Why Do Cats Close Their Eyes? The Slow Blink Explained!
Cats, with their enigmatic personalities and peculiar behaviors, have captivated humans for centuries.
One puzzling behavior, in particular, is the slow blink, which is often seen when our cats are content or relaxed.
But why do they do it? There’s actually a very specific reason for that trademark feline slow blinking – and it’s all to do with communication.
What is the slow blink?
The ‘slow blink’ is a deliberate, slow blink of the eyelids.
It’s a conscious act cats use to communicate with each other. When they do it, they are saying ‘I trust you,’ ‘I feel comfortable around you,’ or ‘I’m not a threat.’
A slow eye blink typically involves a series of half-blinks followed by either a narrowing of the eyes for an extended period or a closing of the eyes altogether (Humphrey et al., 2020).
This is not to be confused with a regular blink, which is a rapid, unconscious movement of the eyelids that helps to keep the surface of the eye moist and protected.
Why do cats slow blink?
Sign of affection or contentment
The slow blink is often seen during periods of contentment, such as when a cat is in the presence of someone they trust and feels calm and relaxed.
Appeasement gesture
Cats may also close their eyes as a gesture of appeasement. If a cat is feeling nervous or threatened, she may slow blink to signal she’s not a threat and to try to defuse the situation.
In some cases, the slow blink may also be used as a ‘greeting’ when a cat first meets someone.
By slow blinking at a strange cat or new person, the cat is effectively telling them she’s not a threat and there’s no need to worry.
Calming signal
I’ve sometimes seen our cats slow blink when they’re coming down from a bit of a stressful situation and are trying to calm themselves.
For example, if they’ve had a minor disagreement with one of the other cats, they’ll often take a few moments to settle down and slow blink to signal it’s time for everyone to calm down – including themselves.
How do you slow blink at a cat?
While the slow blink is primarily a feline communication tool, humans can use it too!
If you want to slow blink at your cat, first make sure she’s looking at you. Then close your eyes for a couple of seconds and open them again.
You may want to do this a few times in quick succession to really get your cat’s attention.
Once she’s paying attention, briefly hold her gaze and slow blink at her. If she slow blinks back, it’s a sign she feels comfortable around you.
This is a great way to communicate and engage in a positive interaction with your feline friend.
Does slow blinking help a scared cat relax?
In cases where a cat is fearful, using slow blinking can be a way of showing her that you’re not a threat.
Say you’ve just brought home your adopted rescue kitty for the first time.
If you sit at a distance and slow blink at her, you’re likely to gain her trust far more quickly than if you try to pick her up or force her to interact with you before she feels safe.
Does slow blinking enhance the human-feline bond?
Animal behavior scientists in the UK have explored the role of the slow blink in human-feline communication and found that:
- Cats use slow blinks more when their owners are slow blinking at them than when they’re not.
- When an unfamiliar person slow blinks at a cat, cats respond with a higher frequency of eye-narrowing movements.
- Cats are more likely to approach an outstretched human hand if a slow blinking interaction has occurred first.
The researchers concluded that human slow blinking had a positive effect on the cats participating in the study (Humphrey et al., 2020).
They based this on the cats’ preference to interact with a human after a slow blink interaction had taken place, compared to if it hadn’t.
In other words, in cases where the human had adopted a neutral facial expression, avoided slow blinks, and not made direct eye contact with the cat, the cats weren’t so keen to interact with them.
These findings provide valuable insight into how important the slow blink is in human-feline communication.
They also demonstrate that cats are more likely to approach and interact with humans if a slow blink ‘conversation’ has taken place first.
Slow blinking and shelter cats
Further scientific reports (Humphrey et al. 2022) found cats in a shelter who responded to human slow blinking by reciprocating it were rehomed more quickly than cats who showed less (or no) slow blinking interactions.
This led the researchers to conclude a cat’s “slow blink sequence is perceived as positive by humans.”
