you should address before trying to load her.

Try to keep your cat calm and relaxed.

4. Find alternatives

If your cat always gets nervous when being carried at different times, such as when carried by a young child(even if a young child really should not be holding a cat), what you can do is create the same closeness by changing the method a bit.

For example, you could tell the child to sit in some chair instead and then invite the cat to climb onto it.

This can reduce the risk of dropping the cat and it lets the small animal move easily around if it wants to as well.

Please note that all interactions between young kids and cats should be supervised by some adult to ensure the safety of all involved.

You can consider some more alternative ways of raising your cat when you need to move it around, such as using it’s favorite toy or some food even to lure it to the destination.

Using some string can be a great way to get your kitten where you want it, and play with it at the same time.

Why not make it fun if possible.

You can also use a cage to move it around even if she is indoors, but do make sure your cat thinks it is a safe and comfortable place to relax in.

You do not want it scared.

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how to hold a cat/how to pick up a cat…

5. Be aware of any fears

There can be a lot of factors that make your kitty not like to be lifted or loaded.

This usually happens because cats can associate this behavior with something they don’t like or are afraid of.

For many people who love cats, holding them is pampering them in their eyes and some cats may tolerate this while other ones straight out reject it.

6. Create a calm atmosphere

Finally, you can look for ways to create an environment that is calm while you carry your kitten around.

It is an effective way to help your little buddy relax and feel more at ease, which is what we want.

A good way to achieve this is to use comforting aromatic essences to make the room more relaxing.

To do this you can place a blanket that your cat has used on your chest, the blanket is going to have it’s smell on it and this acts as a calming relief for the little animal.

You can also use the aromatic essences mentioned above on a blanket or your clothes just before picking up your cat or kitten.

Best tips on how to pick up a cat

  • It is always better to pick up a relaxed cat since if it is upset it may scratch or bite you.
  • Talk to your cat or kitten softly and soothingly as you raise it up as it is a good way to encourage and relax it.
  • Try to make calm slow movements and walk calmly. Running or being loud can scare your little friend and make him want to run away.
  • Do make sure to keep the hind legs supported at all times, as cats hate having their legs exposed and without support while being held.

Why it is important to hold a cat right

Knowing the best way how to pick up a cat or a little kitten is so important because cats can feel nervous when they are not handled right.

Holding such a small and delicate animal in your hands can very easily become a intensely frightening experience for it, since we are so large in comparison to them.

Cats can easily also feel scared because they can feel invaded within their own space, and it can too happen due to the sensation of instability generated by being loaded wrong.

Feeling trapped or caught increases this sense of danger and limits the ability to escape or run away as well.

Regardless of the reason why your cat may feel uncomfortable being held or picked up, it must be recognized that picking up a cat while it is struggling around with it’s teeth and claws all over the place is not a fun experience for anyone, human or cat.

It can in fact be a terrifying experience, even if you are only trying to figure out how to hold a cat, which is why it is so important to handle it right the first time.

This is really the main reason why you need to know how to collect a cat safely, so that you won’t scare it or injure anyone while doing it.

Now that you know all about how to pick up a cat like a pro, and how to hold a cat safely, you may also enjoy reading our article about how to find your lost cat again.

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Author: Cathour

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