You don’t have to be a brainiac to figure out how to celebrate Hug Your Cat Day on June 4th.
However, you do have to be careful — and maybe even a little bit sneaky — when it comes to successfully giving your feline a hug.
Here’s a step by step guide to mastering the moves that will make your Hug Your Cat Day a success for you and your kitty best friend.
Hug Your Cat Day Is Not For Every Feline
First up, let’s be honest about this: Some cats do not exactly enjoy the human touch. If you find yourself living with a cat who’s prone to running away, hissing, or even swiping at you when you attempt to pick them up, you might want to rethink your concept of what a good cat hug is.
In these cases, the smart way to proceed is to respect your cat’s space and boundaries. You may want to gently attempt to sneak in a little human-to-feline bodily contact instead of a full hug.
Maybe resting your hand on kitty’s back for a moment will suffice — perhaps even laying your head next to your hand. Consider it a skittish hug and move on.
Other Kitties Are Ready For The Hugs!
If your cat is totally fine with you picking them up and generally fussing over them, you need to figure out what sort of hug you’re going to bless them with.
Traditionalists like to scoop up their cat, always supporting the body, and cradle them like a baby. That’s a hug, for sure.
A pro tip is to use the nook of your elbow as a handy chin perch for your cat.
Another tactic is to let your cat sit on your lap and begin a petting or grooming session. After the purring kicks in, you can then sit forward a little and cuddle your feline.
Most important of all, once you’ve mastered the art of hugging your cat, you’ll need to finagle a way to snap a selfie of you and your feline in the middle of a happy hug. This is where you’ll need a very patient cat and a very steady camera hand — practice is key.
Of course, a few tasty treats can encourage your cat to sit nice for a hug, and they can provide a positive reward so kitty will come to understand that hugs are a good thing!
Are you going to hug your kitty on Hug Your Cat Day? Or does your cat prefer a lighter touch and gentle pets? Let us know in the comments below!
