Cats' pupils fluctuate in size and shape based on light and emotion. Usually, they're vertical and shaped like slits, which means they're content and relaxed. However, if a cat is excited and about to pounce, their pupils will become round and large.
Fear and anxiety cause a cat's pupils to dilate naturally. If your cat has been startled by something and her pupils dilate for a short time, this is normal. However, if she is often so frightened and anxious that her pupils are wide, she may need anti-anxiety medication from the vet.
Eyes Wide Open
In friendly greetings, pupils are at normal dilation. The eyelids may be squinty, brows are soft, and the cat may offer cheek rubs. Accept this as a sign of love and trust.
An excited or playful cat may have wide dilated pupils as they get ready to play. However, fear or surprise could also lead to the same result. Changes that occur due to excitement or fear should be relatively short lived. As the cat relaxes the obviously large pupil should return to a smaller size.
Pupil size is linked to the fight/flight response. If your cat is feeling fearful or threatened, the pupils get larger, letting in more light so your cat can see better, take in more information about the environment, assess any dangers and prepare to escape if needed. Worried looking cat.
Cats' pupils fluctuate in size and shape based on light and emotion. Usually, they're vertical and shaped like slits, which means they're content and relaxed. However, if a cat is excited and about to pounce, their pupils will become round and large.
What eye changes may be present in a sick cat? Droopy eyelids, discharges that are green, yellow, or white, squinting, pupils that are dilated or constricted, or anisocoria (one pupil dilated and the other constricted are all signs that something is amiss.
The pupils are constantly changing. They enlarge (dilate) in darker conditions to allow more light to enter the eye, and they get smaller (constrict) in brighter conditions to minimize the amount of light that enters the eye.
Your cat is expressing her affection for you.
Your cat's licking may be an affiliative behavior, which is a friendly, altruistic behavior. Mothers groom their kittens, and cats may groom one another, which is called allogrooming.
Changes in the appearance of the pupils or eyes can indicate: Pleasure. As your cat purrs on your lap, you may notice that its pupils become narrow slits. Narrowed pupils may be a sign that your pet is happy and content, particularly when accompanied by purring.
Purring: When cats are deeply relaxed and content they tend to purr to self soothe. But when a cat rubs against you and purrs it is synonymous with saying “I love you.” Slow Blinks: When cats close their eyes in the presence of another animal or human it is a sign of trust, which is a fundamental aspect of love.
It could be as simple as letting them cuddle in your lap or allowing them to share your bed at night. As long as you regard them in some way, they'll know you care. The same goes for verbal communication. Understanding those subtle nuances in your cat's meow isn't easy, but it's not impossible either.
In most cases, cats will purr when they are in a relaxed environment, sending out waves of calmness. This may also occur when you stroke them, and if this is the case, your feline friend is feeling happy or sociable. However, cats purr to communicate other emotions and needs, too.
Kneading to convey comfort — Happy cats appear to knead to show pleasure. Cats often knead while being petted, or when snuggling into a napping spot. Your cat may also knead on your lap to show her love and contentment, and then settle in for a pat or nap. A stressed cat may knead to create a soothing, calm mood.
Additionally, the pupils will dilate if a person is frightened or excited due to the natural adrenalin response of the body. When someone is focused on something, particularly a near object, the pupils will constrict. Alternatively, they will dilate when someone is looking at a far distance.
Dilated or contracted pupils are common symptoms of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and others.
Stimulation of the autonomic nervous system's sympathetic branch, known for triggering "fight or flight" responses when the body is under stress, induces pupil dilation. Whereas stimulation of the parasympathetic system, known for "rest and digest" functions, causes constriction.
Uncharacteristic sluggishness, unsteady gait, drooling, heavy breathing, diarrhea, seizures, and sudden bouts of vomiting are among the common clinical signs of feline poisoning (toxicosis). A cat owner who observes any of these signs will do an animal a huge favor by seeking emergency veterinary care.
Cat anxiety symptoms include:
Hiding, pacing, crouching defensively. New aggressive or overly clingy behavior. Meowing way more than usual. Coat changes from not grooming or bald patches from over-grooming.
They include, Approaching you (it's a little gesture, but it means they feel safe) Head butting and rubbing. Purring.
Cat owners are often encouraged to slowly blink or wink their eyes (e.g. sleepy eyes) when directly looking toward their cats. This sends a message that you are not a threat and they should not be alarmed. However, cats always prefer their owners using their peripheral vision to look at them rather than a direct gaze.
While some cats enjoy being kissed, others will not. Some will feel love, while others will not see kissing as a sign of affection. There are better ways than kissing to show a cat affection that they will understand. Cats are mysterious pets with distinct personalities.
The Cat Is Curious Or Surprised
“It doesn't mean that cats are upset, but if they're staring at you without blinking they're likely very interested or surprised by a sound you're making or something you're doing,” as Dr. Georgina Ushi Phillips, DVM at Better With Cats, tells Romper.
If your cat looks at you with half-closed eyelids, you may be getting eye kisses from them. If their staring is accompanied by purring and kneading, they're saying they love you. So, don't be creeped out by the staring; you're being adored!