Have you ever noticed your cat gazing at you with half-closed eyes, slowly opening and closing them in what looks like a drowsy wink? This seemingly simple gesture carries profound meaning in the feline world. From the current study, the slow blink sequence appears to be an indicator of positive emotion in cats.
In fact, your cat’s slow blinks are similar to why they meow. It’s a form of communication they’ve evolved specifically to better relate to and interact with us humans. Scientists have finally decoded this mysterious behavior, revealing it as one of the most intimate forms of communication between cats and their human companions.
The Science Behind the Slow Blink
Slow blink sequences typically involve a series of half-blinks followed by either a prolonged eye narrow or an eye closure. The eyes are important in signalling emotions, with the act of narrowing the eyes appearing to be associated with positive emotional communication in a range of species. This study examines the communicatory significance of a widely reported cat behaviour that involves eye narrowing, referred to as the slow blink sequence.
Our first experiment revealed that cat half-blinks and eye narrowing occurred more frequently in response to owners’ slow blink stimuli towards their cats (compared to no owner–cat interaction). In a second experiment, this time where an experimenter provided the slow blink stimulus, cats had a higher propensity to approach the experimenter after a slow blink interaction than when they had adopted a neutral expression.
What Your Cat Is Really Saying
When your feline friend offers you a slow blink, they’re essentially saying “I love you” in cat language. When a cat slow blinks at you, they are often expressing a sense of trust, contentment, and affection. In the feline world, closing their eyes in the presence of another creature makes them vulnerable, as they are unable to detect potential threats.
When they slow blink, they are showing that they are relaxed enough to close their eyes around us for extended periods. They are indicating contentment. And they are showing that they trust us. This vulnerability demonstrates the depth of trust your cat has in your presence, making it one of the most meaningful gestures they can offer.
The Evolutionary Origins of Eye Communication
Cats’ use of eye communication stems from their evolutionary history as both predators and prey. The reasons lie in evolution: Almost all predators have their eyes on the front of their skull to have better spacial vision. They fixate their prey with both eyes right before trying to kill it. This makes direct staring typically threatening in the animal world.
Staring is perceived by most animals, including cats, as adversarial. The slow blink evolved as a way to defuse this natural tension. It’s been interpreted as a means of signalling benign intentions, since cats are thought to interpret unbroken staring as threatening. By slowly closing their eyes, cats signal that they pose no threat and harbor peaceful intentions.
How Cats Developed This Human Connection
In contrast, cats were domesticated as predators of rodents and lived near human habitations when humans began to settle and farm. Unlike dogs, cats weren’t selectively bred for specific traits but rather adapted naturally to coexistence with humans. This slow blink behavior represents one of the remarkable ways cats have evolved to communicate specifically with their human companions.
Domestic cats are remarkably adaptable animals and although they are descendants of the North African wildcat, which is largely a solitary species, domestic cats have developed the ability to live alongside other cats and also humans. This means that our feline friends have had to develop ways of communicating and understanding both cats and humans, and although it has been recognized for a long time that dogs have a sophisticated ability to understand human emotions, as well as complex signals or cues, we surmised that cats were, perhaps, lacking in these communication skills
The Anatomy of Trust
Understanding why the slow blink is so significant requires appreciating a cat’s natural instincts. Cats can seem like they are strong and powerful hunters, but they are also small and vulnerable, making them prey. The very act of covering their scent in the litter box comes from the biological need to hide their scent from larger predators.
From a biological standpoint, closing one’s eyes is an act of vulnerability. A cat must remain alert to potential dangers, so by slow blinking at a person, it indicates that it feels secure enough to lower its defenses. This makes their slow blink an extraordinary demonstration of faith in your relationship.
How to Return the Gesture
The beautiful aspect of slow blinking is that it’s a two-way communication system. In controlled experiments, cats show unmistakable signs of emotional connection when their owners slowly blink back at them. The animals were also more likely to slow blink at the humans if the people slow blinked at them first.
To properly slow blink at your cat, Look at them steadily, close your eyes slowly, keep them shut tight for a moment, and then open them. Gain the cat’s soft focus from a comfortable distance; avoid a direct, hard stare, which can be interpreted as confrontational. Once you have the cat’s attention, relax the muscles in your face. Slowly close your eyes for a couple of seconds, then slowly open them again. The entire motion should be gentle and deliberate to signal that you are not a threat.
Why Some Cats Don’t Slow Blink
Not every cat expresses affection through slow blinking, and this shouldn’t concern loving cat owners. Second, know that not all cats slow blink. While the message is consistent among those who do slow blink, some cats prefer other communication methods, such as rubbing on us, rolling onto their back to expose their belly, licking, and head bunting.
Actually engaging in slow blinking is a personal choice and some cats don’t enjoy doing it. If your cat doesn’t slow blink, don’t worry! It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong or that your cat doesn’t love you. In fact, cats who are more nervous around people tend to take longer to slow blink back at them. Also keep in mind that not all cats show their affection with a slow blink. Cats are famously undemonstrative, affection-wise – but they do have their ways of showing they care.
When Slow Blinking Might Signal Health Issues
While slow blinking typically indicates contentment, it’s important to distinguish between genuine slow blinks and signs of potential health problems. A cat’s slow blinking doesn’t always communicate trust or affection, though. That’s because what looks like a slow blink is actually a squint, which generally means your pet is experiencing pain, discomfort, or injury.
If a cat is consistently closing just one of their eyes, or if that blinking motion isn’t slow and controlled, it could mean they may have a medical condition. Normal blinking in cats serves the basic purpose of eye maintenance, while rapid blinking might indicate stress, discomfort, or eye irritation. If you notice your cat blinking excessively, it could signal an underlying health issue requiring veterinary attention.
The Difference Between Communication and Medical Concerns
Learning to recognize the difference between a loving slow blink and a potential health issue is crucial for cat owners. Good winks, the ones that have the same meaning as a slow blink, come with specific bodily cues. Your cat will be relaxed and calm, not anxious or fidgety. They’ll be making prolonged eye contact. Also, your cat may not close their eyes all the way – a half-closed eye can count as a good wink.
Watch for concerning signs such as rapid, jerky blinking, discharge from the eyes, or persistent squinting. Rapid blinking can be a sign of a negative or fearful emotional state. During rapid blinking, the eyes close quickly and the eyelids become closed shut causing crinkling of the skin on the cat’s face. Typically a cat will avoid direct eye contact in potential conflict situations and when it’s terrified the blinking rate will intensify because of increased arousal.
Building Trust Through Eye Communication
The slow blink serves as a foundation for building deeper trust with your cat. Lastly, it’s essential to recognize that the slow blink is a sign of trust, which requires some effort at bonding. This trust doesn’t develop overnight but grows through consistent, respectful interactions with your feline companion.
Slow blinking is a sign of trust. Any cat that gives you a slow blink means they are feeling quite comfortable with you, and they trust that you don’t mean them any harm. Giving slow blinks right back conveys the same message. This creates a positive feedback loop that strengthens your bond over time.
The slow blink represents far more than a simple eye movement. It’s a window into your cat’s emotional world and a bridge between two different species trying to understand each other. A genuine slow blink is one of the most original, fun, and charming ways our pets communicate their trust, affection, and love for us. Understanding and reciprocating this gesture opens doors to deeper communication and a more meaningful relationship with your feline friend. Whether your cat is a frequent slow blinker or expresses love in other ways, recognizing these subtle signals helps us appreciate the remarkable emotional intelligence of our feline companions. What do you think about your cat’s unique way of saying “I love you”?
