What's the difference between a cat slow blink and a regular blink? How do you get your cat to slow blink at you and can you return this cat affection?

As cat guardians, we know our cats use nonverbal and verbal communications to convey messages to us constantly. They seem to be most direct when our cats are demanding things. However, one of the most important sentiments they are trying to tell us is actually quite subtle. The cat slow blink is one message no cat parent wants to miss. So, what is the cat slow blink and what exactly does the cat slow blink mean? Let’s learn more about cat blinking from the experts.

Cats blink to spread tears over the surface of their eyes to remove dirt. This action is quick and is not the same as the cat slow blink. The cat slow blink is when your cat looks at you and slowly and intentionally closes and opens his eyes. To determine the difference between a regular blink and a slow blink, observe your cat’s body language from his ears to his tail. His body should read as chill because a true cat slow blink only comes from a comfortable kitty.

“The slow blink involves relaxed eyes; it shows your cat is not worried,” says Mikel Delgado, Ph.D., and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant at Feline Minds. “He is not avoiding any stressors or wincing.”

In addition, Dr. Delgado recommends looking at your cat’s pupils during the cat slow blink. Cats’ pupils dilate in response to light, but they also dilate when your cat is anxious. Depending on the lighting, a true cat slow blink includes normal pupils. This is key because the cat slow blink is sharing a very clear message with you .