A cat's unique eyes can convey a variety of signals, but the exact interpretation may vary slightly depending on the context.
First, watch your cat's gaze, then pay attention to its body language, and soon you will be able to understand your cat on a deeper level.
Relaxed look
If a cat is feeling particularly happy, it may half-close its eyes in a way that makes it look very relaxed and peaceful. It may even appear as if its eyelids are drooping.
This can be seen when a cat curls up on a person's lap. When you gently stroke its soft fur, it closes its eyes. In this way, the cat smiles at the owner.
Blinks slowly
When a cat makes eye contact with a person, whether it is on their lap or across the room, it may slowly close and open its eyes.
Slow blinking is a cat's way of saying that there is nothing to worry about and that it loves its owner very much.
Many cats will respond with a slow blink if a human blinks slowly first.
Gaze
Another way to communicate is with a long, intense gaze. For cats, unless accompanied by a slow blink, the gaze is the dominant movement.
It can be a way to assert control over another cat, to indicate who "owns" what, or to tell another cat that "it's not right to do that."
This is why cats tend to gravitate towards people who are not looking at them, as they give off a friendlier vibe.
Eyes wide open
When a cat's eyes are wide open with dilated pupils, excitement may be the cause.
For example, cats' pupils dilate when they focus on prey.
In situations like these, the cat becomes very excited, pouncing on the prey or chasing a feather wand toy.
Wide eyes can mean that the cat has some pent-up energy that it is about to release, whether through play or mischief.
She just knocked something off the shelf to get her owner's attention, and now she's looking at him with big eyes, waiting for a reaction.
The cat is preparing to run away or play, which causes it to tremble and its pupils to dilate.
Saucer eyes
Wide eyes and a tense body mean that the cat senses danger, whether it is suddenly frightened or preparing for a fight.
Pay attention to whether the tail is fluffed up or down, as well as the position of the ears (whether they are pressed against the head).
If your cat becomes overexcited while being petted, pay attention to the fur and the nervously twitching tail.
Squinted eyes
A cat may squint when it is angry and about to fight with another cat, regardless of whether its pupils are constricted or dilated.
The key here is to watch her body language. Are her ears pulled back? Is her fur standing on end? Is her body tense, or is she growling? Cats can go from wide-eyed to slit-eyed in a matter of seconds during a fight.
Previously, we wrote about what bones should never be given to a dog.
