Did you ever look up and see 2 feline eyes staring at you and wonder - why does my cat stare at me? Let's see if we can find out what's behind the cats stare!
If a cat is staring at you, it's important to take the rest of the cat's body language into account to try to interpret that cat's behavior. According to TheSprucePets.com, if a cat is calmly staring at you, it is probably just curious about what you're doing and what you might do next. After all, cats are well known for their curiosity!
Your cat might also stare at you to get your attention. If it sees that it has caught your eye, it might try to communicate what it wants, like maybe it will try to lead you to it's food dish to ask for some snacks, or to a toy for a little play time!
Catster.com offers another reason why your cat might stare at you, and it is for reassurance. I know when there is something unusual going on, like fireworks, my cat will give me a good long look to make sure I'm not worried about the loud sounds and if he sees I'm calm, he'll usually decide he can be calm too.
A cat staring at you might also be saying "I love you"! If you notice your cat staring at you, it might slowly close and open it's eyes. If they do this, try returning the expression by slowly blinking your eyes. ScienceAlert.com says that these slow blinks are a good way to build rapport with your cat - or even to make friends with other cats!
However, a cat might also stare at you if it is scared or feeling threatened. In this case, their body language will be a lot different from the relaxed slow blink cat we just described. If you see your cat staring and they are growling or hissing, have their fur standing on end, their ears laid back or they are whipping their tail back and forth, they might be feeling afraid. TheSprucePets recommends not approaching your cat if it is staring at you and seems agitated. They say to let it calm down before approaching so that your body language is not interpreted as aggression by the cat.
But what if that cat stare is directed at something else, like the wall? For the most part a cat staring at a wall is curious about something it has seen or heard. It could just look like blank wall to you, but your cat might see a tiny bug or hear a noise that you can't hear, and turn it's attention to try and learn more about about what it sees or hears. However, cats.com says in older cats, staring at the wall could be a sign that your cat is suffering from dementia, much like older humans can. So, if you see an older cat who consistently seems to stare at nothing, it might be time for a visit to the vet, especially if they have other symptoms, like irritability, changes in sleep or grooming habits, or increased vocalizations.
So, what does it mean when a cat stares at you? For the most part, it's a positive sign that says the cat appreciates you and maybe wants something from you. Paying attention to the other cues your cat gives can go a long way toward understanding the cat stare!
Cover photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash (Cat stare / cat stair!)
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