Massaging Your Cat: The Ultimate Guide

It’s no secret that my tender son Yoda is the center of my world, and I know that – like me – many cat lovers are excited to find new ways to show our kitties just how much they mean to us. Enter the cat massage therapy!

The best at-home spa experience to shower our rough-and-tumble friends with the extra affection they deserve.

If you’ve never considered massaging a cat, you’re not alone. It’s a strange mental picture for understandable reasons at first! But the cat massage It can actually offer our furry companions heaps of surprising (and practical) benefits.

Which is why in this ultimate how-to guide, we’ll share with you exactly how to take the time Relax and connect with your cat A gentle massage can benefit both of you physically, mentally and emotionally too!

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll discover today:

• You can massage different areas of the cat’s body
• Different cat massage techniques
• When *not* to massage your cat
• Examples of times when it is best to find a qualified cat masseuse

How do you massage a cat?

Now you know exactly how great a cat massage can be… What are the steps to massaging a cat?

There are a variety of different cat massage techniques you can try, but here’s the best way to introduce your kitty to the wonderful world of massage:

Step one: create a calm environment

• Choose a comfortable space
• Remove any noise or distractions
• Make sure your cat is in a relaxed mood* (eg, not taking care of itself/eating/sleeping/otherwise occupied)
• Choose a comfortable place to start the massage (such as a yoga mat, towel, or blanket for cat massage)

* It is best not to hold your cat or force her to approach you either. Instead, wait for them to come to you

Step Two: Start Slow

• Pay attention to your cat’s body language
• Start with gentle, gentle strokes around the head
• Switching to the ears – slowly rotate fingers around each ear
• Keep this up for a minute or two

Step three: move along the body

• Move your touch on his body, and continue with light, soft strokes
• Use a second hand to wipe over his body
• Try singing or talking softly to your cat, making soothing sounds

Step Four: Finish the massage

• Finish the massage with some strong body pats
• With a little stronger pressure, move your cat from head to tail
• If they enjoy it, plant one last kiss on their forehead

For the first massage, try to limit the session to between five to ten minutes. Remember that you don’t always need to wait for your cat to lie down either, it can be easier if they are sitting or standing to reach different parts of their body.

You can start at the top and focus first on the head and face, before moving on to their shoulders, back, stomach, chest – even their tail, if they’re enjoying it.

to remember Don’t touch anywhere your cat feels uncomfortableBecause the purpose of this exercise is to help them feel comfortable and relaxed…not stressed and angry!

try to Repeat the massage movements a maximum of six times Before moving on to the next area of ​​the body. This will help them experience the full benefit of movement.

What are the benefits of massaging your cat?

Let’s start by looking at how massaging a cat can help strengthen your mind, body, and spirit…

Just like humans, cat massage It can create a sense of calm, reduce stress and anxiety, while helping to promote a sense of well-being in your feline friend.

but that is not all.

Massage therapy for cats can also be helpful for:

• improve blood circulation
• Improved range of motion/flexibility
• Promote healing of physical trauma
• Preventing injury in the future
• Relieves pain related to arthritis, joint problems and stiffness
• Early detection of bumps/injuries or cuts
• improve digestion
• Support the speed of recovery from surgery
• Improve sleep quality

It can also reduce:

• ignition
• torsion
• Toxic compounds in the body and organs
• Feeling irritable or aggressive

Another great benefit is giving you Focus on quality time with your cute cathelping your bonds grow deeper and more loving.

Simply by setting aside some time on a daily or regular basis to show this form of TLC to your cat, this can help strengthen your relationship.

(Just think, massage can be a great thing to do if you’ve adopted a new cat in your family and want to slowly nurture feelings of closeness and trust!)

Amazingly, a cat massage mentioned So you get mental and emotional benefits for us too – Lowering blood pressure, reducing stress and promoting a feeling of relaxation and calm again. In our eyes, this is a win!

Different types of cat massage

You may be interested in a cat massage for a number of reasons, whether it’s because your cat is experiencing some sort of discomfort or pain, or you simply want to pamper your pet.

