Cats have a reputation for being aloof, even rude, compared to dogs. But that reputation often comes down to a simple translation problem. Dogs broadcast their moods. Cats communicate in a quieter language, built around tail position, ear angle, and especially the eyes.
One of the clearest signals in that language is the slow blink, sometimes called the “cat smile.” Researchers have found it’s a real form of positive communication between cats and people, and it’s something any cat owner can learn to use.
What the Cat Smile Is
Cats signal mood through subtle cues: a twitching tail, ruffled fur, the set of their ears and whiskers, and the narrowing of their eyes. That eye narrowing is the cat smile.
Cat Performing Slow Blink Eye Narrowing
Eye narrowing, sometimes called the cat smile, signals comfort and trust.
A 2020 study from the University of Sussex and University of Portsmouth, published in Scientific Reports, found that cats are more likely to slow blink at their owners after their owners slow blink first, compared to no interaction at all. The same research showed cats were more willing to approach an unfamiliar person’s hand after that person had slow blinked at them.
Professor Karen McComb, who supervised the study, described it directly: cat owners can try the technique themselves, whether with their own cat at home or with cats they meet elsewhere, and it tends to strengthen the bond.
How to Slow Blink at a Cat
Start at a comfortable distance from the cat. Narrow the eyes gently, the way they’d narrow during a relaxed smile, then close them slowly for a second or two before opening again. If the cat blinks back, the conversation is working.
Owner Slow Blinking at Cat Face to Face
Practicing the slow blink builds trust between cats and their owners.
This slow blink tends to make a person more approachable to the cat, encouraging a return blink and sometimes physical closeness. One caution worth keeping in mind: don’t force the interaction or hold an intense, unbroken stare. Researchers believe cats may read sustained staring as a threat, which is part of why the slow blink likely evolved as a way to soften that signal in the first place. Patience works better than persistence here.
Grooming Is Another Form of Trust
Slow blinking isn’t the only way to build a bond with a cat. Regular grooming does the same work physically that the slow blink does socially: it’s a low-stress, repeated interaction that signals safety and care.
The 5-inch EasyGroomer is sized for cats and designed to gently remove loose hair, dirt, and dander without tugging on fur or irritating delicate skin. Many cat owners use it as a daily ritual their cats actively look forward to, turning grooming time into bonding time. For cats that already trust a slow blink from their owner, a grooming session is often an easy next step.
