Thousand Yard Stare.. (Eye contact question.)

jalindal

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I'm not sure whether this is the right place to put this question, but I guess it fits the bill. XD

What's the deal with cats and eye contact? I know with dogs it's a dominance thing, where the pack leader maintains eye contact, and also a sign of respect and affection... but I've heard that it's the opposite with cats. And I've also heard that it's the same with cats. :p

I don't consciously try and maintain eye contact with Mack, but the way we cuddle sometimes means that she's sitting upright in my arms with her eyes right at eye level. It's getting to the point of silliness, where I'm trying to figure it out based on Mack's behavior and how she reacts to eye contact/no eye contact. For the life of me, I can't tell. lol

Anyone have any advice/experience/whatever?
 

megra

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Thingy could stare for Britain. I read somewhere that among cats it's supposed to be rude. Either Thingy doesn't know that or she's one rude cat because she does it all the time. It's unnerving. Remember the dog, Fred, in Frasier? That's what I get. So I too would like to know definitively what the proper cat etiquette is when it comes to staring
 
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jalindal

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Haha. That really must be unnerving. Freddie was totally creepy with his stares. I love him. <3

Mack doesn't seem to seek out eye contact, unless she wants something in which case it's like... combined with the crying. But when we're cuddling sometimes she's gazing adoringly at me, but most of the time she's looking around at her environment from the new height of my shoulder. XD

And then she does this weird thing where she gets up on my shoulder and sits there- (ShoulderCat!) and sort of... turns her head around to meet my eyes point blank. Weeeiiiird.
 

addiebee

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Yeah, making prolonged eye contract is a sign of aggression with cats, too.

I don't know if it's a problem with a cat that is already attached to you.

You can try giving her "blinkies" - slow long eyelid blinks ... a couple of them. and then I look away. That is a friendly sign. I have had shelter cats return the favor and come over to me afterward. it's pretty cool ...
 
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jalindal

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That's very interesting. I'll try that. :-)

Isn't animal psychology and behavior fascinating?
 

bonnie1965

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Sebastian used to freak me out with his staring. I would look deep into his eyes when he stared - eyes windows to soul and all that stuff. He ended up getting agitated and, if he were close, he would growl like he was mad. I was so confused!

Then I learned about cats
Now I do the slow blinks, he does it back, then closes his eyes and relaxes. I had no idea I was somehow challenging him with the staring!

Poor guy - must have wondered why I was talking trash to him


Edit: he's cross-eyed, too so that makes it more interesting
 

deljo

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Juno will come and sit on the floor by my recliner and stare at me. If I ignore her she will scratch the recliner. This means either, I want food, or comb me with the flea comb and rub my belly.
 

going nova

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Originally Posted by AddieBee

Yeah, making prolonged eye contract is a sign of aggression with cats, too.

I don't know if it's a problem with a cat that is already attached to you.

You can try giving her "blinkies" - slow long eyelid blinks ... a couple of them. and then I look away. That is a friendly sign. I have had shelter cats return the favor and come over to me afterward. it's pretty cool ...
That explains why Nova's been swatting me when she pops up onto my desk. I stare at her, trying to figure out what she wants and then she swats me.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Going Nova

That explains why Nova's been swatting me when she pops up onto my desk. I stare at her, trying to figure out what she wants and then she swats me.
A little off topic, but Nova is so beautiful I'd let her swat me if she wanted to.
 
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