Cat massage
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Cat massage is a practice used by pet owners to maintain healthy
circulatory system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
s and joints in
felines The Felinae are a subfamily of the family Felidae. This subfamily comprises the small cats having a bony hyoid, because of which they are able to purr but not roar. Other authors have proposed an alternative definition for this subfamily: as c ...
.Sarah Hartwell, "Cat Massage: A Hands on Experience", 1993
Messy Beast Website
/ref>


Benefits

Touching, petting, and stroking a cat can stimulate the release of chemicals called
cytokine Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins (~5–25 kDa) important in cell signaling. Cytokines are peptides and cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrin ...
s, which signal the
brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a v ...
to release
endorphin Endorphins (contracted from endogenous morphine) are chemical signals in the brain that block the perception of pain and increase feelings of wellbeing. They are produced and stored in an area of the brain known as the pituitary gland. Hist ...
s.Michael, "Cat Massage"
Cat Massage: A Hand's On Experience
/ref> Massage therapy may have similar benefits for cats as it has for humans, including relief for any pain or
anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...
the pet might be enduring. Cat massage is also seen as a preventative health measure for the animal. Additionally, cat massages may lower the
blood pressure Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...
of the owner performing the massage, thus acting as a relaxation technique for both parties. Cat massage is useful in developing a bond between cat owners and their feline companions. Massaging the cat may also help locate abnormalities on the cat's skin, as well as areas of tenderness or swelling that could be symptomatic of a serious condition. Massage can increase mobility and
flexibility Stiffness is the extent to which an object resists deformation in response to an applied force. The complementary concept is flexibility or pliability: the more flexible an object is, the less stiff it is. Calculations The stiffness, k, of a bo ...
in cats who suffer from
arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
. It may also be an alternative way to hasten the rehabilitation of a cat that has undergone surgery. Massage therapy may have a positive impact on the cat's
digestive system The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion (the tongue, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder). Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller compone ...
, as well as their
coat A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a ...
and skin.


Drawbacks

Although massage therapy can be highly recommended for cats, cat owners are recommended to avoid massaging cats that are feverish or those who have
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
. The massage should not be performed over open wounds, around unstable fractures, or when a cat is experiencing pain that is not yet appropriately controlled. Massage should be performed with caution on cats with blood-clotting conditions, and massage should not be performed directly over
tumors A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
. A cat that becomes agitated during a massage may bite or scratch, which can be associated with dangerous infections, such as
cat-scratch disease Cat-scratch disease (CSD) or felinosis is an infectious disease that most often results from a scratch or bite of a cat. Symptoms typically include a non-painful bump or blister at the site of injury and painful and swollen lymph nodes. People m ...
,
Pasteurella multocida ''Pasteurella multocida'' is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, penicillin-sensitive coccobacillus of the family Pasteurellaceae. Strains of the species are currently classified into five serogroups (A, B, D, E, F) based on capsular composition and ...
, and
tenosynovitis Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath (called the synovium) that surrounds a tendon, typically leading to joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Tenosynovitis can be either infectious or noninfectious. Common clinical manifest ...
, depending on the location and depth of injuries.


Techniques

Stroking the cat is an effective way to check for skin abnormalities or parasites. Owners should consider the likes and dislikes of their cat during the entire massage. Cats should not be forced into having massages, as this will increase stress and agitation. A common place to start is behind the ears, as cats may be more receptive to receiving affection in this area. Areas where the cat has shown antipathy toward being petted should be avoided. Pet owners are advised to apply gentle massages to their cats, and if they wish to give their pet a deeper massage, they should have a professional demonstrate proper technique before applying it at home.
Effleurage Effleurage, a French word meaning "to skim" or "to touch lightly on", is a series of massage strokes used in Swedish massage to warm up the muscle before deep tissue work using petrissage. This is a soothing, stroking movement used at the begin ...
and
friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction: *Dry friction is a force that opposes the relative lateral motion of t ...
are both efficient techniques of massaging cats. * After the cat has shown that it is relaxed, the owner may start to pet it from head to tail, using an open and relaxed hand. This is the effleurage technique. The effleurage stroke is helpful in stimulating
blood circulation The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
and warming up the tissue. * Circular friction may be performed on the cat's body by using one's fingertip to draw small circles on its skin, including the tail.


Cultural references

Maryjean Ballner created a cat massage instructional book and VHS in the 1990s. A video blog website called
Everything Is Terrible! Everything Is Terrible! is an artist collective based in Los Angeles that finds and manipulates unusual, dated, and campy clips of VHS tapes from the late 20th century and early 21st century. It was founded in 2007 by a group of friends who met i ...
took footage from Ballner's cat massage VHS, and created a
edited version
with highlights from the video. The edited version was then uploaded to YouTube in 2009 by user WrongMan, and has received over 4 million views to date.
David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...
interviewed Ballner in 2009 following the viral reception of the YouTube video.


References


External links


Video demonstration
{{Domestic cat Cat health Massage