What is the Bundle & Bond Technique?
As discussed under my mission, fearful cats will not socialize on their own, so it's important that we provide intentional enrichment and socialization for them to ease their stress and anxiety. The Bundle & Bond does just that. It is a fast-track socialization method that I developed to socialize cats of nearly any temperament—especially those who are fearful, aggressive, and even feral. This involves an innovative towel wrapping technique called The Superman (because you wrap it like a cape), paired with positive socialization (aka love and pets). Over time, this repeated exposure helps cats get more comfortable with human interactions. With shelter cats, even just one session can dramatically improve their sociability, friendliness, and confidence, resulting in a much happier and less fearful cat. This is also great for fostered or newly adopted cats that are fearful in their new home. Watch the videos below on how to do this.​​​​​​​​​​​
The Superman Towel Wrap
The Superman Towel Wrap goes hand-in-hand with the Bundle & Bond. This towel wrap is unique because it allows you to cover a cat and restrain them in one swift motion. It then gives you the power to hold onto them with one hand, giving you a free hand to socialize, examine, or administer medications. Traditional "kitty burritos" require the cat you're handling to be relatively calm and cooperative and they take too much time to secure. With this technique, you're essentially wrapping the towel around them like a cape, pinching the two ends of the towel together under their chin, while pinning their front legs against their body, rendering them immobilized. Watch the video below for a step-by-step demonstration on how to properly restrain a cat using The Superman technique.
When to use it?
This technique is great for:
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Restraining fearful or aggressive cats or kittens for socialization
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Picking up and removing cats from kennels, carriers, feral boxes, etc.
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Catching and restraining a loose cat
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Restraining for exams, ear cleanings, medicating, and other procedures
Is this humane?
Yes—absolutely. While it may cause brief stress in the moment, it’s a short-term discomfort with long-term emotional benefits. Many of these cats are already living in a constant state of stress and fear. The Bundle and Bond offers a structured way to interrupt that cycle and begin the resocialization process. I like to think of it like coaxing a hesitant child onto a waterslide; at first, they resist and even cry, but once they've experienced it, they realize there was never anything to be afraid of, and now they enjoy it. I've often had people tell me about a cat that they've had and couldn't touch for over a year because of how fearful they were. That is no way for a cat to live. It may seem stressful at first, but using this technique on cats like that will significantly decrease that time from over a year to just a week or two.​​​
Most fearful cats do very well without this and will open up on their own once in a calm and quiet room. However, please always assess a cat's FAS level first to determine how to approach them, and never let a feral cat loose in a room unless you have done so and are confident with handling them.
Here's How:
The Superman Towel Wrap
The Bundle & Bond
Overview
