To Understand What Your Cat is Communicating to You, Look Into His Eyes!

  Posted on January 27, 2015  by Joy of Living  No comments

When it comes to communicating with your cat, the eyes have it! Party Marty, your favorite feline, is here! Yes, I know…I usually blog on Fridays, but I have been away from my computer for a while and just wanted to make my presence known once again! I wouldn’t want you to forget about me!

So, about cats and their eyes. Cats have many ways of communicating with humans, and some messages are delivered by their eyes! Don’t believe me? Well, I did some online research at cats.about.com and this is what I discovered. (And, in case you forgot, I am also a cat and think I know my subject matter pretty well!)

How a cat speaks to you with his eyes is determined by the position of his eyelids and the dilation of the eyes. From subtle to overt, the messages can be very powerful. Your cat does not have to resort to vocalizing his message. He can use his eyes, and such communication is often supported by tail and ear position and fluffed fur.

If your cat is driven to fear, anger, pleasure or excitement, it can result in the sudden contraction of his pupils, which will then form a slit. You can observe this contraction when you serve him a full bowl of his favorite food or a catnip toy, for example.

When a cat is fully alert, he will open his eyes wide. When he exposes his eyes to potential injury, that can be a sign of great trust on his part. Cats may head-butt your cheeks to indicate calm trust, and, yes, maybe even love!

When a cat’s eyes remain unblinking from a distance, that can be a sign of control, dominance or even aggression. By using this method, a single cat can warn off and keep other cats from approaching his territory, including his food bowls and litter box.

If a cat has a slit-eyed look, that indicates something strong, such as fear or aggression. He may squint his eyes to protect them from the claws of an opponent. By all means, do not lock eyes with a cat you don’t know, or this could initiate an attack.

When your cat is relaxed and trusting, his eyelids will be droopy and sleepy-looking. You can send an affection kiss to your cat by meeting his sleepy gaze with a relaxed gaze of your own, and then slowly blink. If he returns the blink in kind, then that is one of the deepest signs of affection.