Pinch-induced behavioral inhibition


Pinch-induced behavioural inhibition, also called dorsal immobility, transport immobility or clipnosis, is a partially inert state which results from a gentle squeeze of the skin behind the neck. It is mostly observed among cats and allows a female cat to carry her kitten easily with her jaws. It can be used to restrain most cats effectively in a domestic or veterinary context. The phenomenon also occurs in other animals, such as squirrels and mice.