BEHAVIOUR: 6 Reasons Why You Should Never Scruff Your Cat

Only mother cats should scruff their kittens

I’m not a big advocate of scruffing cats. During my work day I often hear clients tell me that they scruff their cats as a way to get their cats to obey them when they have been naughty, “because that’s what their mummies would have done when they were kittens”

Here are some facts about scruffing, which show why it is never a good idea in most circumstances.

1. Many cats react adversely to scuffing resulting in aggressive behaviour

1. A kitten’s relationship with its mother is based on a different set of principles. A mother cat knows the precise pressure to place on the skin at the back of the neck. She scruffs her kittens mainly to carry them. For an adult cat the action of a human scruffing it is frightening and puts the cat into an un-relaxed and guarded state

1. Cats have pressure sensors on their teeth, which explains why they have the ability to, as my cat did, carry a baby mouse in their mouths without so much as a scratch on the mouse, and then the next minute ripping another unlucky soul to shreds

1. Lifting a cat or suspending its body weight by its scruff (the skin on the back of its neck) is unnecessary and could be potentially painful. It’s certainly not the most respectful or appropriate way to pick up or handle your cat.

1. The theory was that since kittens go limp when their mothers carry them by the scruff, a tight grip on the loose skin over a cat’s shoulders would trigger the same response. But this “flexor reflex” occurs only in very young kittens. It is now thought that gripping the skin in ‘mother cat fashion’ causes stress

1. Scruffing should only ever be used in a situation whereby you need to restrain a cat quickly because of adverse circumstances. Apart from this scruffing should never be used as a training action or reprimand. Reprimanding a cat in this way, after it has performed an un-wanted behaviour (but natural behaviour to the cat), will result in a cat who is now pissed off and still having no idea why you have just scruffed it!

Treat your cat with respect and train it in a proper manner. Forceful actions such as scruffing should never be anyone’s choice of action.

Knowledge Credits: Dr Marty Becker, Dr Sophia Yinn, Karen L Overall, G Landsberg, W Hunthausen, L Ackerman

*Image credit: Warren Photographic

Anita Kelsey is an accredited, vet referred Cat Behaviourist based in London – catbehaviourist.com