On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 06:23:55 +0000, I wrote:

1. Know how to pick up a cat. (Amazing how many people get this wrong,
typically picking the cat up by its midriff, like a towel.) With the cat
facing away, you want one hand from behind a foreleg cradling the chest,
and the other under the haunches or butt. The idea is to use the front
hand to lever the cat backwards onto the back hand. The heaviest part of
the anatomy (the pelvis) is firmly supported, and there is no discomfort.

1.5. And know how to let the cat down again too! Basic rule is forelegs
first, because this is their natural stance when descending from a height:
cats land on their front feet first. So, from the half-sitting position
in the two-handed pickup, lower your front hand and "pour" the cat over
it. But don't drop the cat: bend down, and hold on until the front legs
touch the floor.