Soothe Your Cat With a Massage

Massaging your cat can create a positive relationship between the person and cat as well as soothe and relax stiff joints. It can also alleviate stress for both the cat and the owner. Ultimately, massaging your cat can stimulate nerves, muscles, the circulatory system, and the lymphatic system. It can also increase the range of motion, help with oxygen supply and nutrients for muscles, and relieve pain.[1] Follow these steps to give your cat a massage.

Steps

Preparing Yourself to Massage the Cat

  1. Focus intently on the cat. You want your attention to be as close to 100% on the cat as possible. Massaging your cat lovingly for even a few minutes can be as good as a full half hour of petting, so focusing on the cat will be very beneficial. You can get your attention on the animal by relaxing with a few deep breaths.[1] Get into it—the cat will thank you!
  2. Visualize giving your cat the perfect massage. You can give yourself some great practice that won't tire out your massage hands just by visualizing the massage you will give. This kind of concentration is known as centering, and it will help keep you from getting sore as you massage your cat.[2]
  3. Prepare the massage space. The best atmosphere for massaging your cat is one that is calm, quiet, and peaceful. Loud people—such as children—in the room may not be very comforting to your cat, and can detract from the benefits of massage. Thus, you should pick the most peaceful time and place for your cat's massage to have the best impact.[2]

Readying Your Cat for Massage

  1. Speak or sing soothingly to the cat. One great way to relax your cat for massage is to use voice massage. Voice massage is essentially repeating a phrase or song in a soothing voice to prepare your cat for contact. What you actually say or sing is not as important as the tone of your voice, which should be as calm and soothing as possible.[1]
  2. Let the cat accept your touch. Move slowly toward the cat with your had outstretched and allow him or her to smell you. This gives the cat the opportunity to accept your touch rather than you simply going ahead.[1] This shows respect and can help keep the cat calm as well.
  3. Pay attention to body language. If the cat seems to back away from your hands as you try to ready him or her for massage, do not attempt massage at this time. Do not attempt to massage the cat if he or she nips at your hand when you offer it either—this could mean the cat is in a playful mood or a bad mood, or it could signal a defensive position from the cat. When the cat is waking from a nap or otherwise very relaxed, this would be a good time to massage him or her.[3]
    • Do not attempt to massage a cat who is injured or sick.

Massaging the Cat

  1. Begin slowly. There is no reason to rush to massage your cat. Begin by petting the cat gently as you normally would, then stroke the cat's entire back slowly, counting the seconds it takes to do so. Stroke the cat's back a second time, this time doubling the seconds it took to do so before. The cat may really enjoy the slow speed of this stroke.[1]
    • Repeat this technique six times. Repetition is good for getting your cat to accept the massage, as well as establishing familiarity and relaxing the cat in general.[1]
  2. Massage the back of the cat's neck. Run your thumb or fingers from the top of the cat's head to the base of its neck gently. Gently massage the back of the neck with your thumb and fingers. Tug very gently on the loose skin on the sides of the cat's neck.[4]
  3. Caress the cat's body. Very gently caress the cat's body applying mild pressure around the contours. You should be able to feel various bones as you do so.[1] Do not apply too much pressure, but get your fingertips in each crevice and massage gently.
  4. Move your hand slowly to the underside of the cat's body and gently massage the belly. Try increasing the speed of your caress on the belly/breast area to see if the cat likes it. [1]Be careful here because some cats are very sensitive to being touched on the underside of their body. If the cat is very relaxed, he or she may not mind, but even if so, this may startle the cat or cause it to get somewhat defensive, so be careful.
  5. Massage under the cat's chin. Gently lift up on the cat's chin with your fingertips, and, as the cat lifts its head, begin stroking the chin and neck with your fingers. Move from the throat to the tip of the chin. If the cat looks up, he or she likes this motion. You can also move your fingers in a circular motion underneath the the chin for a different sensation.[1]



Tips

  • If you want your cat to cooperate or to follow you around, massaging it is a great way for it to settle down and if you walk away, it will most likely follow you around for a while.
  • Your cat will enjoy the massage the most only when it is in the mood for one and is healthy.
  • If your cat does not like stroking, you could instead scratch the cat along the top of its back only.

Warnings

  • Always do this gently!
  • Avoid massaging the legs, chest, and stomach since some cats will not feel comfortable and instead will feel threatened.
  • Some cats do not like massages. Avoid massaging a cat if it shows resistance to being touched and/or has had surgery or injury that can only heal if left alone.
  • Massage is great for cats, but it should not replace veterinary care if your cat is sick or injured.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-care/cat-massage/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.learn-massage-therapy-online.com/massage-tips.html
  3. ↑ http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-you-should-massage-your-cat.html
  4. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=1nZt7SjtzccC&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=massage+cat+neck&source=bl&ots=w0MBqklSQ3&sig=pDwpXqA-vneNwQjw_30UCUozKvE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xPGWVZqtDJPagwSflLT4Cw&ved=0CGgQ6AEwDQ#v=onepage&q=massage%20cat%20neck&f=false
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