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Dogs we usually understand, mostly because they are so easy to understand. They have expressive faces and body language that we can read pretty accurately. Cats, on the other hand, are known for their emotional vagueness and standoffishness.
But there is a growing belief that cats are as expressive as dogs. It’s just that we misunderstand or don’t see what they’re trying to communicate.
When it comes to cats, those meows and tail waves mean … well, a lot of things. With each purr, yowl or even blink, felines are saying, “Hello,” “Let’s snuggle” or “Get Outta Here.”
For the increasing number of pet owners who want to connect with their often-aloof cats, experts say there’s something to gain from those attempts at communication. Cats are very independent, and so they are easily misunderstood. Here is a discussion that aims to demystify the mystery of certain cat "talk", specifically the eyes, by helping you discern what cats are trying to convey.
Cats talk with their eyes. The direction of your cat's gaze will direct you to the subject of his attention. But gazes vary. Some are intense and focused while others are haphazard. When your cat stares without blinking, does he want something from you or is he feeling angry? Either could be true. Although a fixed gaze and rigid body posture might mean hostility, the same look might be soliciting petting or some other form of attention in a relaxed, purring cat.
What cats say is often determined by the position of the eyelids and dilation of the eyes. The messages vary from subtle to overt and can be incredibly powerful. Kitty doesn’t need to vocalize to get her message across, although the intent often is reinforced with tail talk, ear positions, and fluffed fur.
The Spruce / Theresa Chiechi
Any strong emotional arousal—fear, anger, pleasure, excitement—can result in the sudden dilation of a cat's pupil. You may see your kitty’s pupils get large (making her eyes look black) during a visit to the vet or when their are loud noises outside. Other times, her eyes might do this when surprised by the introduction of a new cat.
Open eyes combined with relaxed or even submissive body posture can be a sign of great trust. For example, cats that head-butt your cheeks or do the same to a friendly dog indicate calm trust, and perhaps even love.
Cat eyes that stare unblinkingly from a distance can be a sign of control, dominance, or even aggression. Owners often won’t recognize this subtle behavior, which can be used to control access to resources in multi-cat households. Simply by using this unblinking stare, a single cat can warn off and keep other felines from approaching an “owned” pathway to food bowls, litter box, or another important territory.
A slit-eyed look indicates strong emotion—fear or aggression. Squinting also protects eyes from potential claws of an opponent. Avoid locking eyes with a cat you don’t know, or you may prompt an attack.
A relaxed and trusting kitty has droopy, sleepy-looking eyelids. Try sending a “kitty kiss” to your distant pet—meet her sleepy gaze with a relaxed gaze of your own, and slowly “blink.” If she blinks back, you have been honored with the deepest affection!
If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.
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We have all seen a staredown between stray alley cats. You may have also been in a staring contest with your cat, but while you are in this contest, you ask, should I stare back at my cat?
You should not stare back at your cat. Cats see staring as a sign of aggression. Staring at a cat can make them fearful, angry, and deteriorate trust.
You will not be the one to win your staring contest with your cat, so it is better not to start one or try. Staring might seem fun at first, but the more you do it, the less comfortable your feline will be. In this article, we’ll discuss why staring at your cat is bad and some of the outcomes that could happen if you do.
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Is It Bad To Stare At Your Cat
It is bad to stare at your cat.
Your cat could interpret your staring in a bad way, which is what you need to watch out for. We’ll talk more about this later. It will not be harmful to stare at your cat if you break eye contact with your cat now and then.
However a persistent, unbreakable stare will cause them to question your intent, and that could lead to a bad situation for you and your cat. One stare will not hurt your relationship with your cat, but you should not make staring contests a new part of your routine with your cat.
Do Cats Like When You Stare At Them
Cats do not like it when you stare at them.
You may think it is cute or funny to stare at your cat, but your cat can see it as threatening behavior.
Staring at your cat without blinking or moving is a predatory sign, which may make your cat feel uncomfortable or scared.
If you feel like staring at your cat, make sure to blink from time to time to show your cat that you are not acting as an aggressor.
Why Shouldn’t You Look A Cat In The Eyes
Looking a cat in the eyes could lead to you getting attacked by the cat.
Since cats can see eye contact as a threat, an aggressive cat could attack you. That’s the last thing any cat owner wants because it may become part of your cat’s routine. Eventually, they could take any form of eye contact; even the kind outside of staring as aggression by you.
You may not think that staring at a cat could lead to anything bad, but it could. If you don’t know the cat you are looking in the eye, it could spell bad news for you.
If your cat feels comfortable around you, staring into his eyes will start to break down the bond you have with your cat.
Why Do Cats Look Away When You Look At Them
If your cat is not aggressive, your cat will break eye contact with you and look away.
All cats are not aggressive. If they do not mean to antagonize you with staring, then your cat will look away when you turn to them. ‘
Your cat is not avoiding eye contact with you because he does not like you; it is different for cats than humans. Cats do not like to keep eye contact for extended periods. Your cat should look away from you.
Reasons Why You Should Not Stare At Your Cat
To keep you safe, let’s talk about the reasons why you should not stare at your cat.
Staring Signifies A Threat
The biggest reason why you should not stare at your cat because it is seen as a threat by cats. Cats will usually stare at each other before a fight breaks out.
When a cat’s eyes start to dilate, that is a sure way to know that a cat is about to attack after being stared at.
You Could Get Attacked
A cat could take a stare the wrong way, which means that you could get attacked by your cat. Even a docile cat could lunge at you if antagonized by you.
You might think it is fun to stare at stray cats as you pass by when they look at you, but you should especially avoid doing this.
Your Cat Is Waiting For Yawning Or Blinking
Don’t stare at your cat if you aren’t yawning or blinking at your cat. Yawning and blinking will show your cat that you do not mean any harm to your cat.
Your Cat Will Start To Hate You
Staring at your cat could lead your cat to start hating you. He may not know if he can trust you if you are always staring at him.
You May Scare Your Cat
A docile cat might start to be afraid of you if you are always staring at your cat. If he is not aggressive, he may not know how to react.
Domesticated indoor cats may be less likely to put themselves in staring competitions.
Things To Consider
As we’ve talked about staring at your cat, it’s also essential to understand how to make staring less of a sign of being threatening to show your cat affection.
Blinking is the best way to show your cat that you mean no harm by staring—cats like slow blinking, which is seen as a sign of affection for cats.
The blinking that you will do shows your cat that you do not mean any harm. By blinking, you are also showing that you know that your cat is there. You are not staring at your cat to see if he is there.
A blink is also a sign of trust, oddly enough. By blinking, you are showing that you trust your cat. Blinking gives you a second of defenselessness. In one blink of an eye (no pun intended), a cat could attack, so one blink means a lot to a cat.
If you want to know a specific reason why slow blinking works for a cat, then you’ll probably have to be the person to discover it.
It isn’t easy to understand why cats do what they do because they cannot talk. As animal scientists continue to study cats, they may figure out the actual reason why blinking is a sign of affection. For now, we are only able to theorize why it works.