stop scruffing for cat restraint!

Dr. Sally J Foote demonstrates how to use a rolled towel or pillow case as a neck wrap as a less stressful restraint method for cats. Learn the technique to hold the cat, without agitating your cat and keep you safe from bites and scratches.
www.drsallyjfoote.com/shop/

[@maryriley6163]

I just adopted a couple of sweeties who aren’t used to a lot of up close and personal handling. Thank you so much for demonstrating how to control the cat with techniques that cause the least stress. With my son’s help I think we can get their claws trimmed and not expose our vet to a shredding machine on our first visit.😊

[@hildyhogate8385]

Thanks! I'm a first time cat owner, who's been petrified of cat claws and teeth for over 60 years (bad childhood experience with the barn cats). I just adopted a 10 year old who's a very good boy, but doesn't like to have his belly brushed. The hairballs are making our lives miserable. I had the vet trim his nails recently because I'm not brave enough to take THAT on. I hope these techniques will help me to work with him in a way that let's us both be calm and relaxed!

[@brdahl13]

Ha ha ha ha, hilarious, "I shall escape!"

[@janetznyski4941]

Thank you very much. This was a big help I am a first time cat owner

[@DrSallyJFoote]

you are welcome! good luck with your kitty.

[@CommDao]

So glad you're still making videos, Dr. Foote-- and thanks for bringing more awareness to the this!

[@russelllarry4636]

I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anyone know a way to log back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me!

[@jakobbraylen4870]

@Russell Larry instablaster =)

[@russelllarry4636]

@Jakob Braylen Thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@russelllarry4636]

@Jakob Braylen It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thanks so much, you really help me out!

[@jakobbraylen4870]

@Russell Larry you are welcome =)

[@alanathebespectacled]

I’m so glad I found your videos! I have a very sassy tortie who is very resistant to handling except on her terms. I can’t blame her, she spent the first year of her life outside as a stray. I hate having to manhandle her to force her to do the things she needs to do, I’ve never felt right about it and she is very very resistant. I’m really excited to try some of your techniques - I did the covering her with a towel today to build up to putting her in the carrier, (she will eat in it but god forbid I actually put her in it) and she was unbelievably calm about it!!!!!!! I can see myself using the cowl for tooth brushing or if I need to give her pills at some point. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@freewaybaby]

Good tips. I have an old feral boy who is about 13 now. He has the thinnest of tame streaks, only due to being trapped so young that he had to be kept inside until he was old enough to neuter and the feral cat group leader at the time tried to socialize him. He's had to be trapped several times in the last year because of mouth issues. Two dentals within 6 months (YIKES!) and now treatment for ongoing flare-ups of stomatitis; he hates the prednisolone ear cream and tends to avoid me completely when he's in a treatment period with it, soooo... we've had to resort to the longer acting injection. It's horrible to see how painful he can get when it's time for an injection, but getting him restrained to go to the vet is proving more difficult all the time. He's needed to go for about 2-3 weeks and I am trying to figure out a way to get him in a cage for transport, so I came to see what techniques I could maybe use. The folded towel thing might work if he was on a table, but even if he is elevated, once I approach him, he jumps to ground level. I hear about people using Gabapentin to calm them for nail clipping or vet visits, but I figure if they're calm enough to get a pill down their throats, they're calm enough for getting into a carrier. Your techniques will definitely be used with my inside cats; my older ones, not so much, but I've adopted two young girls since this whole fungalitis crap started and they are "wild" things! I've wondered how I was going to restrain them for transport! Now I have it! Thanks so much! LOL

[@looneytoonsama]

Thank you so much.❤ We have one cat that would benefit from the last method.

[@DrSallyJFoote]

You're welcome 😊

[@juliac3933]

The cowl wrap is so clever! Will definitely be trying it with patients

[@DrSallyJFoote]

Thanks Be sure to look at my upcoming live stream aggressive dog and cat handling day. I have a lot of low stress care demonstrations and more to help in practice.

