Why does scruffing a cat paralyze them?

Nearly every cat owner will come to know art of cat handling. Scruffing is a holding of loose skin at the back of a cat’s neck, the resulting effect will see immediate paralysis, almost stone like, without any motion or sign of panic. This motionless may also be known as a cat’s "fate" as it hangs from the loose skin. Handling a cat by the scruff should first be understood as it holds significant meaning to cats, only then can it be applied in an efficient manner.

THE SCRUFF PRINCIPLE

Cats are animated animals, filled to brim with enthusiasm and energy. Yet, when handle by the scruff, they enter a trance like state. Some may perceive the act of holding a cat in this manner as painful for the cat but it’s theorized that skin behind the cat's neck is loose and without feeling. Holding from this position does not inflict any pain and a cat’s mother will often be seen biting this part when needing to mother her children or hold them in actions of reprimand.

EVIDENCE AND LINKS

Tony Buffington, a Professor of Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences in The Ohio State University led his research team to analyze this strange phenomenon. The experiment invited 31 cats, aged 1 to 5 years of different genders to participate. After testing the physiological indicators of the cat, Buffington and his team found that when holding a cat by it’s loose neck skin, it’s pupils showed no enlargement, steady heart rate with unaltered breathing conditions. Such signs point to no discomfort being experienced when being held in this fashion. Hence, cat scruff holding induces this trance state without any feeling of fear or pain.

In 2013, a group of Japanese neurologists studied a series of physiological reactions when “animals were scruffed by their mothers” and found that similar “sedative effects” existed not only in mice, but also in human infants. The three physiological responses that are most typical of the "sedation effect" with similarity between humans and mice resulting in crying, passivity, and decreased heart rate.

ANIMAL INSTINCTS

The scruff reaction occurs not only in cats, but also in other feline animals. Cause of this phenomenon is thought to link back thousands of years ago, when cats had not yet undergone domestication. Living in the wild would present dangerous survival conditions, including harassment from other animals, especially after birthing. If the environment was seen to be potentially dangerous, the cat mother would use its mouth to bite the neck of the little kittens, passing a "warning signal".

In the interest of survival and maternal instinct, migration to safe places was essential. Little kittens would gather the severity of the situation and would remain motionless to avoid any injury during travel, or being discovered by other predatory animals. In the present, this instinctual conditioned reflex has been deeply imprinted in cat genetics, serving as an instinct of survival.

MATERNAL CONNECTION AND HANDLING

While cats are seen to immediately calm when being carried by the scruff, this isn’t always the case. A preexisting maternal relationship between a kitten and its mother would further ingrain the motionless trance state when being carried by the scruff. If a cat is taken away from it’s mother prematurely for whatever reason, it may not observe the same response when being held in this area. Instead of an instant dose of calm, they may turn around in dismay, lashing out. If you’re getting a new cat, this is a potential early sign that they have left the litter too early.

Small kittens are light weight and can be handled by the scruff safely. Doing so allows you to take care of the harder grooming tasks that a cat might not like, cleaning teeth or trimming claws for instance. It’s also possible to reprimand your cat if a situation turns dangerous but it’s worth noting that handling of the scruff should be used in selective situations.
When a cat has grown, they become significantly heavier. Extra care should be taken with alternative handling methods used to support their weight.

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