Cats can be… skittish, especially if you’re trying to hold or touch them. Since they are such independent creatures, it’s hard to get them to really enjoy being snuggled, but of course, you want to show your cat some affection, right? And not only that, you want them to feel comfortable enough to be checked thoroughly when at the vet’s office. Well, no worries, we’ve found a few tips to help you train a cat to enjoy holding and touching.
According to Perfect Paws, to initiate training, start when your kitten/cat is feeling relax. Then try to find the spots your cat would love you to touch — many times these spots are behind the ears and on top of the head. A lot of cats also like long body strokes and belly rubs. While dong this, make sure you talk in a calm voice, use a lot of praise and then give treats to reward your kitten.
You should have these little rub sessions several times, gradually increasing the time of contact required for a treat. This way, your cat will learn to associate the rubbing with a good amount of pleasure.
Just note that there are some sensitive areas on your cat, such as his/her mouth, paws and tail. Because of this, you’ll want be very careful when trying to, say, examining his/her paws and giving a treat.
And as always, remember to praise your cat continuously, and if he/she really doesn’t like you touching a certain area, just don’t. Respect your cat.
