Why the slow blink works
To a cat, a long, hard stare is a challenge. Closing your eyes in front of someone says the opposite: I’m relaxed, and I don’t see you as a threat. Cats do it to each other and to people they trust.
In 2020, researchers at the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth tested it on 45 cats. Cats blinked back at owners who slow blinked at them. They did the same with strangers, and were more likely to walk up to a stranger who had slow blinked than to one who just looked at them.
How to do it
| 1. Get low | Crouch a few metres away. Don’t walk up to it. |
|---|---|
| 2. Soften your eyes | Relax your face, like a gentle smile. No staring. |
| 3. Close them slowly | Take a second or two to close, keep them shut a moment. |
| 4. Open, look away | Open slowly, then glance to one side. |
| 5. Wait | If it blinks back, you’ve said hello. Let it decide what’s next. |
Not every cat answers, and that’s fine. A cat that looks away, flattens its ears or leaves is telling you it wants space. Our guide to approaching a shy cat and the cat mood decoder help you read the rest of the cat.