Haptic stimulation, bilateral stimulation, and sensorimotor memory in felinotherapy

D. Hypšová, www.lang-on-line.estranky.cz

"Touch comes before sight, before speech; it is the first and last language, and it always tells the truth." Margaret Atwood

Interventions in the field of zootherapy usually use a cognitive approach—we talk to clients, ask them about their past experiences with animals, and play games that require verbal expression, logical and analytical thinking. This is an approach known as top-down.

However, there are also clients for whom this approach is not suitable. These may be clients with dementia, children with ASD, or clients with PTSD. For such clients, the opposite approach, known as bottom-up, is more suitable. In other words, a procedure that begins by activating the oldest parts of the brain: the brain stem and the limbic system. This is what sensorimotor felinotherapy and its component of haptic stimulation offer us. This is a technique that works with sensory and physical signals as the basis for regulation and contact. It allows us to detect physical manifestations of trust or tension before verbal/cognitive reactions appear.

Definition of haptic stimulation in felinotherapy (with a sensorimotor focus)

Haptic stimulation in felinotherapy refers to targeted or naturally occurring stimuli that act through touch and the perception of physical contact between humans and cats. These stimuli activate sensorimotor pathways—that is, the connection between sensory perception (sensory) and motor response (motor) in both humans and animals.

The tactile system (skin sense) plays a special role here, as it is one of the basic sensory channels for perceiving one's own body, neuro-regulation, and cognizing the surrounding world. Touch not only provides sensory information, but also has profound regulatory and diagnostic potential – even in clients whose diagnosis we do not know and are not allowed to know for legal reasons (e.g., in an educational or activation context).

As Cornelia Elbrecht (Healing Trauma in Children with Clay Field Therapy, 2021) states: "We can observe the hands as a mirror of the body."

The way a client uses their hands when touching or manipulating (e.g., an animal, material, or environment) can reveal their physical experience and developmental contexts, anomalies, trauma, or disabilities. When observing the use of hands, we ask ourselves the following questions:

• Are only the fingertips, the entire palm, or only the lower edge of the hand active?

• Is the thumb involved?

• Is only one hand involved, while the other is used to maintain balance? If there is no physical disability, is this a case of dissociation?

• Does the motor behavior correspond to the client's age, or does it resemble an earlier stage of development?

These manifestations are of diagnostic significance.

Practical recommendations for observing the client's haptic responses in felinotherapy and accompanying activities

1. Context of felinotherapy

The practice of felinotherapy itself can be very variable. The preference is for the welfare of all participants and their neuroception of safety. We always ask the cat for permission (consent behavior). The cat may sit on the client's lap, but it does not have to. It can lie or sit comfortably next to the client (on a chair, sofa, bed), it can be on a tray attached to a wheelchair, or it can be in its transport stroller. There are many possibilities. The client can observe the cat and, if we observe consenting behavior, they can begin to touch it, applying the so-called "traffic light zones of pleasure."

A great advantage is the ability to record the intervention, especially with regard to the hands, so that we can replay the sequence several times and evaluate it in a given context or use it for supervision and education.

We observe in particular:

• Client: Which part of the hand does the client touch with – do they use their whole palm, fingertips, edge of the palm, or do they avoid touch?

• Client: Symmetry of hand use – are both hands involved equally, or does one compensate for the other (a possible sign of dissociation)?

• Client and cat: Pressure and rhythm of touch – is the movement gentle, impulsive, hesitant, or repetitive and rigid? We observe the cat's reactions to this touch.

• Client and cat: Body position in relation to each other – Client: is the body oriented towards the cat, or is it turning away? Is the client tense or relaxed? Cat: is the body oriented towards the client or turning away? Is the cat tense or relaxed?

• Client and cat: Changes during contact – e.g., is there a calming of breathing, a change in facial expression, skin color, increased attention? We also observe changes in the pulsation of visible arteries (e.g., on the neck), contraction or dilation of the pupils, etc. These manifestations may signal a shift in autonomic regulation and neuroception of safety. In cats, we also observe the position of the fur and whiskers, tail twitches, and mini-twitches of the back muscles.

2. Accompanying activity: Sensory-motor art therapy (e.g., modeling, finger painting)

• Type of movement when working with the material – is the movement exploratory, cautious, mechanical, or playful?

• Activity zone – is the dominant hand or both hands used, is the activity spatially expanded (large gestures) or narrowed?

• Emphasis on pressure – e.g., pressure when modeling with clay – gentle or excessive pressure may indicate sensitivity or a defensive pattern.

