The International Society of Feline Medicine and its parent charity International Cat Care is against the use of scruffing as a method of restraint, because of the stress and distress it can cause to cats. Although scruffing may successfully restrain a cat, it can be highly intimidating, causing fear and panic, and often provoking or escalating defensive aggression.

Gentle handling techniques are much less stressful and allow the cat to have some sense of control, which is important for the cat's wellbeing. We provide educational resources such as videos https://bit.ly/ 2HGYlul and written guidelines https://bit.ly/2EVXQYN to help veterinary staff to use handling techniques that are better for the cat's welfare, including ways to handle cats which are showing defensive aggression (eg, towel-wrapping and sedation, where appropriate).

Improve the welfare of the cats in your care by pledging not to use scruffing in your clinic. See our policy on scruffing to find out more and to pledge: https://icatcare.org/scruffing Once you have pledged, you can download our 'scruff-free' posters (or order hard copies for a small postage fee) to show clients that staff handle cats gently and with respect. We are delighted that MDC are also taking a stand against scruffing with their campaign 'Must You Scruff?'

Credit: International Cat Care ❤️