Handling cat who hates being held

Dear Cathy: We have an 18-month-old tabby. When we brought her home, she had an upper respiratory infection and chlamydia, which was passed on from her mother. For six months, we had to “burrito” her to give her eye drops. Now, she only allows us to hold her for 10 seconds before she starts to hiss, bite and scratch.

Our vet prescribed a tranquilizer for vet visits, but she becomes a devil cat at the vet, escaping and running around the office. We tried the same tranquilizers for her nail clipping with the same results.

We think this behavior developed from her earlier medication routine. She is otherwise a sweet cat and will allow us to pet her. What can we do to regain her trust? — Frances, Levittown, New York

Dear Frances: While some cats don’t like to be held, early experiences can shape behaviors. Let’s replace an unhappy memory with a new experience associated with food.

Get her a feline pheromone collar to wear. These have a calming effect on cats. Let her wear the collar for a few days.

When you start training, pick her up — but only a few feet off the floor and only for a few seconds. Talk to her in a sweet voice, and then put her down in front of a tempting treat. Essentially, you are rewiring her brain to associate being held with a treat. For the next few weeks, pick her up only to give her the special treat or food, increasing how long you hold her.

After a few weeks, re-introduce nail trims, but only do a paw a day, followed by a treat. When taking her to the vet, drop a towel over her to pick her up and put her in the crate. With time, you can build up her tolerance to these things. But remember, some cats simply don’t like to be held and prefer to sit on your lap instead.