The role of cat eye narrowing movements in cat-human communication

This study investigates the communicative significance of slow blink sequences in cats, a behavior involving eye narrowing. Experiment 1 showed that cats exhibited more half-blinks and eye narrowing when their owners performed slow blinks. Experiment 2 demonstrated that cats were more likely to approach an unfamiliar experimenter after a slow blink interaction than a neutral expression. These findings suggest slow blink sequences function as a form of positive emotional communication between cats and humans.

Tasmin Humphrey, Leanne Proops, Jemma Forman, Rebecca Spooner, Karen McComb