Where is the withers located in cats?

The withers, scruff, or, as it's commonly known, the "scruff," is the spot on a cat's body where the lower part of the neck meets the top of the back. This spot is used for various medical procedures to treat various illnesses, so it's important for owners to know where the withers are located.

How to determine

The cat's withers are located on the back of the spine. Its center is a point just in front of the shoulder blades, which can be easily felt with your fingers placed over the pet's front paws.

If you're still unsure where the cat's scruff is after taking the photo, you can use another method. To do this, grasp the base of the front legs with one hand and move it upward, squeezing until you grasp a thick fold of skin in your fist. Then, press the fold of skin against the body where you can feel the hard bones of the shoulder blades—this is the scruff.

Despite the reduced sensitivity of the skin, this area of ​​the animal's body is quite problematic, as it is located near the neck. Any serious injury in this area can cause health problems for the pet. Such injuries most often occur during mating, as the male cat holds the female cat by the scruff with his paws during the process. While this doesn't always result in injury, it does happen, so it's important to pay attention to this issue and take appropriate measures if necessary.

Why is it important to know the location of the withers?

The withers are the most suitable place for various types of medical manipulations:

• application of antiparasitic drugs (for example, drops for fleas, helminths), since this area of ​​the body is not accessible to the cat for licking the fur with the tongue, therefore, it will not be poisoned by the toxic agent, provided it is applied correctly;
• Subcutaneous injections are used because the skin there is thick with minimal nerve endings, which reduces the animal's pain to virtually zero during the injection (provided it is given correctly). This explains the fact that most veterinary medications are intended for subcutaneous administration, which is less painful than intramuscular injections.

Interesting facts

Mother cats carry their kittens by the scruff of the neck. Neurobiologists have discovered that a region in the cat's cerebellum regulates balance and body position. When a mother cat grasps a kitten by the scruff of the neck, the cerebellum receives a signal to relax and remain still. As a result, this method of carrying not only avoids pain for the kitten but also calms it down and hangs in a characteristic "fetal position," allowing the mother to carry it to the desired location even if it requires running or jumping.

Scientists believe this reaction is a result of evolution. After all, a cat never carries her offspring unless absolutely necessary, only in cases of danger. A screaming kitten would likely attract attention in the wild, significantly reducing its chances of survival.

Most cats retain this reflex throughout their lives. However, carrying adult pets this way is not recommended, as it will cause them pain due to their relatively large weight (compared to a kitten's weight). The only time this can be done is if you need to pick up an angry pet, as they won't be able to move in this position. scratch or biteBut you can pet cats on the withers as much as you want; they really love that kind of affection.

You can also ask our website's staff veterinarian a question, who will answer them as quickly as possible in the comments box below.

Read also:

• How to give a cat an injection in the scruff
• Why you shouldn't kiss cats
• How to properly give an injection to a cat?