Typically, the following massage techniques can be used on a cat:

Technique	How it works
shabby	It is used at the beginning of massage therapy, which helps cats get familiar with touch, including a series of light strokes to warm the muscles before working the deeper tissues. Soothing stroking
negative touch	No movement, no pressure from the hands. Simply hold your hands in place for 30 to 90 seconds to warm the tissue and calm the cat
dough	It can be superficial or deep, is used to increase circulation and flow, and is applied to muscles, not bones
tabument	Can be used all over the body and head, apply three times a maximum of 30 seconds, with light, rapid, and final motion on the cat
stroking	It is applied very gently and slowly, usually to complete a massage therapy
passive joint movement	Physical therapy includes movement and focuses on positioning. Special care must be taken to prevent trauma to the joint and tissues

Here are some specific areas of your cat’s body that you can massage – and don’t forget that you know your cat well, so you’ll know better what type of massage they will enjoy the most!

cat face massage

Normally, most cats prefer to be touched from the neck up, but this may be a sensitive area for some cats. If they are comfortable, try the following steps:

• Gently stroke your cat under the chin
• Run your fingers across his neck, being careful not to press too hard
• Move your touch to his forehead using small circular motions
• Move your touch on the bridge of his nose
• Return your fingers to smooth the eyebrow, taking care of the eye area and hairs
• Then repeat!
  

Head massage for cats

Another popular form of massage for kittens, although again it can depend on how receptive your cat is to touch here. warning: If they enjoy it, this massage may cause a lot of purring, drooling and head banging!

• Use your fingertips to slowly pet your cat’s head using a circular motion
• Move your touch behind their ears and slowly circle your fingers
• Draw your fingers down to the point where her neck meets her spine
• Return to the top of the head, and gently press
• Then repeat!

(Yoda seems to especially like this!)

cat claw massage

Your cat may be less receptive to this type of massage, because it is a particularly sensitive part of the body or is not used to being touched here. Still, keep this in mind, as it can be helpful to get your cat used to touching their paws, for example, if they ever need to trim their claws. Here are some steps you can try:

• Gently lift the cat’s paw
• Put your thumb in the middle of the pillow
• Move your thumb in a slow, soothing circular motion
• Apply gentle pressure with each circular motion
• Move to the next paw, and repeat!

There are even some great tools you can use to massage your cat, like this one portable pet massager or this Ultra soft silicone cat brush.

Or for those more adventurous moms and dads, you might want to give this one a try Cat Tongue Massage Brush Try (You’ll definitely get your committed Pet Parent Badge with this tool!)

If you want to learn more about the art of cat massage, why not brush up on your knowledge and check out these books as well:

When should you not massage a cat?

There will, of course, be times when massaging a cat is a taboo.

The most obvious sign that you should not participate in this activity is your kitty’s body language. If your cat is displaying the following cues, we recommend stepping back and giving them some space:

• Flat/backward-slanting ears
• Hissing or spitting
• howl or howl
• arched back
• Leaning or turning away when approaching

You should also not massage your cat if she has:

• Fever
• shock
• infection
• open wound
• broke down
• rash
• any severe lumps
• blood clot

Also, as a side note, if your cat has been diagnosed with an immune disease, massage has not been reported to offer any significant benefits for treating this.

However, if your cat has an injury and you are interested in exploring holistic treatments to help relieve her pain, you may want to check out our article on Homeopathic Remedies for Cat Wounds.

Other times you should not massage your cat include:

• If they have eaten recently (leave it at least 2 hours after a meal)
• If they are asleep
• If they are preparing
• If they are busy otherwise
• If they refuse to approach you
• Right after an exciting gaming session

If you’re still not sure whether to massage your cat or don’t feel completely confident, your next option may be to do so. Looking for an experienced cat masseuse And book to consult with them…

How to find a cat masseuse

You can definitely try Massage your cat at homebut for anything more intense, complex, or advanced—like a constipation massage for cats or a arthritis massage for cats—you might be better served when looking for a qualified cat masseuse.

You can try to find a local cat masseuse by searching in National Council for Accreditation of Acupuncture and Animal Massagewhich hosts a database of certified practitioners and also offers tips on how to become qualified as a cat massager – if that works for you!

Additionally, you can try checking with a trusted vet to see if they offer alternative treatments such as massage and acupuncture.

A qualified veterinarian or cat massager will provide you with first Initial consultation to assess your kitty’s special needsBefore suggesting a specific massage therapy to better relieve aches and pains.

Even if in serious doubt? Our advice is to contact an expert!

last thoughts

There you have it – the ultimate guide to massaging your cat at home.

As mentioned, the The benefits of massaging your cat are countless; Only you and your cat can help you with that Feel cooler and more relaxed With each other, it can also help for practical reasons such as Relieve pain and improve your cat’s movement (Especially useful for those older ladies and gentlemen!)

Remember, if your cat is new to massage, it’s best to do it Start with slow, short sessions Before getting longer and more intense treatments. It is also important that Watch your kitty’s body languagewhere they’ll make sure to tell you when they want you to stop…or keep going!

Are you excited to try massaging your cat? Have you tried it in the past? Tell us, because we’d love to hear if your kitten would love the experience!