#scruffing

You may ask, "but what if the cat is fractious? Should I just let myself get bit?"

No, of course not. Even this particular campaign notes: "There may be exceptional circumstances in which there is a real and imminent risk of injury to a person where very brief heavy restraint, such as scruffing, may be necessary. However, these occasions should be rare and exceptional, never ever routine."

Our goal should be to reduce the likelihood that cats will feel need to bite/swat by implementing appropriate low stress handling techniques. There's a lot that goes into this, and honestly it is kind of a steep learning curve at first. But once you start to get the hang of it, you'll see a huge difference.

The thing about scruffing is that it is a LAST resort. Not a second resort, or a third resort. It is something you use if you need immediate and brief control of a cat. That may be for safety, or to implement life saving care. It is NOT meant for prolonged restraint, especially for something routine (i.e. wellness blood work, nail trims, vaccines, etc). Basically, if you have to scruff a cat for something routine, you should not continue that procedure. A cat should not be biting/swatting, screaming, or excessively struggling for something that is not essential to their immediate health. If they are, we need to stop and reassess, and potentially consider oral or injectable sedation. I think that's where some disconnect comes in, at least with my own experiences

Yes, we are no longer scruffing as a first resort at my work (or doing the "scruff and stretch" for blood draws), and I think this is true in many clinics. And that's great! But getting people to stop grabbing the scruff and continuing with a kitten's FIV/FeLV test because they started screeching and nipping? We're working on that. It's a good lesson for me too, because yes, I did say that you can scruff to protect yourself from getting bit. So I've gotten some push back because a cat was actively struggling or trying to bite/swat when I've called someone out for scruffing. The point is, they shouldn't be getting that worked up in the first place. And if they are, and we have to scruff to protect ourselves, we should not be continuing, because the animal is already way too stressed.

Dr. Sophia Yin said something in a lecture that I thought really put things in perspective. She asked, "is it appropriate to strap down uncooperative children at the dentist?" While of course we need to be careful with anthropomorphism, I think this is a case where the comparison is very apt. Because cats, like kids at the dentist, are reacting this way due to fear and stress. It's not out of malice or spite, it's fear. So we, as veterinary professionals, need to stop accepting that forceful, full body restraint (which has been shown to increase the amount the cat struggles and also increase their aversion to the area they were restrained) is acceptable in anything other than dire circumstances.

I encourage all veterinary professionals and cat owners to get familiar with the AAFP/ISFM 2022 Feline Handling Guidelines. Because this is gold standard medicine, and cats deserve better.

hiii anon :3 okay so scruffing is basically when someone (usually a more dominant person, but not always), puts their hand on the back of your neck (think about where a cat’s scruff is) and squeezes/massages it, typically over or near the scent glands.

i’m pretty sure anyone can do it but i know that for me as an omega it feels soo good. it’s kinda like a display of submission (for me at least), the same way i would say presenting is! in my experience it’s a power exchange thing, and it helps the more submissive party relax/stop thinking/regulate/etc. i know that some people go the extra mile and kneel while they’re scruffed, but i think that’s just personal perference and i’ve never done that :33

Happy angry and sad,might make other ones but idk

I made this originally bc I keep walking around with my cow babies by the scruff and needed to show that Dhdh

Now, this is a new one for me omegaverse wise, I had to do some research.

scruffing: picking someone up by the "scruff" of their neck or using that patch of skin as a form of hold/restraint.

First of all, if your characters are humanoid I'm not sure this will really work in the literal sense. Humans are bi-pedial, which means even if we did have a bunch of extra skin back there, grabbing hold of it or putting a lot of force there might snap someone's neck, not to mention, break your teeth. It could work for babies though, but we do have hands...which would be a lot more efficient.

Second, if you work in a verse that has shifting, this could work. Scruffing could be something that characters use while in wolf form. But i haven't read many fics where babies can shift (definitely not saying it can't happen, you do you). As wolves, dogs, cats, etc get older the mobility of that skin changes, so while you can still grab at it in cases like small dogs and cats, they aren't meant to be picked up, grabbed, or held there anymore. It can really freak the animal out and give them anxiety about being touched at all.

Third, here's a solution that you could use though. "Scruffing" would refer to a bite made in that same spot when your character is just a baby. Either by their mother/parent or by their pack alpha. This ties them together permanently as a sort of kinship, and if the kid ever got lost, using dental records, the police could put them back with their family.

This is a permanent mark that cannot be undone like a mating bite and does not hurt the baby when it's being performed (right after their born most times). It's a very special mark to have and is highly regarded. Lots of shirts have a lower backline so that it can be shown off.

Some cultures also perform scruffing bites on grownups when they switch packs or join a new one. This is not over the other one, but often on the right side, representing growth and harmony.

In romantic relationships, this is not a place for a mating bite, but is often treated tenderly (though there is no extra sensitivity here over say a regular spot like an arm or leg), it to pay homage to one's familial ties.