Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 5: Keeping Your Cat Comfortable
• Part 2 of 5: Massage Technique
• Part 3 of 5: Massaging your cat's head and neck
• Part 4 of 5: Massage your cat's body
• Part 5 of 5: Checking Your Cat's Health
• Tips
• Warnings
• Additional articles

Massaging your cat can help your furry pet relax, calm down after a stressful event, and feel loved and cared for. In fact, massage will make your cat feel much better than after normal petting. Use this method of bonding with your pet 1-2 times a day to help your cat become more relaxed and trust you more.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Keeping Your Cat Comfortable

1. 1 Get the right time for your massage. Choose a quiet time for the massage.Your cat may have recently come back from the street or be busy licking. Wait until she is not doing anything before starting the massage.
   • Massage no earlier than 2 hours after feeding your cat. This will give her the opportunity to digest the food.
2. 2 Make sure the cat is comfortable in your presence. Get close to the cat and make sure she is happy to see you. You can even wait for the cat to come to you instead of yanking the cat out of its comfort zone. Wait for her to rub around you, relax, lie down, or even purr or nap next to you.
3. 3 Talk to your cat or sing to her. Allow your cat to calm down and enjoy yourself by putting it in the right frame of mind. Begin humming softly to the cat in a low, soothing voice, and tell her how good she is.
   • Do not use the high-pitched, loud tone of voice with which some people try to communicate with their cats ("You are such a cute kitty !!!"), otherwise, on the contrary, you will stress the cat, if not worse.

Part 2 of 5: Massage Technique

1. 1 Stay in a calm mood. Take a few deep breaths and be calm. If you feel nervous or try to rush through the massage, your pet will feel it and will not want to accept the massage from you.
2. 2 Spend 5-10 minutes massage daily. The massage shouldn't take too long. Only 5-10 minutes a day will be enough. Massage each part of the body for about one minute to make the cat feel good and fully relax.
3. 3 Start your massage at a leisurely pace in your cat's favorite petting spot. Start the massage with a leisurely stroke to help the cat get used to the touch during the massage. Choose a favorite place to caress, for example, under the chin, on the back, or behind the ears. Starting the massage in a favorite spot will make the cat more flexible to receive the massage and the rest of the body.
4. 4 Use your entire hand to massage. Many people only stroke their cat with their fingertips. Such touching may be too light for the cat, especially on the back or stomach. Use your entire hand and apply light pressure to the cat's body while stroking. Leave your fingertips to massage your head and muzzle.
   • When massaging, you can use one hand or two at once.
5. 5 Monitor your cat's reactions during the massage. Pay attention to your cat's reaction when you massage. If the cat stubbornly tries to get up, she may not be in the mood for this procedure. If she blinks slowly, purrs, sleeps, falls asleep, or even looks semi-conscious, she is probably enjoying immensely.
   • If the cat suddenly scratches or bites you, then you may have been massaging her skin too much. Your cat's skin is extremely sensitive, and if you overdo it with massage, it can be unpleasant for your pet. Try to find out how your cat feels about massaging different parts of her body.

Part 3 of 5: Massaging your cat's head and neck

1. 1 Massage your head. Most cats enjoy head massage. Use your palms to massage the top of your head and the back of your head and temples in a circular motion. Use your fingertips to massage around and behind your ears.
   • You can revert to head massage after massage the rest of the body, as the cat needs to be more relaxed in order to fully appreciate the massage of this part of the body.
2. 2 Massage your chin and neck. After the head massage, very slowly and gently rub the lower part of the cat's neck. Massage with your fingertips in a circular motion up and down your neck. Be careful not to put pressure on your neck. In this case, you can use either one hand or two.
3. 3 Massage your face. Use circular motions with your fingertips to massage your cheeks and forehead.You can also use your palms to massage the sides of the muzzle. In approval, the cat may purr or close its eyes. If she likes what you are doing, she may even let you massage around the eyes, nose, or mustache.

