Why do cats "slow blink" at people

[frauenfelder]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/07/15/why-do-cats-slow-blink-at.html

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[Melizmatic]

For kitties, the absence of extreme hatred is love

That about sums it up.

[ugh]

@frauenfelder

Now I want someone to explain why my cat stretches and raises his paw to me like he’s saying hello.

He’s just very polite!

[knoxblox]

Not only does my Ruby slow blink, but she taps my forearm when she wants something, and also grooms me like I’m another cat.

[Melizmatic]

Potato plays ‘Peek-a-boo/Red-light, Green-light’; if I catch her attention then repeatedly obscure my face from her sight, she inches closer and closer, like she’s stalking me.

[generic_name]

[belovedvillain]

I’ve read that grooming is a show of status, with the cat doing the grooming being the one of higher position. Sounds like Ruby is a good kitty and knows who’s in charge.

[CreakyLadder]

I had one cat that would ninja groom other cats by pouncing on them, pinning them down and grooming the shit out of them. He definitely was in charge.

[Dioptase1]

@frauenfelder

Now I want someone to explain why my cat stretches and raises his paw to me like he’s saying hello.

Yes, it’s a greeting. But not like you think. You’re supposed to reciprocate.

[white_noise]

@frauenfelder

Now I want someone to explain why my cat stretches and raises his paw to me like he’s saying hello.

Is your cat Japanese? If so, it might be a maneki neko or perhaps even a hello kitty.

[MonkeyT12]

He’s saying “Bend over. I can’t reach your artery from here.”

[jab]

My cats used to lick my eyelids to wake me up. So cute. Or painful and horrible. Possibly both!?!?

[latsot]

Slow blinking is not so much an expression of trust as an announcement of trust, much like an announcement of an alliance. The cat is signalling that it’s relaxed and that you should be relaxed, too or there might be trouble.

[Professor59]

The eye squeeze is as close as a cat gets to blowing kisses.
Certainly a declaration of affection greater than “I don’t fear you”.

[Turnips]

I interpret it to mean the connection has been validated, your soul has been updated and you have the potential to be a nicer living creature (if only to him or her) for the foreseeable future.

[Category]

My last cat Junko used to not only slow blink at me, but also suck on my clothes near my armpit whilst padding, like she was trying to milk me.

And I let her, because I enjoyed it

[AbelardLindsay]

We had a big dopey M-head tabby who was always giving us the paw, so I started giving him the paw back. He’s been gone many years, but Mrs. Lindsay and I still give each other the paw.

[Ratel]

@frauenfelder

For kitties, the absence of extreme hatred is love, and as cat owners know, there is no in-between.

Cats only hate rival cats. They are capable of despising dogs and people. They love their staff and also mice!

We always look for the blinky eyes from our cats, and reciprocate.

[FGD135]

[zachstronaut]

Because they can’t roll their eyes.