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In reply to the discussion: How do you deal witha PTSD Kitty... [View all]lunatica
(53,410 posts)but there is something I call hug therapy that dogs and cats and children respond to very well.
You put your flattened palms on their sides at the shoulder level (on the upper arms on children) and very gently squeeze your hands towards each other equally on both sides and let up on the squeeze quickly, within a second or two. If they stay put and dont pull away do it again. And as often as the cat will let you. It has the effect that a thunder vest does and works to calm them down and makes them feel safe. It wont take long for your cat to associate you with a kind and healing touch. Use the slow blink when looking directly into the cats eyes. This is also a signal that you can be trusted.
Kids love it too because they know they can stop it if they want to. Its like swaddling.
Youll know its working if they stay still. Once they get used to it theyll come and ask you to do the hug thing. Like a dog will come and sit close with their back to you. This is the dogs way of asking for the hugs.
Once theyre used to it at shoulder level you can go up and down their bodies doing it. Releasing the pressure pretty quickly (you can graduate the pressure into longer hugs once the cat is OK with it) gives them the feeling they can get away and arent trapped.