@Nudhul @TarnishedYarmulke @Granwalder @white_male @Hyperhidrosis Neither of those things, really.

Specifically it is the handling of the cat.

Bringing it up and down like that several inches above the ground (which is sorta high for a kitten). I wouldn't call it shaking. But that action reinforces the scratching and clinging behavior as the cat is likely losing spatial awareness with this activity on how far he has to drop, and if he's safe (same idea of when a hamster bites, you do NOT lift the hamster off the ground, because now the hamster HAS to bite you to save itself from falling damage).

Then there is the act of what is basically reinforcing rough play - the rougher that cat is, the more the human seems to be engaging. The cat is learning that this is acceptable way to play, that this is how he eats an ice cream cone.

Doesn't mean the cat is going to turn to Satan after this, or even that it will act like this next time. Just means there is a chance of this cat acting similar will have a lower threshold the next time a hand comes towards it. If that makes any sense