All cat owners are familiar with this scene: you\u2019re sitting on the couch, watching TV and minding your own business, when you get an eerie feeling that someone, or something, is watching you. You turn around, feeling a little anxious, only to realize that it\u2019s not your imagination.<\/p>\n
Your cat is making total, unbreaking, eye contact with you.<\/p>\n
Cats are well known for staring. Whether it\u2019s while you\u2019re preparing their dinner or when you\u2019re not expecting it, it\u2019s not unusual for a cat to stare at you.<\/p>\n
But why do they do it? Why do cats stare at you?<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019ll cover the following;<\/p>\n
Humans communicate with their mouths<\/a> and cats communicate almost entirely with their body language. This is true for their communication with their fellow felines, other animals, and their human companions.<\/p>\n While they will vocalize at times, cat primarily rely on their tails<\/a>, ears, bodies, and eyes to send and recieve information with those around them.<\/p>\n Cats rely quite a bit on their vision, both for hunting and daily life, so it\u2019s no surprise that they use their eyes to communicate, as well.<\/p>\n Starting in cats can mean a lot of things. Sometimes it\u2019s a loving, affectionate gesture while other times it\u2019s a warning or even a threat. Learning to differentiate between the different stares is important when trying to understand what your cat is trying to tell you.<\/p>\n Cats stare for a variety of reasons, and a lot of it depends on context. Who are they starting at? What\u2019s going on around them?<\/p>\n In the cat world, staring is usually territorial. Cats stare at each other as an act of defiance or rivalry, or to protect their territory.<\/p>\n Two cats intently staring at one another, especially if they get really close to one another\u2019s faces, is rarely a positive sign and is a good indication that trouble is brewing.<\/p>\n In fact, a lack of eye contact, the opposite of a stare, is equally telling. If one cat is staring at another and the second cat is adamantly avoiding making eye contact, they are communicating that they are submissive and not looking for trouble.<\/p>\n Cat fights often ensue when both cats stare and neither of them will back down. This is actually a good way to differentiate between play-fighting<\/a> and actual fighting. Play-fighting rarely begins with a staring contest.<\/p>\n Cats also stare when they are hunting. They’re visual hunters and rely primarily on their well-developed sense of sight to find, track, and catch prey. While cats don\u2019t have great color vision<\/a> or see details very well, they have exceptional night vision.<\/p>\n If your cat is staring intently at something, take a look at their eyes. Are their pupils dilated? Are they making any unusual vocalizations? Do they look ready to pounce? If so, it\u2019s likely your cat is on the hunt.<\/p>\n Another reason your cat may stare is simply because they are interested in something. If your cat stares at you while you\u2019re preparing a meal for them, cooking, or doing something around the house, chances are your cat is just observing you.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to mistake cats simply looking at something for staring because cats blink infrequently<\/a>.<\/p>\n This cat is staring because he wants food. Message received, right?<\/p>\nWhy Do Cats Stare?<\/h2>\n