Cats who stare you in the eye

**AngelZoo** · 05-21-2003, 08:47 AM

I always hear people say not to look an animal straight in the eye.
But any cat I've ever really owned, loves to do just that.
Sometimes they will crawl up and lay down only a couple inches from my face and just gase into my eyes until they fall asleep, or sometimes both of us.
I have 3 cats right now, and they all do it, including ones I've had in the past.

**slick** · 05-21-2003, 06:52 PM

My two cats stare too! Especially when it's dinner time. I have heard that animals see it as a sign of threat but I've never experienced that. Got any pictures to share??

**moosmom** · 05-21-2003, 07:36 PM

I'm not sure about cats, although Maya Linn always does it when she wants to eat.

But I do know that if you are approached by a strange dog, never make eye contact as it is deemed as a threat.

Hope this helps.

**Denyce** · 05-21-2003, 07:45 PM

Not only shouldn't you make eye contact but you should not smile at it either. That is showing your teeth and to any animal it is a sign of aggression.

Staring is a form of dominance. I always make sure that I stare my cats down when they are challenging me. There is a difference however between looking at me lovingly and declaring their dominance.

Denyce

**AngelZoo** · 05-21-2003, 08:21 PM

Yeah I know all of these things, but it just made me wonder... people always make it out to be of a dominance or aggression issues.

My cats never try to assert their dominance in my house hold, I never have to stare them down. When we look at eachother we just lovelingly gaze into eachothers eyes while we relax, most of the time we are on our way to la la land (sleep)
Like I said most of MY cats have done this, it almost seems like a comfort thing for them.

This morning... Tage climbed up on my sholder laid down with his head only a couple inches from my face and stared into my eyes again like he always does (this cat always watches me even from a far) I wasn't totally awake yet, so my eye twiched and forced itself to blink a couple times... and then Tage blinked one of his eyes at me a couple times.
I flaired my nostrils at him a few times, and then he flaired his little nose muscles, lol.

It really seems to be more of an issue with dogs, I rarely look at them in the eyes unless I know them very well, other wise I just look at their feet or butt, I knew a dog I recently had to have put to sleep, she had so many mental issues, if you even looked in her general direction she though you were looking at her and she would FREAK OUT. I never smile around strange dogs either.

I just... don't feel it's the case that it's bad for me to be staring my cats in the eyes, i feel no threats or hostility between us from this ever. I suppose I'm just curious if it's possible for cats to ignore their behavoral instincts and like I said... feel this staring habit as a relaxing comfort, bonding process for them.

**GurlPower** · 05-25-2003, 05:04 PM

Angel, i enjoy the stare sessions with all three of my furbabies!

i will not turn away until they do it first ... teehee!!

Cheers!

**PayItForward** · 05-25-2003, 05:07 PM

This is interesting, as I always *thought* that you shouldn't stare into cats eyes, but I don't know where I got that idea.

Though I can't avoid George's eyes, when I wake up, he is sleeping on my head, purring into my ear and staring into my eyes.

He is such a sweetie.

**marysmerrycats** · 06-06-2003, 09:14 PM

Muffin does that too, and the other cats don't mind looking them in the eye. there are times that I can tell theydon't like it and I don't then but most of the time, they don't care, except Louise...another story.