Blinking Eyes and Loving Cats

Happy Friday everyone!
I read somewhere (I can't remember where) that cats communicate with the people they own by making eye contact and then slowly blinking. I read that this is like "visual purring", a way for them to show their people that they love them.
Has anyone else heard this? I read that some humans even slowly blink back as a way of saying, "Right back atcha kitty." Is this a bunch of hooey or is there some credence to this supposed communication?
Have a great weekend!
Amy

A stare-down directly with a cat "tells" that cat you mean to do harm. If you break that stare by slowly blinking a few times, the threat goes away and the cat visibly relaxes.

I don't know if it's hooey or not, but I do know that Bijou does that to us and we do it right back and it seems to right! and special!

All my lot do it- my persian used to exchange blinks with you for hours if you kept it up turn taking! The boys had to learn- I suppose from me blinking at them, but Jazzie arrived doing blink turn takes. Soppy as it sounds, the way most of mine learn is by me blowing a kiss to them with an exaggerated slow blink if they catch my eye.....

I stare at my Mumma cat Holly when she starts yeowling at night, it doesn't work and she just stares right back!

I squeeze the eyes with my kitties...perhaps it is a big hooey thing but it seems to me that they respond...kind of a content, hey I love you kind of look. And I swear when they do it and I do it, they do it right back. :-) By the way, I have been wanting to tell you this, Bijou is one lovely cat...such unusual color and such gorgeous eyes. A most beautiful cat. Is your cat big or is it just the picture?

There's definitely "something" to it - if you blink at a cat, you're showing you're relaxed and mean no harm. It seems to work very well even with shy kitties.