The role of cat eye narrowing movements in cat–human communication (2020)

This research investigates whether the cat slow blink sequence - a series of half‑blinks followed by prolonged eye narrowing or closure - functions as a communicative signal directed at humans. Two controlled experiments were conducted in home settings using CatFACS coding (with an added “eye narrowing” code). In Experiment 1, 21 pet cats (18 analyzed) experienced owner‑initiated slow blink stimuli versus a no‑interaction control; owners were trained to deliver the slow blink and trials were counterbalanced, filmed, and typically lasted about one minute. Eye movements of cats and humans were recorded and objectively coded to capture half‑blinks, eye narrowing, and closures.

Results show that cats produced significantly more half‑blinks and eye‑narrowing movements in response to owners’ slow blink stimuli than during no interaction. In Experiment 2 an unfamiliar experimenter presented either a slow blink or a neutral face; cats were more likely to approach the experimenter after the slow blink interaction than after the neutral condition. These findings indicate that slow blink sequences function as a positive emotional communicative signal in cat-human interactions, paralleling eye‑narrowing signals of positive affect seen in other species and carrying implications for strengthening the human-cat bond and improving feline welfare.