With their cute little faces and soft fur, cats are wonderful creatures to keep. However, they can also be fickle turning from playful to angry in the blink of an eye. To avoid any form of "feline anger", it is important to know how to take and hold the cat in the right way.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Part 1: Catch the Cat
Step 1. Find out if the cat wants to be picked up
Occasionally cats just don't feel like being picked up. It's up to you to understand his state of mind. If he looks angry or scared, you run the risk of scratching yourself if you just try to catch him. However, there are ways to understand cats' mood, particularly by looking at the cat's tail and ears
- Look at the tail - if it wags its tail quickly back and forth, the cat is probably agitated. Unlike dogs, cats don't wag their tails when they're happy. A slow movement of the tail indicates that the cat is analyzing a situation, but if it is raised, the feline is happy.
- Look at the ears: if they are pointing forward it means that the cat wants to play or that he is happy, if they are backwards, be careful! The cat feels agitated. When the ears are flattened against the head, the cat feels frightened or defensive.
Step 2. Learn to put your hands in the right places when picking up the cat
Squat down to the level of the cat. Gently place a hand on his ribs, right behind his front legs. With the other hand, hold the back of the cat by placing one hand under the hind legs. This way your hands will be both above and below the cat's paws.
Step 3. Lift it up
When your hands are in the right position, you can lift it by standing up. The hand and forearm under the cat's hind legs must serve as a platform that supports it.
If there is an emergency and your cat is scared, you can grab it from the back of the head. Do this only in case you need to take him out of the house urgently or when he is too agitated and could scratch you
Method 2 of 2: Part 2: Take the Cat and Return it to the Ground
Step 1. Support the cat when you pick him up
It is very important that the back and legs are properly straight. Extend your arm against your torso to form a plane where the cat can be comfortable. You can support the upper part of the cat in the crease of your elbow so that it rests its front paws on your hand
If the cat feels comfortable when you pick it up, you can try other ways as well. It actually depends on the preferences of the animal. Some like to be taken as babies, with the back resting on the inside of the elbow or arm and the front legs on your shoulder
Step 2. Caress him when you hold him in your arms
When you hold the cat with one arm, the other hand is free and you can pet it. Petting makes the cat calm and makes him feel more comfortable in your arms. Also, if you talk to him in a calm tone, the cat will feel so comfortable until he falls asleep.
Step 3. Pick up the cat when sitting
If you want to keep the cat on your lap when you watch TV, let him decide where to sit. The odds are: on your lap, between your legs or curled up in your lap.
Step 4. Return the cat to the ground
When you are done socializing, put the cat down gently. Bend so that the cat's paws reach the floor. Release your hands gently and the cat will do the rest.
Advice
- Pat the cat under the chin or behind the ears.
- Understand that cats sometimes don't want to be picked up. Don't be offended: it's their nature!
