Introducing Body Work to Cats by Sarah Fisher

Many cats that we work with are fearful of body contact. The approach is the same as it would be for a nervous dog or horse and it is important to remember that any reactive behaviours towards other animals and humans are based in fear and not a need to control or dominate that other being.

Observations

Cats are highly susceptible to soft tissue and skeletal damage and this can be a major contributory factor to handling issues. The owner is often unaware that an accident has happened.

Look for any changes to the texture of the cat's coat. Rough, coarse, raised hair or the presence of dandruff on the coat can be indicative of tension in the skin and muscles. Touching a cat in these areas are likely to trigger a reactive response and it is important to remember that any reactive behaviour is not personal in any way. It is a natural defensive response.

How to start

Stroking the cat with long feathers attached to dressage schooling sticks (wands) is an ideal way to initiate contact with a fearful, defensive cat. It can change a cat's expectation of what body contact may mean and allows you to start working with the cat without crowding it or putting yourself in a vulnerable position. This technique is brilliant for cats that hide as the length of the wand allows you to reach under the furniture or into the box without alarming the cat by leaning towards him/her.

Watch the cat's responses at all time and work in short sessions. If the cat attacks the feather, you can use two wands to shift the focus. If the cat bites one or pins one down with its paws you can still keep stroking with the other wand. Remember to keep the movements slow and flowing. Cats are wired to attack fast moving objects.

Once the cat has learned that being stroked with a feather is nothing to fear, you can introduce a soft artists water colour brush. Stroking a cat over the head triggers the blinking reflex which helps to calm and settle the cat. Stroking the whiskers against the side of the face has the same effect and touching a cat in this way can be helpful for cats that are reluctant to eat at the vets, following surgery, in a shelter or in a cattery.

Sheepskin mitts are another useful tool as it diffuses the heat from the hand.

Keep the sessions short and work below the threshold at which the cat has to react. You will be amazed at how this slowly, slowly approach can help even older cats with well established behavioural issues.

This cat was fearful of contact and would strike at any one opening the cat pen door

Robyn began with pipe cleaners that could be threaded through the closed door

Robyn then progresses to using feathers

The door is now open and Robyn is using a soft artists water colour brush and the cat is starting to become more relaxed

Robyn is then able to put her hand in and start using body TTouches

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