3. Doll therapy and other symbolic touch activities

• The way the doll or animal is handled – gentle vs. rough treatment, active touch vs. passive holding.

• Shifting attention from the doll to the cat – does felinotherapy promote greater openness to touch in other situations?

• Expressing care – does the client express care and interest, or rather expects care from others (perhaps a reverse projection of the relationship)?

This framework can be used to indirectly observe developmental, emotional, and relational patterns without necessarily knowing or needing to know the diagnosis.

The haptic communication we observe in felinotherapy often reflects the client's internal state – their level of orientation, trust, anxiety, and ability to self-regulate. Especially in clients with Alzheimer's dementia, haptic expression can be affected by degenerative changes in the brain, loss of self-confidence, and the presence of an institutional regime in which those around them constantly tell them what to do.

When working with sensory objects (e.g., bilateral activation of touch – smoothing crumpled paper, stroking a doll, working with kinetic sand or pottery clay), there is often a natural transfer of the tactile pattern to other objects – for example, an animal. The client can thus move from stroking a doll to gently touching a cat. This transfer of touch can be understood as a form of behavioral generalization, as described by PORTL (Hunter, M., Rosales-Ruiz, J.) – based on repetition of the movement, the client "anchors" a certain tactile pattern, which they then apply in a new, more natural context.

From a therapeutic point of view, this phenomenon is highly valuable – not only as a means of self-regulation, but also as a sign of retained learning, interconnection of the senses, and internal motivation for contact.

Haptic stimulation can include:

• direct contact with the cat's fur, temperature, and breathing rhythm,

• conscious touching (stroking, gentle massage, pressure stimuli),

• accepting touch from the cat (e.g., touch with a paw, cuddling, rubbing against the body),

• micro-movements of the body in response to touch (e.g., muscle tension/relaxation),

• perception of body position and pressure (e.g., a cat lying on the lap provides proprioceptive stimulation).

Haptic stimulation can thus:

• promote neuroception of safety and aid in the regulation of the nervous system,

• activate the brain stem and support both innate and learned movement patterns – and thus sensorimotor memory,

• help calm or activate people with developmental disorders of the nervous system (e.g., autism, ADHD, or coordination disorders)

• strengthen interoception (felt sense) – i.e., the perception of internal bodily states.

5. Practical recommendations for recording

Observed area

Question for observation / comment

Type of contact

How does the client touch (intensity, part of the hand)?

Initiative

Does the client or the cat initiate contact?

Bilateral coordination

Does the client use both hands? How do they work together?

Emotional expression

Facial expressions, breathing, sounds during contact?

Movement transfer

Is the movement repeated on another object (doll/cat)?

Age-appropriate motor skills

Does the style of touch correspond to the client's age?

• In felinotherapy (especially for clients with dementia, trauma, or developmental disorders), tactile sensations, body movements, and internal sensory reactions often represent the most understandable and safest way of contacting oneself and one's surroundings—precisely what the bottom-up approach supports.

For example:

• the client's hand moving towards the cat,

• repeated stroking or clutching of a textile object,

• changes in breathing or muscle tension when touched.

These are all "bottom-up inputs" that activate the body and nervous system, often before any conscious speech or reflection.

Theoretical background and concluding information

A polyvagal view of haptic stimulation in felinotherapy

Stephen Porges' polyvagal theory allows us to understand how the body responds to haptic stimuli not only at the level of the skin, but also at the level of the nervous system. The key concept is the neuroception of safety—the subliminal perception of the environment and contact as safe or threatening, which directly influences autonomic regulation.

Touch that is gentle, predictable, and unforced activates the ventral branch of the vagus nerve—the nerve pathway responsible for calmness, social engagement, openness, and emotional connection. In felinotherapy, the presence of a cat, its warmth, rhythmic breathing, purring, or even contact through transport aids (stroller, counter) can be a powerful regulatory stimulus.

Conversely, unpredictable or overly intense stimuli can trigger defense strategies – withdrawal (dorsal vagus) or fight/flight (sympathetic nervous system). Therefore, it is important to monitor not only external manifestations, but also subtle changes in the client's body tension, facial expression, breathing, or movements.

Haptic stimulation in felinotherapy thus affects not only the senses, but also the nervous system directly. It supports the transition to a state of inner calm, in which it is possible to re-establish contact with the body, emotions, and other people – even in clients with deep losses of trust or a disturbed sense of their own body.

The SIBAM model as a support for observation and understanding of bodily experience

The SIBAM model (Somatic, Imagery, Behaviour, Affect, Meaning), which was developed within the framework of Somatic Experiencing (Peter Levine), offers a useful framework for perceiving and interpreting the client's bodily reactions during felinotherapy, especially where there is no verbal description or clear medical history.

