The nonverbal communication of cats is expressed through their eyes. So we can understand what they are thinking or feeling from their pupils. Since they are not expressive like dogs as they have no eyebrows, it is somewhat difficult to understand them. Also, they lack the potential to read human emotions as well. If you are planning to keep a cat as a pet then you must learn about their eyes to understand them better.
Understanding the Eyes of a Cat:
Here are the meanings of different moods based on the pupils/eyes of a cat’s eyes:
1.Narrow Pupils:
State of Mood: Aroused.
Interpretation:
Narrow pupils indicate an aroused state which is triggered by emotions like fear, pleasure, or anger. The pupils resemble a slit in this mood. An example when you can witness this is when a cat prepares to attack a catnip mouse. Cats that like this can be aroused just by the catnip’s smell itself. Another instance is when they try to kill a moving toy or your toes moving inside the blanket.
2.Wide Pupils:
State of Mood: Fear or excitement.
Interpretation:
Since wide pupils can indicate both fear and excitement, you need to observe its body language as well as the surrounding environment to interpret its exact mood. An example of excitement is when a cat finds its favorite food when its pupils widen.
If the cat is sitting with a hunched back with its tail laying close beside it, with wide pupils then the state of mood can be interpreted as mostly anxious about something. This can be noticed when it needs to be taken to the vet but it doesn’t want the visit.
An example of a fearful state of a cat is when it witnesses a huge thunderstorm, its pupils widen and it immediately hides in dark places.
3.Half Closed or Squinted Eyes:
State of Mood: Relaxation, trust, and affection.
Interpretation:
A cat will have squinted eyes when it is relaxed and going to sleep. It shows they are in a surrounding where they trust people around them.
4.Staring Eyes:
State of Mood: Control, dominance, or aggression.
Interpretation:
Cats judge hierarchy and status by staring at humans. If they stare at you at a distance, that is a sign of control, dominance or aggression. Generally, when they are comfortable around humans, they will break eye contact easily. But when they find it awkward to be around someone, they keep staring, and sometimes they are even frightened. In such situations, it is better to break away from eye contact instead of continuing to stare at them as this will make them anxious.
5.Pupils of Almond-Shape:
State of Mood: Contentment and happy
Interpretation:
This shape is between the extreme sizes, i.e narrow and wide-shaped pupils. You can find such almond-shaped pupils when they are relaxed and happily roaming around in the home, looking up to cuddle with someone. They usually blink slowly or partially close their eyes while looking at their loved ones in this state, showing their love and appreciation.
6.Anisocoria
It is a state when cats have different-sized pupils in both eyes and is not an indication of any mood but a medical issue. This can occur because of:
- Brain injury because of some accident
- Damaged facial nerves or eyes.
- Cancer or feline leukemia
- Glaucoma or retinal disease
Conclusion:
Cats’ eyes reveal a lot about their thoughts and emotions. So if you want to build a relationship with them, keeping them as pets, it is necessary to learn what every eye and body language means. Besides this make sure that the surrounding light is optimum as high-intensity light can cause the pupils to get constricted and darker areas will make them dilated.
Leave a comment