appearance or function,” Mehrtens says. “A cat’s skeleton is slender, with lean, fl uid muscles designed for leaping distances with stealth and agility. T ey’re likely to experi- ence less wear and tear on joints than dogs.” Ballner off ers tips to let the cat be the
MASSAGE FOR CATS
by Sandra Murphy A
lthough the method of massage and results can be similar to that for dogs,
cats have their own rules about how they are touched. “Every massage must be indi- vidualized,” says Katie Mehrtens, owner of T e Right Spot Pet Massage, near Chicago, and a nationally certifi ed small animal massage therapist. “Cats are typically more sensitive to touch than dogs, and can become overstimulated. I am hyperaware of the cat’s reactions, and oſt en give them more breaks to avoid stress,” she says. “If your cat doesn’t like to be
touched, you just haven’t fi gured out the best moves yet,” advises Maryjean Ballner, a massage therapist in Santa Barbara, California. “Common mistakes include rubbing, instead of caressing, and going too fast. Felines get the reputation they’re diffi cult. Pay attention to the basics.” “Although many bones and muscles in
cats and dogs have the same names and loca- tions, they may not be identical in physical
teacher as to what works best: Get down to their level. Approach at shoulder height, not the top of the head.
Caress using full palms, not just fi ngertips. Slower is safe, enjoyable and desirable.
Caress under the chin and around the cheeks using fi nger pads and full palms or the fl at area between the knuckles.
Focus totally on the cat for four minutes. Make it routine.
Voice soſt , soothing, low-tone phrases— not baby talk; maybe repeating, “Oh, you good boy, good boy.”
Susi Rosinski, a certifi ed feline,
canine and equine massage therapist and owner of Ancient Far East Healing Arts, in Tonawanda, New York, off ers, “Most of my [feline] clients have joint pain or back mo- bility diffi culties. Working on legs and joints aſt er they’re fully relaxed helps them, as well as being safer for me, as I slowly add pres- sure to the areas where they need it most.” “For four minutes a day, cat massage
is therapeutic, whether it’s for you or the cat,” says Ballner.
Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at
StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com.
breathe
November 2018
35
Gumpanat/
Shutterstock.com
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