In addition, more nervous cats “showed a trend towards giving longer total slow blink movements in response to human slow blinking.”
So in fact, slow blinking “may have a dual function in cats, occurring in both affiliative and submissive situations.”
In other words, slow blinking may be interpreted as either a positive signal or a submissive display, depending on the context.
And this may explain what I alluded to earlier when I referenced how our cats sometimes use slow blinking as a sign to the other cats that it’s time to take a break and calm down.
Do all cats slow blink?
Most cats will slow blink at some point in their lives – it’s a natural behavior that comes easily to them. However, some cats may do it more often than others.
This could be due to personality or simply because they feel more comfortable around certain people or animals.
What are some other reasons why cats might close their eyes?
Stress or anxiety
A direct, unblinking stare is often a hostile behavior in the animal kingdom.
This explains why cats sometimes close their eyes when they are around another cat or person they don’t know or feel safe around – it’s a way of diffusing the situation and showing that they’re not a threat.
In a multi-cat household, one cat directly staring at another is an intimidating gesture and may indicate that there’s some covert bullying going on.
And if one cat is frequently closing her eyes around a particular housemate, it may be a sign that she’s feeling harassed or threatened by him.
Look too at your cat’s pupils. When cats’ pupils are dilated, it’s a sign of emotional arousal. The cat may be feeling stressed or anxious. In a slow blink, however, the pupils are normal.
Take a look at the rest of the cat’s body language as well. If her muscles and facial expressions are relaxed, then she’s feeling calm.
If she’s looking a bit stiff or tense, then that’s a sign she might be feeling stressed or anxious.
Squinting
Cats also close their eyes as a way of protecting themselves from bright light or harsh glare. If you’ve ever seen your cat squinting in the sun, this is obviously why.
Sleeping
Cats may also close their eyes when they’re feeling sleepy or in a relaxed state. If your cat is chilling out in a sunny spot with her eyes closed, she’s likely enjoying a little nap time.
Eye problems
The eye is very delicate, and even a small amount of debris can cause irritation. By keeping the eyes closed, cats can help to keep them clean and free of irritation.
Some cats may have painful conditions that cause them to keep their eyes closed.
These may include eye infections, blocked tear ducts (aka nasolacrimal ducts), corneal ulcers, eye injuries, a bacterial infection, irritation on the inside of the eyelid, or some sort of foreign body in the eye (e.g. grass seeds).
Be aware too that if a cat’s third eyelid (aka the nictitating membrane) is visible in one or both eyes, it’s usually a symptom of a secondary problem (Turner, 2019).
Obviously, if you suspect anything like this or your cat appears to be in discomfort, it’s time for a check-up with your veterinarian or veterinary ophthalmologist.
Final thoughts
The ‘slow blink’ is a deliberate act used by cats to communicate with other animals – including humans.
It can be the ultimate sign of trust, a sign of contentment that indicates your cat feels comfortable in your company.
And as any cat parent knows, that’s an honor all of its own!
Alternatively, your kitty may be telling you or another cat that she’s not a threat and doesn’t want any trouble, or that she’s feeling a bit anxious.
While more research still needs to be done in the realm of cat-human interaction, one thing’s for sure – for cat lovers who want to build a stronger bond with their cats, all you have to do is start a conversation by slow blinking back at her!
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Resources
- Slow Blink Eye Closure in Shelter Cats Is Related to Quicker Adoption – by Tasmin Humphrey, Faye Stringer, Leanne Proops, and Karen McComb
- The Cat Slow Blink — What It Means – Denise LeBeau
- The role of cat eye narrowing movements in cat–human communication – Tasmin Humphrey, Leanne Proops, Jemma Forman, Rebecca Spooner, and Karen McComb
- Third Eyelid Showing in Cats – Causes and Treatment – Josie F. Turner
- Top Tip: Understanding cat blinks! – International Cat Care
