If you’re a cat owner, you’ve surely noticed your pet is sometimes staring at you. Regardless of whether you’re just roaming around the house, in front of your PC, or just sitting on the couch and relaxing, you might notice the eyes of your cat locked on you and following your every move.
The eyes of a cat are very beautiful and come in a lot of different colors, including blue, amber, green, and even a combination of multiple colors. But at some point, their strong stare might get creepy and you might want the cat to just respect your privacy. A strong imagination might even make you think the cat is plotting against you or judging your actions.
This is why most cat owners, at some point or another, will ask themselves why their cat is staring at them. And to make matters even worse, cats can’t speak, so they can’t just tell you what’s on their mind when looking at you. There are a few reasons experts say will make your cat have its eyes locked on you and I’ll go over them below.
So what is behind a cat staring at you?
Cats will use staring to send you a message. But what exactly would a kitty need to talk to you? Depending on their individual personality, the answer will differ:
- Illness. When your cat isn’t feeling so well, she will use staring as a desperate way of catching your attention.
- Territorial. Some cats might use their eyes to give out signs of protecting their territory. This might include trying to keep you away from cozy perches, beds, or other areas. This means that if you’re in a place that your cat uses a lot, it might be her way of telling you to move away from her special place.
- Curiosity. If you think your cat is entertaining, interesting, or even somewhat baffling, then you should know that the feeling might also be mutual. Anything you do out of the ordinary around your cat might make her curious. This includes your off-tone singing, dancing for no reason, or even having a loud conversation with someone.
- Love. Your cat might not be as diabolical as you suspect it to be. If you notice your cat blinking slowly while staring at you, it might be its way of showing a feeling of affection towards you. To make sure this is the case, show her some love back and see if she accepts.
- Hunger. Cats also use staring as a way of telling you that their dish is empty. This will become a lot clearer if the cat oscillates between staring at you and staring at the food bowl.
You might also like my articles on why do cats chirp, sleep with you or stick their tongues out.
Why does my cat make eye contact with me?
There are stares at you from your cat, and there are also stares straight in your eyes. For animals, eye contact is an instinctual behavior. Before getting domesticated, cats used to hunt during the night while in the wild. They would often lock the prey with their eyes.
Keep in mind that just because a cat will make eye contact with you, it doesn’t mean that it is hunting you. Direct eye contact is another form of expressing some feelings for cats, just like staring. Although there are instances in which eye contact is seen as a form of aggression, this isn’t always the case.
How to figure out what your cat needs
Your cat can be staring at you due to one of the many possible reasons. These reasons aren’t even in within the same spectrum of feelings or require the same methods to be dealt with. A great example is that although cats stare both when they have territorial issues and when wanting to show affection, these two situations are very different one from another. The body language of the cat will give you a few important details about her message towards you. For example:
- Fear. Dilated pupils, a crouched position, and the tails hidden between her legs might show that the cat is afraid of something. Staring at you while hidden is another sign of fear. The cat isn’t necessarily afraid of you. She can also get into this state if she sees a bright light, an unexpected visitor, or hears a strong noise.
- Annoyed. A cat will usually show you that she is irritated if her ears are turned sideways, she has dilated pupils, and she swishes her tail. Make your cat think of something else by tossing a toy or a ball in her direction and try to avoid eye contact to make her get over this state.
- Happy and relaxed. Slow blinking or cuddling next to you while staring at you might mean that the cat is simply relaxed, happy, and fond of you, so there’s nothing to worry about.