[@marykrafts4607]

Going to try this sadly it's a 2 person job my 16yr old girl wont let me touch her nails there over grown now and painful she tries to hurt us seriously. I've grabed a foot and cliped one by second she has slaped the clipers across the room. Never been able to get more than 2 nails cut with her head covered by myself. Going to get help to hold her with this method I'm lost other wise she will have to be sadated. I cut my other cats nails without any issues She is a Big Girl and means business

[@DrSallyJFoote]

To get her paws in good shape, use the sedation. then every day, lure her up to the special care place, with yummy food and practice handling her paws. Talk to your vet about keeping her on a pain reliever after the nail trim as her paws may be sensitive to touch.

[@blackkittycat15]

I watched 10 seconds and saw she touched the cat and it didn't bite her. You don't need to scruff nice cats, however if they're trying to eat your face it's effective. I want to see how you handle that without scruffing or drugs.

[@DrSallyJFoote]

actually the agresssive cats respond best to this method. Please refer to my body language video, and how to decrease the escalation to aggression. Blend that knowledge with handling techniques like this.

[@mestapho2011]

Thanks! I'll have to try some of these. I have a very sweet kitty as long as he's in control. I've been worried about taking to the vet because I didn't know how to control cause he is vicious if he wants to be and he never responded to scruffing since he's never really been. I got him when he was 2.5 weeks old. I didn't want to have to man handle him so that's why i've put off going.

[@DrSallyJFoote]

let me know h ow the cowl works for your cat.

[@helengarrison7439]

She always deals with very calm cats. Her videos are no help for a fighting cat.

[@DrSallyJFoote]

I have in clinic videos with anxious and aggressive cats. Please look at my pillow case handling videos, and the feline body language video to avoid escalating your cat to aggression. Lastly, talk to your veterinarian about medications to decrease aggression and anxiety.

[@harbingersev-oh-wohne]

I have used towels to control aggressive cats at work myself, I agree with this tutorial, and even learned more from this

[@rolltide9547]

Make it easy give a cat 6 oz of jack Daniels whiskey. They will chill out.

[@Zooko23NY]

Ummmmm... Scruffing is absolutely natural... How else do mother cats pick up their kittens. She said after a certain age... Yeah sure that might be true, but we also aren't digging into their skin with teeth, our fingers/hands are gentler than that. Maybe I'm wrong. But secondly... I feel with the towel technique, you're giving humans too much credit in gauging how to do this. I would bet money that someone is going to asphyxiate their cat with this technique. Pain for a few minutes is easier to deal with than suffering a slow death. But hey what do i know? Maybe I'm wrong again. 🤷‍♂️ People... Please be careful... Don't accidently strangle your cats with this. Cats don't like being restrained assist their will... no living creature does. They're going to be uncomfortable either way.

[@zsuzsuspetals]

I'm old school. I agree with you. All of my cats have always calmed down when I scruff them. The key is I'll scruff them when I'm giving them attention. If a cat is only scruffed for medication, then of course they hate it. But I've always worked with our cats whether getting them ad adults or kittens to associate a scruff with something good. They purr when I scruff them. I even do a very light shake as they are scruffed and they love it. I never scruff them hard. It's always a gentle touch. All these new techniques can be great but many get too complicated and just don't work for owners.

[@velvetlace]

I have had and been around cats all my life…Grew up on a dairy farm…Your technique will fail the cat and the human…The real struggle with the cowl has the human twisting and putting more and more pressure on the towel…The scruff has direct contact so it’s not done too harshly…I have had to tend to cats they are right next to sedation…Horses, cats most animals are if you control the head and feet you can care for the animals…The cat you have there looks like my Son’s cat…I have his brother…No clip should be used, the towel will fail, direct hand to the skin…Bit and scratched many times proves my point…

[@kylajohnathan1931]

Ghost at 5:06

[@zamb1an]

what

[@ItzHanahhhSlayyyz]

Where

[@jennyjones4875]

@@zamb1an haha

[@Romjen]

Clueless! I'm here to learn how to handle the kitten, you show a calm cat, not helping! Wasting time! You didn't HELP!

[@DrSallyJFoote]

If you listen to the entire video, I give you the guide to set up the area before your cat is upset - then how to modify the towel wrap according to your kitten's behavior. Watch the feline body language video to understand your cat's behavior before it beocmes aggressive or anxious, so you know what to avoid. Cats hate firm holds and force - start there.

[@savioursoul]

He’s being choked. Very cruel and dangerous.