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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:	Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:	FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:	MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO

Created:	Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5089
Total number of notes:	60366

54.0. "scruff of the neck" by ADVAX::C_WAY () Thu Dec 20 1984 15:29

Is it harmful to pick up a full grown cat by the scruff of the neck?

When I pick up Smokey or Bandit (now 9 months old) by the scruff, they
just sort of hang there, like they are temporarily paralyzed. They don't
seem to mind too much, though. Unless I grab them too hard like when I'm
picking them out of the garbage.

Charlie

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
54.1		RAVEN1::HOLLABAUGH		`Fri Dec 21 1984 10:43`	9
	The reason they hang there is because that's the way their mother picks them up and carries them around. I used to not like to do that. But since I have read several good books that touch on the subject, I've decided it's not that bad after all. The important thing is to put a hand under the rear end to support a full grown cat that you pick up that way. It's a great way to make passive a hostile or over excited cat. tlh
54.2		RAINBW::FREEDMAN		`Thu Dec 27 1984 09:35`	9
	According to what I have read, because a grown cat weighs so much more than a kitten, it is definitely not a good idea to pick up a grown cat by the scruff of the neck. It is effective, however, to temporarily stop the beast from doing whatever it is doing--fighting, garbaging, etc. I think it can cut off their oxygen because of the weight of their bodies pressing against the esophagus. I don't know. I just read it in Morris' little book from 9 Lives when I got my cat at the animal shelter.
54.3		ELUDOM::WINALSKI		`Sun Jan 20 1985 22:06`	6
	Always support a full-grown cat under the back paws or the bottom when picking up by the scruff of the neck. Otherwise, the process can be VERY painful for the cat. Provided you give enough support underneath to prevent hurting the cat, that method of carrying a cat is OK. --PSW
54.4		VAXUUM::DYER		`Sun May 05 1985 15:33`	4
	It is allegedly instinctual (hard-wired ROM?) for a cat to respond passively when grasped at the scruff of the neck. This is very useffor teaching a cat with techniques of classical conditioning. #6 <_Jym_>\
54.5	Non-conformist cat	NZOV01::PARKINSON	Hrothgar	`Tue Jul 29 1986 06:42`	8
	I showed this note to Kimi (our Abyssinian), and he still doesn't believe it! Kimi does not follow the rule of "pick him up by the scruff and he will become passive". His reaction is lift up the back legs and claw open an artery in the wrist of the person holding him (I must add that Kimi is normally quite gentle - he just refuses to do anything that wasn't his idea). However, we often say that he is only just a cat - an Abyssinian seems to be almost a separate species!