I. Have you ever seen a cat blink?

One thing that many cat owners complain about is that cats feel so indifferent to everyday individuals. So indifferent that the owner has absolutely no idea if his cat still loves him or not. But in fact, the owner can not have to think of such a sultry sigh, after all, the cats are not heartless creatures, only because of the different species and the master, different ways of expression. So that the owners do not see how their cats show love to themselves. Today, we are going to talk to you about one of the ways cats show their love: winking.


When I say that cats blink as a sign of affection, I guess most owners will subconsciously think about the question, do cats blink? The answer is, no. Thinking back, people blink because their eyes get dry, so they blink to alleviate the problem, while cats have a third eyelid, which is a perfect solution to the problem, so generally speaking, cats do not need to blink. As for the third eyelid in humans, it was removed in evolution. Because cats do not blink to relieve fatigue daily, the action of closing their eyes has become a unique way for cats to show affection.

The meaning of a cat blinking
1. To say hello
Rather than greeting, it is more like expressing one's goodwill. Cats have a great dynamic vision and can see each other's movements for a moment and then react. And this slow blink will affect the cats' vision for about 0.5 seconds to 1 second. Inside this short period, it is already enough to launch an attack. So actively blinking at the cats is a good way to show that they are not hostile. If you are interested, you can try this interaction with stray cats.

2. Make a response
In the process of cats communicating with each other, they seldom rely on the voice, and more communication involves body language. When the cats find an abnormal situation, they will use body language to notify each other. The blink is a response to the party providing the information, and the specific meaning of the response is something that requires further research and understanding.

3. Expressing affection
As mentioned in the first point, when cats blink, it is the time to let down their guard. If the owner does not give the cat enough security, the cat will not just do this behavior. When a cat blinks at its owner, the owner responds with the same action, as a mutual expression of "you're the one I trust".

What if the cat does not blink?
What should I do if my cat refuses to blink? It means that the cat does not feel safe yet, and the owner needs to spend more effort and energy to build a trusting relationship with the cat. If the cat is still staring at a certain place, it means that the cat is wary of a certain place. Of course, it should be noted that if the cat and you are not familiar, do not just stare at the cat, after all, for the cats, being stared at is a very dangerous signal. Cats do not blink, we can try to take the initiative to blink at them, giving the cat a signal that I do not want to hurt you.

What does it mean if a cat blinks a lot?
Just like humans, cats certainly don't do the equivalent of saying, "I trust you" very often. If you notice your cat blinking a lot, there is a good chance that her eyes are sick. It could be conjunctivitis or keratitis, it could be entropion of the eyelid, or it could be a foreign object in the eye. Either way, the owner needs to take the cat to a pet for examination and treatment as soon as possible. Avoid more serious injury to the cat.

Blinking in cats is very rare and can be overlooked by owners if they are not careful. All of you who complain that your cats don't love their owners may have just missed the cats' gestures of affection. It is possible that in the world of cats, cats often spit on each other, why do they show love to their owners for so long, the owners are completely unaware of it!

II. Is your cat blinking or squinting?

Cats spend most of the day sleeping, so naturally, their eyes are completely closed during that time. But what about when they're not napping?
Do cats blink as we do? How do you know if your cat is blinking or squinting?


Cats do blink, too. Cats' eyes are very resistant to dryness and usually blink only once every 3 to 4 minutes. Compare this to the average human who blinks 10 times a minute, blinking almost 30 times more often than a cat. Since blinking is only for a short moment, it is easy to overlook a cat's blink. Cats have thick membranes and cannot see clearly through these membranes, so they may have to move their eyelids slightly or close their eyes slowly.

The transient membrane in the cat's eye is not completely degraded, and although it cannot cover the entire eye of a bird, it can cover a large area of the eye. However, cats do not have strong enough eyelid muscles to help them pull the membranes apart quickly. If a cat blinks as quickly as a human, the membranes will be exposed to cover the eye, but they cannot be retracted quickly, which is very troublesome. So the cat has to close its eyes slowly and then open them slowly.

Cats have upper and lower eyelids that cover and protect the eyes. When a cat blinks, the upper and lower eyelids come close to each other, but they usually don't close completely as we said. Instead, it may look like your cat is squinting.

Cats also have a third eyelid, called the eyelid membrane, which helps produce tears through a special gland located in the eyelid. The transepithelial is pink in color and is located in the inner corner of the eye, below the upper and lower eyelids. The membrane is very thin and can move very quickly.

When the cat blinks and the upper and lower lids are partially closed, the membranes move very quickly along the diagonal across the eye. You are unlikely to see the membrane moving. Instead, it may just look like your cat is squinting.

These three eyelids work together to protect the cat's eyes, but cats blink for a different purpose than humans do. When we blink, our eyelids weep to keep the eye surface moist and to remove debris. Cats, however, do not blink to remove tears. Instead, their tears evaporate as the particles are removed from their eyes. This allows cats to reap the benefits of blinking without having to close their eyes completely.

Do cats blink to protect their eyes?
A cat's third eyelid can also extend upward to protect its eyeball from trauma. For example, when a cat moves through tall grass, or when a cat catches prey, its third eyelid is elevated to avoid scratching its cornea.

One view is that the membrane of this eyelid is thin enough for cats to see through it, which gives them an advantage when hunting for prey.

Cats also use their eyes, body language, and facial expressions to convey a variety of messages, including affection and aggression.

When a cat closes its eyes, it is associated with positive emotional communication. "Slow blink" is a term used to describe a cat that almost closes its eyelids and blinks slowly in one or both eyes. It usually involves a series of blinks and a narrowing of the eyelids.

Studies have shown that slow blinks in cats occur more frequently as a response to slow blink stimuli in humans. One study found that cats were more likely to approach a person if that person provided the slow blink stimulus than if they had a neutral expression on their face.

Closing one's eyes in the presence of another animal (including humans) are considered the ultimate signal of trust. If your cat blinks or winks slowly at you, it means they are content and do not feel in danger in your presence. If you start blinking slowly at them while they are looking at you, they may even mimic this behavior.
The slow blinking behavior is usually accompanied by rolling over and showing the belly, or perhaps a slow purr. Again, this indicates that the cat is comfortable and secure. If your cat slowly winks or blinks at you in return for your kindness, let them feel love and affection in return. Cats are funny creatures, but if you choose to be loved by a cat, the bond is lifelong.
Cats that feel threatened or want to maintain dominance over another animal will usually maintain an immobile stare. For more submissive cats, this intimidating posture can cause them to turn away from the area, thus allowing the dominant cat to control their territory.

Remember to see your veterinarian promptly if
The cat cannot blink one or both eyes
The cat blinks a lot, squints, or one or both eyes are completely closed
Green/yellow or bloody discharge from the eyes.
Scratching the eye with a paw or redness/cloudiness in or around the eye
The normal blink rate for cats is once every 30 seconds, and some cats may even blink for up to five minutes when they are highly stressed. Their normal blink rate is so fast that it can be difficult to notice. Due to their hunting nature, cats need to keep their eyes on their prey at all times. So when they blink normally, what you see is a cat with both eyes wide open. This is one of the most common states for cats. If you haven't seen your cat blink, it means he is very wary of you and you haven't gotten inside his head and still need to work on gaining his approval.
A slow wink that shows you are not hostile is the kind of wink that cat slaves dream of. After all, not many people can resist a cat owner's autumn wink.