Is picking up an adult cat by the back of the neck considered animal abuse?

Answer 1

== == Many people feel this is OK because they see the mother cat do this to her kittens to move them, but I feel it's cruel to do this to an adult cat. I have a cat and I just pick her up like I do my dogs. I would never think of picking her up by the skin of her neck because you could do some damage. Think of it this way ... would you like to be picked up by the skin of the back of your neck? Of course not! Just pick the cat up the way you would a small dog. You shouldn't pick them up like that unless you have to, it's mostly a way of getting them to stop what they are doing. For instance my cats used to really fuss and scratch over going inside after playing in the yard. But they stopped when I grabbed them by the back of the neck and they realized they couldn't struggle. It doesn't hurt them per se, but it isn't a comfortable thing at all. Picking an adult cat up by its neck can cause pain and injury, once they are fully grown their skin cannot support the weight of their body so although injury may not be apparent at the time you could find that due to the skin being pulled away from the connective tissue underneath that swelling and infection can occur, in the case of an uncooperative cat "scruffing" them while its body weight is supported can help to control the cat and prevent injury to yourself of course sometimes it is necessary, for instance, when those curious cats get stuck in awkward places and cant get themselves out!