S – Somatic (physical manifestations): We observe, for example, changes in tension, breathing, facial expressions, skin color, motor restlessness, subtle movements of the fingers or hands, contact with the cat and surrounding objects. This reflects the current state of the nervous system.

I – Imagery (internal images): Sometimes the client spontaneously expresses an image (e.g., "it's like ants are running on my hand") or depicts what they feel in an art therapy activity – without the need for verbal explanation.

B – Behaviour: We observe how the client behaves towards themselves, the cat, and their surroundings – is their approach hesitant, evasive, impulsive, caring? Do changes occur during contact?

A – Affect (emotion): Emotions can be expressed non-verbally (smile, tears, stiffness) or as a change in interaction with the cat. The client may establish a relationship with the cat through physical contact before they feel ready to establish a relationship with a person.

M – Meaning: For many clients, meaning is not immediately accessible to consciousness. Initially, it can be mediated by us as observers – a subtle reflection of change: "You seem to be breathing more calmly now." Later, the client may name the meaning themselves – even if only through a gesture or a glance.

This framework helps AAI (AAS) workers, who often do not know the client's exact diagnosis, to capture and understand the physically anchored manifestations of neuroregulation and stress in response to the environment.

Consent behavior as the basis of felinotherapy

Consent behavior is a fundamental pillar of felinotherapy. It is not just about the client's verbal or cognitive consent, but above all about observing physical, nonverbal, and behavioral signals indicating that contact is perceived as safe and welcome—both by the human and the cat.

In the client, we observe, for example:

- a relaxed body position, open gestures, turning the torso towards the cat,

- calming of the breath, spontaneous smile or reduction of muscle tension,

- proactive approach to the cat without signs of internal struggle or tension.

In cats, we observe:

- voluntary contact (approaching, touching with a paw, rubbing the head),

- establishing brief eye contact with the handler/therapist or client (observe pupil size and length of gaze)

- slow blinking, staying close to the client without coercion,

- softening of facial expression, calm body without signs of tension (retracted claws, relaxed whiskers spread out in a fan around the cat's face, not pulling forward or backward, tail movements and twitches).

In both cases, it is important for the therapist to be able to "read" these signals – not only in direct contact, but also in their microdynamics. Video recordings focusing on hands, faces, and body postures help to capture even subtle expressions of agreement or disagreement in supervision and training.

This transfer of tactile patterns can be understood as a specific form of behavioral generalization, in which the client learns to transfer physically anchored experiences into new contexts—for example, into contact with other people, with oneself, or even into everyday activities.

From a therapeutic point of view, this is a very valuable process that:

- supports the client's self-regulatory capacities even outside the therapeutic environment,

- helps restore a sense of safety in one's own body,

- demonstrates the preserved ability to learn and integrate sensory experiences.

Haptic stimulation as part of a cat's recovery and well-being

In cat breeding and managing cat behavior problems, haptic stimulation is also of fundamental importance for the cat itself. Working with both paws, engaging the senses of smell and touch, the rhythm of movement, and searching for treats promote feline foraging behavior—natural and evolutionarily determined patterns that have a regulatory effect on the animal's nervous system.

For example, the so-called scarf puzzle (a paper box with crumpled fabrics of various textures, among which treats are hidden) has proven to be a valuable tool when working with a cat that has experienced the sudden loss of its home and fellow animals. Although she ignored the classic snuffle mat, it was this form of multisensory search game, involving both paws and nose, that became her preferred ritual – and the beginning of her journey back to balance.

The bilateral activity of the paws and the use of smell and touch stimulate the nervous system, reduce internal tension, and restore a sense of control over the environment. Even in animals, therapeutic activity has healing significance.

Theoretical basis: why and when to choose a bottom-up approach?

In felinotherapy (and zootherapy in general), it is essential to work with physically anchored manifestations that arise before verbal or cognitive reactions occur. This approach is known as the "bottom-up approach." Instead of relying on conscious understanding and verbal description, we focus on bodily signals, sensory responses, movement patterns, and changes in posture or breathing.

The bottom-up approach helps to:

- detect signals of consent (consent behavior) before words,

- observe the effect of haptic stimulation on nervous regulation in humans and animals,

- understand the internal state of the client and the cat through observable micro-patterns,

- strengthen self-regulation and connection with oneself.

It is especially important for clients with dementia, autism, trauma, or communication disorders, where verbal communication often fails. Bottom-up perception thus supports both practice and deeper understanding and evaluation of interventions.