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Why Does My Cat Stare At Me
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Lindsay Butzer, DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
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While efforts are made to answer all questions as quickly as possible, if an immediate answer is required or if your pet is in need of urgent or emergency care, contact your pet's veterinarian immediately.
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Lindsay Butzer, DVM
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Does your cat ever stare at you? There’s a good chance that they have something on their mind. Learn how to decipher your staring cat’s needs by looking out for these accompanying body language signals and context clues.
Is Your Cat Hungry?
There is a good chance that your cat is staring at you in hopes that you’ll serve up their next meal very soon. Loud, dramatic meows are often paired with a hungry stare. But what if their bowl still has food in it?
For some cats, eating out of a deep dish can irritate their whiskers. So, they would often rather eat from a bowl that’s topped off than eat from the bottom of a deep bowl. To fix this, serve their food out of a shallow dish.
Are Your Cat’s Pupils Dilated?
Next time your cat gazes into your eyes, take note of the shape of their pupils. Are they in their usual, vertical slit shape? Or have they dilated to become big and round?
Dilated pupils may be a sign that your cat is excited or playful. However, their pupils will also dilated right before they attack their prey. Either way, a cat with dilated pupils is anything but calm, and might be about to pounce, so watch out.
What To Do When Your Cat Stares
If your cat seems to be staring at you because they’re feeling anxious or aggressive, you can help calm them down with the “slow blink.”
A “slow blink” is when a cat greets a human or another cat with a slow, heavy blink. It’s a way of saying, “I feel calm around you because I trust you. I’m your friend.” It’s easy, just look back into your cat’s eyes and slowly lower your eyelids, keep them closed for a full second, and repeat. See if your cat “slow blinks” back at you.
Your cat might also stare at you because they’re feeling playful, especially if they’re holding their tail high with a curve in it like a question mark. If you’re too busy to play, you can keep them occupied with an interactive toy like Crazy Circle.
Another reason why your cat might stare: they’re waiting to be invited to a cozy spot. Maybe your laptop is keeping them from snuggling up in your lap, or maybe they’re waiting for you to lift a blanket so they can burrow underneath.
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