Proper Handling

I went to the local humane society today to see about a playmate for Greta since I work 12 hour shifts. The girl there who was showing me the cats was doing something I have never seen done with a cat before and it did not strike me as safe.

She was holding the kitten by her upper front legs between the shoulders and the knee joints and dangling her down and swinging her between her legs. The kitten did not seem to be bothered by it, did not struggle or anything, but it just did not seem like it could be good for her shoulder joints. It seems like the full weight of the body would be put on the shoulders in a way they do not normally support the weight. The kitten was 6 months hold so it is still in a developmental stage of her life and not fully grown.

Any feedback appreciated. Thanks.

sounds a little strange to me...not sure what the benefit would be of carrying the kitty that way....???

It was not so much to carry but a form of playing with kitten, swinging her between her legs like you might swing a small child.

hmmm...i really don't know then...i don't think i would do it.

Sounds odd to me. I would have never thought to do something like this. Seems like it could hurt or damage in some way. Maybe there is something I don't know, though.

Doesn't sound quite right to me either

Don't they normally have a vet onsite at the human society? If so, why don't you ask whether it's safe. This sounds dangerous to me. I wouldn't even swing a child like that, especially when the child is still in the developing stage where anything is fragile.

It sounds strange to me, I would think it would be okay to pick them up like this (after all, they would only be in that position for a few seconds) but swinging them between the legs??

I've heard before that is the way to pick them up. But I can't see swinging them like that.

I asked my vet about this today when I took Misty in for her first visit. He had never heard of handling a cat in such a way and did not recommend it as it would be rough on the shoulders, especially while a kitten is still developing.

He also mentioned the local humane society tends to do some strange things with the animals sometimes.

I've swung kittens before - but hold them with two hands around their shoulders and right under the front legs by the body so they felt secure. The kittens loved it.

But if this girl was only supporting the kitten from the legs and not the body too, then no it was not right.