Part 4 of 5: Massage your cat's body

1. 1 Pat your cat's entire body from head to tail several times. After the head and neck massage, firmly pat the cat several times over its body. While stroking the cat from head to tail, apply light pressure on the cat's body. This will help relax your body for the rest of the massage.
2. 2 Massage your cat's shoulders. Start rubbing the cat's shoulders slowly in circular motions. Place your hands on the sides of the cat and rub them well. Gently but confidently use both hands to massage the sides of the cat's body, especially the shoulders.
3. 3 Rub the cat's back. Moving from the shoulders to the back, begin massaging your back and sides lightly in a circular motion.
   • Concentrate on the upper back, as the lower back and thighs can be very sensitive in a cat. If the cat likes to be touched in these areas, then massage them very carefully.
4. 4 Massage your cat's belly. If the cat is relaxed enough, it can roll over onto its back and allow it to rub its belly. Gently hold the cat with one hand and massage the cat's belly with the other, rubbing the skin. If the cat is completely relaxed, then you can even use both hands at once to massage the abdomen.
   • Some cats don't like having their bellies touched at all, so be very careful when massaging the belly at first.
   • You can mix the belly massage with another part of the body, for example, rubbing the cat's belly with one hand at the same time as massaging the head or back with the other hand.
   • Also try massaging your cat's chest muscles, which also need a good massage from time to time.
5. 5 Massage your tail. Start massaging the tail at its base, near your thighs, and then gradually work your way to the end. You can use both hands, but use your fingers easily, as the tail is very sensitive in cats. If you try to massage right away from the tail, the cat will most likely run away from you. Before the tail massage, the rest of the cat's body must already be relaxed so that she can enjoy the massage.
   • You can massage the cat's head with one hand and its tail with the other.
   • If the cat starts twitching its tail nervously, then it is probably annoyed and even angry, which is completely opposite to your intentions.

Part 5 of 5: Checking Your Cat's Health

1. 1 Check the condition of the cat's fur. Massage is a great time to check your cat's overall health. Examine the fur to make sure the cat is keeping it clean by licking.
   • If the fur is matted or dirty, it could indicate problems such as diabetes, bladder infections, and other conditions. If the fur is dirty in only a few places, then the cat may have problems licking these areas of the body, possibly due to arthritis.
   • If the fur is excessively licked and sparse or completely absent in certain places, then this may indicate dermatological problems, for example, skin irritation or allergies.
2. 2 Check the condition of your skin. When rubbing the cat's body with your fingers, try to bring them to the base of the coat so that you can check the condition of the pet's skin at the same time. If you feel bites or bumps on your skin, your cat may have fleas or skin irritation.
3. 3 Check your cat's body temperature. The presence of a fever in a cat may indicate a disease. With continued massage, you will know your cat's normal body temperature to the touch.If you feel that your cat is hotter than usual, look for other symptoms of illness or injury, such as infected cuts or starting vomiting.
   • Hot spots on the body may indicate arthritis.
4. 4 Feel the cat's body for swelling and other abnormalities. Pay attention to any abnormalities you find during the massage. Lumps and swellings can indicate serious health problems, so it's a good idea to have an idea of ​​what is normal and what is not.
5. 5 If you find anything unusual, consult your veterinarian. Your veterinarian is the best source for assessing your cat's health. If you find a swelling, skin problem, or other health problem, ask your veterinarian if the problem requires treatment.

Tips

• When you're done with the massage, give your cat a catnip toy or treat.

Warnings

• Be very careful and affectionate with your cat.
• If your cat doesn't like your massage, stop. She will very likely let you know that she doesn't like the massage by trying to get away or even scratching or biting you. Respect your cat's preferences.
• Do not massage a pregnant cat. Avoid massaging a sick cat without first consulting your veterinarian.
• Do not use massage oils on your cat. They can be very harmful to her fur. In addition, the cat will try to lick the oil, which will have a negative effect on her digestion.

Additional articles

How to determine the breed of a cat How to pet a cat How to pet a very nervous cat How to train your cat to use the litter box How to tell if your cat is dying How to heal a damaged cat's tail How to stimulate a bowel movement in a newborn kitten How to bring your cat to the vet without a special carrier How to keep a dying cat comfortable How to find out if a cat is neutered or not How to calm your cat How to make a cat stop pulling out its own fur How to splint a broken cat paw How to diagnose and treat mouth ulcers in cats