Introduction
Eye contact can be an important part of communication between cats and humans. However, cats use eye contact much differently than humans do. For cats, maintaining eye contact or staring directly at another cat is often seen as an aggressive gesture or a challenge. Cats rely more on body language and other signals to interact and avoid prolonged direct eye contact in friendly situations.
Understanding when eye contact is a sign of affection or aggression in cats can help owners better interpret their pet’s behavior. While we may feel complimented when a cat stares at us, it has a very different meaning in the feline world. Learning when it’s okay to make eye contact with a cat and when to avoid it can lead to a better relationship between pets and their owners.
Cats Stare to Show Affection
One of the most common reasons for a cat to stare at their owner is as a sign of affection and bonding. When a cat gives their owner slow blinks and a soft gaze, it indicates trust, contentment, and affection 1. A cat’s stare communicates to their beloved human “we are friends” and “I feel safe and happy with you”. It strengthens the bond between cat and owner.
Cats mainly use staring to non-verbally communicate with humans. Since cats rely on body language more than vocal cues, their intent gaze helps them connect with their owners. When your cat slowly blinks at you, it’s showing you positive emotions. Slow blinking back at your cat will demonstrate mutual affection and trust. This shared gazing is one of the special ways cats form attachments with their favorite people.
Staring Can Be a Sign of Aggression
Direct staring can be threatening for cats. Cats are territorial by nature and need their own space at times. When a strange cat enters a cat’s territory, it may respond with an aggressive stare to make the intruder uncomfortable and send it away. Prolonged staring can signify a warning. The cat is expressing dominance and threatening potential conflict if the stare continues. This is common among outdoor cats with overlapping territories as well as indoor cats during introductions to new cats (Source).
Cats may also display aggression through staring when feeling irritated by noise, activity, or encroachment on their space indoors. Staring coupled with an aggressive body posture like flattened ears, a swishing tail, arched back, hissing, or growling indicates discomfort and hostility. It’s best to back away and give an agitated cat space when encountering this behavior.
Blinking Shows Friendliness
When a cat slow blinks at you, it’s a sign of friendliness and affection. Slow blinking helps cats communicate that they feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence. As The Wildest explains, slow blinking is a gesture of trust that cats use with each other as well. If your cat blinks slowly at you, it means they trust you and feel a social bond. Cats will also slow blink at other felines they are friendly with.
According to Feliway, slow blinking sends signals to the cat’s brain of positive emotions and relaxation. So when a cat slow blinks at you, it indicates they are calm, content, and happy in your presence. Slow blinking is a cat’s way of saying “I love you.” If you slow blink back at your cat, it tells them you feel the same way.
Prolonged Stares May Indicate Stress
When a cat stares at someone or something for a prolonged period without blinking, it often suggests the cat is feeling anxious or stressed. Cats tend to blink slowly when relaxed, so a fixed stare indicates tension. As explained by the Blue Cross, “Stressed cats can stare intently at things which worry them.”1 A cat may stare in response to loud noises, unfamiliar objects or people, or perceived threats in their environment. Stressed staring may be accompanied by other signs like flattened ears, a puffed up tail, hiding, or acting skittish and fearful. If your cat is staring for long periods, especially paired with these other body language cues, it likely feels stressed or anxious. Try to identify and remove the source of stress. If your cat stares while eating, sleeping, using the litter box, or engaging in other activities, chronic anxiety may be an issue requiring treatment. Consult your veterinarian to help address the underlying cause of your cat’s tense staring behavior.
Kittens Use Staring to Learn
Young cats will often stare intently at their owners as a way to learn. Kittens are extremely curious and use staring as a form of observation to understand their environment and the behaviors of their human caretakers. When a kitten stares at its owner, it is absorbing information about movements, expressions, and reactions.
Kittens also stare at their owners to form social bonds. By making eye contact and studying their owner’s face, kittens are learning to recognize their primary caregiver. This helps them build familiarity and trust. Prolonged staring by a kitten is a sign that it is fascinated by its human companion and trying to comprehend everything about them.
So when a kitten gives an unblinking stare, it should not be interpreted as aggression. The kitten is simply studying and learning from its owner. Patiently allowing the kitten to observe will help strengthen the human-feline relationship during this crucial developmental stage.
Sources:
https://www.petmd.com/news/view/why-does-my-cat-stare-me-38021
Staring Contests Should Be Avoided
While short periods of eye contact with cats can help them build bonding and trust, prolonged staring is something that should be avoided. Staring contests between cats signify aggression and hostility, often as a precursor to an attack. Since cats view prolonged direct eye contact as a challenge, engaging in a staring contest with your cat can promote aggression and deteriorate trust.
As one Reddit user commented, “Cats only stare into each other’s eyes when they’re trying to attack, challenge, or confront each other, so looking into their eyes and not blinking is a threat in cat language.” (Source)
Instead of engaging in a long, unwavering stare, try blinking slowly at your cat or looking away periodically. This shows friendliness and avoids the impression of confrontation. If your cat is prone to staring for long periods, redirect their focus by initiating play or offering treats. Ultimately, prolonged staring contests should be avoided to prevent evoking defensive aggression in cats.
Look for Other Cues
While prolonged eye contact from cats can have various meanings, it’s important to look at other body language cues as well to understand what your cat may be trying to communicate. A cat’s tail, ear position, posture, and vocalizations can provide additional context for their staring.
For example, if your cat is staring with their ears rotated back, pupils dilated, and tail swishing, this likely indicates irritation or overstimulation. On the other hand, if their tail is upright and relaxed, ears forward, and they are purring or chirping, prolonged eye contact may signal affection. Cats also communicate emotions through kneading, bunting, grooming, and rubbing.
It’s best not to rely solely on staring to interpret cat behavior. Look at the entire body language picture for a more accurate understanding of your cat’s message. The ASPCA provides a helpful guide to reading feline body language cues.
When to Be Concerned
While staring can be an innocent cat behavior, obsessive or aggressive staring may indicate an underlying issue. If your cat is fixated on staring at you for prolonged periods, and seems tense or on edge while doing so, this could signal stress or anxiety. According to one source, “Sometimes, a cat’s stare could indicate a health problem. For example, your cat might be staring if it’s losing its eyesight.” (https://www.floppycats.com/cat-staring-why-your-cats-stare-at-you.html)
Staring accompanied by aggressive body language like flattened ears, a puffed up tail, and growling likely signifies irritation or anger. This type of stare is meant to intimidate. If your cat seems preoccupied with staring in a menacing manner, especially at other pets, consult with your veterinarian to identify and address the root cause.
Conclusion
In conclusion, eye contact is an important form of communication for cats. When cats stare at their owners, it is typically a sign of affection and trust. Kittens in particular will stare at their owners to strengthen their bond. Slow blinking shows friendliness and calmness. Prolonged staring may indicate that a cat is feeling stressed or threatened. Cats also sometimes engage in staring contests to establish dominance. While locking eyes with a cat can be endearing, owners should avoid prolonged staring contests, which can heighten aggression. Monitoring a cat’s body language cues like posture and tail position provide additional insight into their emotional state during eye contact. With an understanding of cat communication, owners can better interpret the meaning behind their cat’s intent gaze.
Cats use eye contact to bond with their owners, convey affection, and communicate their needs. By understanding cat eye behaviors, owners can better nurture their relationship with their feline companion.
