How to talk to cats with your eyes

Humans love eye contact. It can make us feel appreciated, special, loved.

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Is it OK to stare into your cats eyes?
What is the best way to communicate with cats?
How do you tell if a cat likes you eyes?
How do you make eye contact with a cat?

However, as it usually is with our cats, things aren’t that simple. Eye contact, which we view as friendly, our furry companions view as assertive or threatening.

Photo courtesy OlsenWeb

But it makes sense if you think about a cat’s natural instinct.

Cats can be very self-conscious. When it realizes it’s being watched, the cat may assess the threat, and then return to whatever he was doing, but in a more self-conscious way. The direct eye contact intimidates your cat, which can make him uncomfortable.

Similarly, this is why cats try to out-stare each other to resolve conflicts. It’s a battle of the wills. That’s also why if two cats are fighting, it can help if you break their line of eye sight with a blanket or tray (never your body!). By cutting off their line of sight, they may become distracted and go on their way.

This may provide a glimmer of insight to why your cat may tend to approach non-cat people in a room. Just imagine it – you have a number of friends over, and your cat walks into the room.

Naturally, your friends who love your cat will likely look his way and call his name, an attempt to draw him close. However, that behavior, specifically the direct eye contact, may have the opposite effect. Your cat may view those actions as threatening, and instead approach someone who’s trying to ignore your cat. Since they’re not looking at your cat, it poses less of a threat. (Now you can explain it to your friends!)

That said, not all eye contact is bad. Some folks try “blink kissing” with their cats – blinking slowly and deliberately while staring directly at the cat. This break in eye contact is supposed to convey “I’m not threatening; you can trust me.” Some cats may even blink kiss back, others may become more self-aware by fluffing up or grooming.

Some claim that blink kissing can build a stronger bond between you and your cat, but I say you may want to take this with a grain of salt. One concern I hear now and again is that an owner’s cat doesn’t blink kiss back. I guarantee it’s not because your cat doesn’t love you, it’s most likely because he’d wish you’d cut back on the intimidating direct eye contact.

In fact, cats usually reserve their direct eye contact to things that they’re focusing on, such as a toy or dinner. Most of the time, a cat is paying attention to his surroundings via his incredible peripheral vision.

Photo courtesy tjHmmer

While a cat’s eyes can communicate how he’s feeling, generally they convey just one part of the overall message. When reading a cat’s eyes, be sure to keep several factors in mind. For example, a cat’s pupils may dilate or constrict based on how he’s feeling, or they may simply be adjusting to the light.

Fully open eyes

The cat is giving something his attention
The cat is alert

Half-closed eyes

The cat is sleepy or content
May signal that your cat trusts you

Dilated/expanding pupils

Fear or aggressive excitement
Nervous or submissive
Excitement to see an owner, feline friend, food, or toy

Constricted/narrowed pupils

Angry
Confident
Content/calm

What’s funny about a cat’s eyes, especially his pupils, is that the feelings that they convey aren’t black or white. Consequently, it’s important to keep in mind your cat’s body language as a whole to see how he’s feeling.

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the role of the slow blink in cat-human communication.

Cats are stereotyped as being more aloof and independent than other pets. So you may not believe you need to work on improving your relationship with your cat. Now, according to a new study, you can bond with your feline by just narrowing your eyes and blinking slowly.

A new study, titled The 'role of cat eye narrowing movements in cat-human communication' has been published in the journal Scientific Reports noted that by narrowing your eyes, you can generate the equivalent of a smile for a cat, which according to the authors, makes the owner more attractive to their pet.

Dr Leanne Proops, Associate Head at Department of Psychology at University of Portsmouth's said in a release, "It's definitely not easy to study natural cat behaviour so these results provide a rare insight into the world of cat-human communication." She has also co-supervised this study.

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the role of the slow blink in cat-human communication. In the first experiment, 21 cats from 14 different households participated. The first involved 14 different owners. 10 cats were male and 11 were female, with an age group of 0.45 to 16 years. The tests were carried out in each cat's home. The psychologist counselled the cat's owner on how to slow down his blinking. Once the cat had settled in one location, the psychologist asked the owner to sit a metre away from the cat.

Also Read: Viral Video: Cat Trying To Comfort Crying Owner Is The Sweetest Thing Ever

Both the owner and the cat's faces were captured by cameras and the results were contrasted with how cats blink in the absence of human interaction. According to the findings, cats are more likely to be in no-interaction condition to slow-blink at their humans after their humans have already done so.

In the second experiment, 24 cats from eight different houses were considered. This time, the researchers, who hadn't previously interacted with the cat, were the ones blinking instead of the owners. The cats were seen reacting to a no-blink scenario, in which people simply stared at the cats without batting an eye.

Dr Tasmin Humphrey, first author of the study, said in a statement, "In terms of why cats behave in this way, it could be argued that cats developed the slow blink behaviours because humans perceived slow blinking as positive. Cats may have learned that humans reward them for responding to slow blinking. It is also possible that slow blinking in cats began as a way to interrupt an unbroken stare, which is potentially threatening in social interaction."

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Is it OK to stare into your cats eyes?

Cat owners are often encouraged to slowly blink or wink their eyes (e.g. sleepy eyes) when directly looking toward their cats. This sends a message that you are not a threat and they should not be alarmed. However, cats always prefer their owners using their peripheral vision to look at them rather than a direct gaze.

What is the best way to communicate with cats?

Biodiversity Heritage Library..

Here are some tips for improving your communication with your feline friend, found in The Original Catfancy Cat Bible: Cat kisses. ... .

Talk back to them. ... .

Speak to your cat in a soft and calm voice. ... .

Avoid saying negative things along with their name. ... .

Know how to approach. ... .

Pay attention..

How do you tell if a cat likes you eyes?

They often will make eye contact with lowered eyelids and steady, slow blinks. This is considered a feline version of a kiss, and you can even try slow blinking to show love back to cats.

How do you make eye contact with a cat?

Glance at her and then look away slowly. Occasionally add in a soft, slow blink to show her that you are friendly. Continue to reward her for even the briefest of looks in your direction. As your cat becomes accustomed to your glances, start rewarding her only for making eye contact, no matter how momentary.