Cats find direct staring threatening so by slowly blinking, we can convey we are not a threat. The slow blink should be nice and subtl e, ideally with your glance directed slightly past the cat rather than directly at it. Have a go next time you encounter your cat or another, did your cat blink back or were they first to blink? Finally, we should be aware that not all blinking in cats appears to be related to positive feelings. Blink rate is our key to understanding! Cats that rapidly blink their eyes and bring their eyelids closely shut in a scrunched-up manner are likely to be feeling fearful and may be feeling threatened by your presence.
In these situations, increase the distance between you and the cat and see what effect this has on the blinking behaviour. Who would have thought a simple movement of the eyelids could tell us so much about cats?! If your cat has outside access, here are just a few ways you can help….
Again, this shows that a cat feels comfortable and safe. If your cat slow blinks or winks at you, return the favor so they feel the love and affection returned.
Cats are funny creatures, but if you are chosen to be loved by one, that bond is lifelong. Cats who feel threatened or who want to assert dominance over another animal will often hold an unblinking stare. For more submissive cats, this intimidating gesture can cause them to turn around and leave the area, thus allowing the dominant cat to control their territory.
These include inflammation in or around the eye and are often seen secondary to pain or discomfort. You may see increased discharge or tear production from the affected eye. Facial nerve paralysis a medical condition that can lead to an inability to blink, including the third eyelid, which can eventually cause chronic dry eye, infections, and pain.
If you notice the following, contact your veterinarian to discuss options for examination, diagnostic testing, and treatment:.
Home Cat Care Center. Do Cats Blink? If you look back at the origin of the domestic cat, you will see that he evolved from African wildcats that lived in dry areas. These locations were surrounded by sand which is often blown by winds. It is possible that cats evolved to develop this third eyelid to protect their eyes from bits of sand that can enter their eyes. When cats are in an aggressive mood, whether they are looking intently at prey or if they are trying to intimidate an invader, they will not blink their eyes.
But if you happen to catch your cat in an affectionate mood , perhaps after a relaxing grooming session, you will notice him doing a slow blink. What does this action mean? When a cat slow blinks, his pupils are not dilated.
Furthermore, a feline will deliberately and slowly close and open his eyelids. Finally, his body is relaxed and comfortable. In a multi-cat household, each cat will do these actions with their eyes to greet other felines. Slow blinking indicates that a cat trusts the other feline members of the household. And when your pet slow blinks at you, it means that he is content. Some cat behaviorists will even dare say that slow blinking is a sign that your cat is telling you that he loves you.
Again, you have to remember that cats rarely show signs of vulnerability, like keeping their eyes closed, even momentarily. This is vital in environments where larger predators can take advantage of vulnerable moments. If your felines are focusing on something and do not blink, they are probably feeling aggressive, he adds.
So, if your cats keeps eye contact with you, they will blink to signal that they are not going to attack. Cats also do not have a blink reflex like humans, Delgado notes. Cats blink by closing their eyes quickly and opening again slowly and also by closing and opening in a purposeful, consistent manner. While this blink might not seem like an obvious outward expression of joy , but Delgado says that it likely still shows that they are content.
Keeping their eyes closed around a human means that they do not see you as a threat.
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