Cats communicate with more than meows – they use their eyes too. Staring and blinking are two common ways for cats to show affection to their loved ones. On the other hand, not blinking could be an act of defiance or a test of sorts.
Bear in mind a blink could be simply a blink. There’s no need to go out of your way to interpret what could be absolutely nothing. Then again, cats have peculiar ways of communicating with their owners.
Staring for long and slow blinking at you are shows of affection. A little blink here and there doesn’t mean much, though.
Why is my cat blinking so much?
Blinking could mean affection – but it could also mean trouble. Whenever people find out about cats and how they communicate, they tend to look for signs. Here’s a bad one: if your cat’s blinking a lot, that could mean there’s something wrong with their eyes or that the cat’s agitated.
Yes! You should pay attention to your cat! How it moves, acts, and reacts. Pay attention to its tail to see what its overall mood is. Look at what its eyes do to try to figure out how it feels about you.
If you sense there’s more blinking than usual, something could be wrong. Maybe it’s a silly thing, like something is stuck in its eye. It could be something more serious, like glaucoma. Or something in between, like your cat feeling a little more anxious than usual.
Figure out how important your cat’s blinking is – and, if necessary, visit the vet.
What does it mean when a cat blinks slowly?
Blinking slowly is one way cats have of showing affection. It’s even more than that: it’s a way of showing love for someone. If your cat blinks slowly at you, blink back the same way with slow, relaxed blinks. Then, stop staring. Cats don’t like it when you stare!
Simply put, a blinking slowly is an “I love you” from a cat, or similar. If you get one, you know your cat likes you – so, return the favor!
If you want to engage with a cat you have no relationship with, the best way to do it is with a relaxed gaze and blinking slowly. That invites a sense of comfort in cats.
What does it mean when a cat stares at you?
A cat may stare at you out of a sense of wonder, affection, or simply because it’s hungry. If your cat is looking at you right next to its plate, then it’s definitely out of hunger. Most of the time, it’ll be out of love.
If your cat is staring at you, pay attention to its body language to see what’s truly going on there. If the cat’s relaxed, then it’s probably staring out of awe or love. If it’s tense, the cat may be frightened over a loud noise you just made.
Staring, by itself, doesn’t show the full picture. You need to piece everything together to understand what it means.
Should I stare back at my cat?
You shouldn’t stare back at your cat – and you shouldn’t fixate on your cat for long periods of time either! Cats don’t like when someone looks at them for long. You can trigger anxiety and restlessness on a cat that way.
Most cats get anxious or insecure when someone stares at them for a long time. If a cat notices you staring, it’ll probably avoid you for a long period of time. The best thing you can do around a cat is letting it approach you, not the other way around.
If you need to take a look at your cat, do so using your peripheral vision. Or, stare directly for a short time. Either way, don’t stare at a cat for long, that’s rude!