Study Reveals Slow Blinking Helps Humans Communicate With Cats
Research from the University of Sussex confirms that humans can communicate with cats through a simple slow blinking gesture. The study, published in Scientific Reports, demonstrates that cats are significantly more likely to approach humans who narrow their eyes and blink slowly. This finding provides a measurable, practical tool to improve feline welfare in domestic, veterinary, and shelter environments.
How the slow blink experiment was conducted
Psychologists at the University of Sussex conducted two experiments to test cat-human interactions. In the first trial, 21 cats from 14 households were observed. Owners sat roughly one meter away from their settled cats and performed a slow blink when the animal made eye contact. Cameras recorded the interactions, showing that cats were significantly more likely to return the slow blink compared to a baseline of no interaction.
The second experiment involved 24 cats from eight households. Researchers with no prior contact to the animals performed the same slow blink, followed by extending a hand toward the cat. In the control condition, humans stared at the cats without blinking. The data revealed that cats not only returned the slow blink to the unfamiliar researchers, but they were also more likely to approach the extended hand.
What the findings mean for feline welfare
Understanding these positive interactions has practical applications for animal welfare across Australia and the broader region. Tasmin Humphrey, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, noted that the findings could help assess feline welfare in stressful settings like veterinary practices and shelters. By using the slow blink, humans can signal benign intentions and reduce the perceived threat of unbroken staring, which cats often interpret as hostile.
The broader context of cat-human social bonds
The study adds to a growing body of evidence that cats are highly attuned to their human counterparts. Previous research indicates that cats echo the personality traits of their owners and can recognize their own names. While dogs are often viewed as more demonstrative, feline social cognition is more complex than historically assumed. Karen McComb, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, stated that the study provides empirical evidence for what many cat owners already suspected.
As someone who has both studied animal behavior and is a cat owner, it is great to be able to show that cats and humans can communicate in this way.
Can slow blinking reduce stress in shelter cats?
Yes. Researchers suggest that slow blinking can be used as a practical tool to assess and improve the emotional health of cats in potentially stressful environments, including animal shelters and veterinary clinics.
Why do cats slow blink at humans?
Cats likely slow blink to signal benign intentions. In feline communication, unbroken staring is often interpreted as a threat. Narrowing the eyes and blinking slowly indicates relaxation and a lack of hostility. It is also possible that domesticated cats developed this trait because humans respond positively to it.
How can you try the slow blink with your cat?
To communicate with a cat using this method, narrow your eyes as if forming a relaxed smile, then close your eyes for a couple of seconds. If the cat is receptive, it will often return the gesture, establishing a form of non-verbal communication and improving the human-animal bond.