To lift a cat safely, place one hand under its chest just behind the front legs and your other hand under its back legs or hindquarters, then bring the cat close to your body as you stand. That two-hand support is the single most important part of the technique. Skipping it, especially failing to support the back end, puts strain on the cat’s spine and abdomen and almost guarantees a squirming, unhappy animal.
The Basic Two-Hand Lift
Start by letting the cat know you’re there. Approach from the side rather than from above, and give the cat a moment to sniff your hand or acknowledge you. Sudden grabs from overhead trigger a prey-avoidance response in most cats, even friendly ones.
Slide one hand under the cat’s chest, just behind the front legs, with your fingers wrapping gently around the ribcage. At the same time, scoop your other hand under the cat’s hindquarters so that its back legs and hips are fully supported. Lift smoothly and bring the cat against your chest or torso. The goal is to keep the cat’s spine roughly horizontal during the lift, then let it settle into a comfortable position once it’s up.
A cat’s torso is remarkably flexible. Its spine has more vertebrae than a human’s, and the muscles along its back are built for absorbing impact from jumps and falls. But that flexibility doesn’t mean dangling is comfortable. When only the front half of the body is supported, the cat’s full abdominal weight hangs unsupported, which is uncomfortable at best and painful for cats with any underlying sensitivity.
Three Common Carry Positions
Once you’ve lifted the cat, you need a way to hold it. The right position depends on your cat’s temperament and what you’re trying to do.
- Chest-to-chest: The cat faces you with its front paws resting on your chest or shoulder while your arm supports its hindquarters from below. This works well for cats that like being close and is the most stable hold for walking around the house.
- The cradle: The cat lies on its back or side in the crook of your arm, belly up. Some cats love this. Many don’t. If your cat tenses or tries to flip over, switch positions rather than forcing it.
- The football hold: The cat faces forward with its body resting along your forearm, tucked against your side, similar to how a running back carries a football. The ASPCA notes this is a one-handed hold best reserved for calm, socialized cats. You can modify it into a two-hand hold by placing your free hand loosely on the back of the cat’s neck for extra control.
Reading Your Cat’s Body Language
Not every cat wants to be picked up, and even cats that tolerate it have limits. Learning to read the signals saves you from scratches and saves your cat from stress.
Ears are the fastest indicator. Ears turned to the side or flattened back signal discomfort or rising anxiety. A tail that starts flicking or lashing is another warning. If your cat goes stiff in your arms, presses its ears flat, or starts kicking with its back legs, set it down gently rather than tightening your grip. Holding on through a struggle erodes trust and makes the next pickup harder.
Cats that enjoy being held typically have forward-facing ears, a relaxed body, and may purr or knead. Some will lean into your chest. Pay attention to these positive signals too, because they tell you which hold your particular cat prefers.
Lifting Kittens
Kittens need the same two-hand support as adults, just scaled down. Place one hand under the chest and the other under the back feet, keeping hands on both sides of the body. The National Kitten Coalition recommends making early pickups brief and positive: lift just a bit off the floor, move the kitten a short distance (from one food bowl to another, for example), and gradually increase height and distance over time. This builds a positive association with being handled.
Newborn kittens with a mother should be weighed daily but otherwise handled as little as possible during the first couple of weeks. Orphaned kittens need more frequent handling for feeding and care, but should stay in a warm, confined space between sessions. In either case, support the full body. A kitten’s bones are still developing, and its small size makes it easy to accidentally squeeze too hard or let a leg dangle.
Why You Shouldn’t Scruff
Scruffing, grabbing the loose skin at the back of the neck to lift or restrain a cat, is one of the most persistent myths in cat handling. The idea comes from watching mother cats carry kittens by the scruff, but that only works for kittens under about two months old. During that narrow window, a reflex causes kittens to go limp and tuck their legs. After that age, the reflex disappears.
For an adult cat, scruffing is potentially painful and does not produce calm. The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the International Society of Feline Medicine have stated clearly that lifting or suspending a cat’s body weight by the scruff is unnecessary and potentially harmful. It can cause fear, stress, and aggression, the opposite of what most people are trying to achieve. If you need to restrain a difficult cat, a towel wrap is far safer and more effective for both of you.
Using a Towel for Difficult Situations
Some cats resist handling, whether due to pain, fear, or personality. A towel wrap, sometimes called a “burrito wrap,” is the go-to technique for these moments. Lay a large towel flat, place the cat in the center, and fold the sides snugly around the body. The wrap should be firm enough that the cat can’t wriggle free but not so tight that it restricts breathing.
Covering the cat’s head with the towel or a light blanket often helps it feel more secure. Cats that like to hide tend to calm down when they can’t see what’s happening around them. If the cat struggles for more than a few seconds in one type of wrap, switch to a different method rather than fighting through it. A blanket wrap (looser, draped over the whole cat before scooping up) works better for emergencies or catching an escaped cat, since speed matters more than precision.
Picking Up Senior Cats
Older cats often have joint stiffness or early arthritis, even if they haven’t been formally diagnosed. Osteoarthritis is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in cats because they tend to hide pain by simply moving less rather than limping.
When lifting a senior cat, be especially careful with the hips and lower back. Use a slow, smooth motion rather than a quick scoop, and avoid any position that forces the cat to bend or twist at the spine. Set the cat down gently rather than letting it jump from your arms, since landing impact is harder on arthritic joints.
Beyond the lift itself, you can reduce how often your older cat needs to be picked up by making its environment easier to navigate. Raised food and water dishes (at a height between the cat’s elbow and shoulder level) relieve low-back strain during meals. Stools or ottomans placed below favorite perches like windowsills let the cat get up and down independently. Non-skid area rugs or yoga mats on slippery floors help with traction, and keeping a litter box with low sides on every floor of your home means fewer stair trips.
Building a Cat That Likes Being Held
Some cats naturally enjoy being carried. Others tolerate it. A few will never be enthusiastic about it. But almost any cat can learn to accept being picked up if you approach it gradually and make the experience consistently positive.
Start by rewarding your cat for letting you touch its chest and belly while it’s on the ground. Once that’s comfortable, practice the hand placement without actually lifting. Then lift briefly, just an inch off the ground, and set the cat back down with a treat. Over days or weeks, increase the duration. The key is stopping before the cat gets uncomfortable, so it learns that being picked up leads to good things and always ends on its terms. Cats that have been grabbed suddenly or held against their will develop lasting aversions that take much longer to undo than they took to create.