Their little cute nose and almond-shaped eyes whose color may range from blue to greenish-yellow to gold make cats hard to ignore when they are glaring at you.
Usually, when they are staring, they will look fixedly at something which could be you, the wall, space, down, at each other, out of the window or at nothing with their eyes wide open.
This can happen even if you try avoiding him or her such as focusing on your novel or even if it is in darkness or you are sleeping.
Furthermore, while staring, they may meow, purr, not blink, sit down or stare for a while before they run away. Terms such, goggle, gawk or observe may also indicate this vacant or long fixed gaze these pets give (fixed eye contact).
Besides feeling creepy, the staring may make you feel as if your cat is watching or stalking you each time you give him or her a glace.
However, you need to try and understand the message they are trying to pass to you. These pets don’t talk we do. They often use their body language and some vocalizations to express themselves.
What does it mean when a cat stares at you?
While in the wild, cats fend for themselves using their various senses including visual one to hunt for food, shelter as well as protect themselves while in this environment.
On the other hand, your domestic kitty relies on you for company, protection, food, and shelter since you are the most important part of their environment.
Therefore, to get all these, they often use various body languages and vocalization to communicate with you. One such way of communication is staring at you.
Therefore, if you notice your feline friend looking at you for a long time, you need to ask yourself what message he or she is trying to pass to you or take from you.
Proper interpretation requires you to consider the possible reasons why he or she is interested in you, his or her behavior, what you are doing (context), and other vocal and non-vocal cues including purring, kneading, meowing as well as look at their face, tail, body, and so on.
It is normal to wonder why is he or she watching me that much? You may even what to know what cats are thinking when they stare at you. Here are some of the reasons why your cat may keep staring at you or other things.
1. She wants food
One of the reasons why your fluffy friend may stare at you is “because she wants something to eat and believes that if she stares into your eyes, she can somehow control your mind and force you to do her bidding,” notes Vetstreet.
In your cats’ mind, they are trying to say things such as “I want food”, “I am hungry”, “I need my snack”, and so on.
Most probably, your kitty is thinking she has control over you, and she will influence you to go get her food. This might occur often if each time she glares at you, you give her food or when you are eating something. Be careful not to make your kitties needy.
When it is about their mealtime, these pets might be monitoring your movements and wondering when you are going to give them food especially if you walk towards where you keep their food or your kitchen if you prepare homemade cat foods.
Unless it is their feeding time, you do not have to always give them food. Instead, try enriching their lives with other things including toys. Also, you can pet or play with him or her.
2. Trying to understand you
While looking at you, your kitty may be reading something from the various cues you may be giving her to know how to respond accordingly. Also, she may be trying to share her feeling.
Furthermore, as Iheartcats.com notes, “she may want to be sure that you are watching her in return because you share a family group bond. Your shared look can reaffirm your bond and assure the social stability of your group. If you are calm, she is calm. If you look on edge, she will be too.”
Therefore, always know that your cat loves you and would wish the same love to be reciprocated. Therefore, if your eyes meet, look back with affection. A slow blink will show that you love your kitty and make the bond stronger.
3. Insecure and seeking for comfort
Since you are the center of their universe, sometimes, when they feel insecure, they may need your affirmation.
Noises, unfamiliar guest or odor, new environment and so own may make these pets to feel insecure and they will stare at you for affirmation.
Also, in case of pain, stress, anxiety, cold, depression, health issues, and so on, they might gaze at you hoping you comfort.
By considering their body language, emotions, and how they are acting, you should be able to give them your affirmation and the comfort they need.
4. Bored or seeking for attention
When bored, these pets can be not only destructive by also stalking and glare at you. They are doing so thinking or hoping you will entertain them.
Also, while seeking for attention which includes wanting to be petted, praised verbally, and so on, they may do many things, among them stare at you.
5. Territorial tendencies
Territorial tendencies are often noted when a cat stares at another cat to assert dominance and prevent the invasion of his territory. In such a case, you need to break the gazing since it may result in aggression and fights.
It is possible for this pet to try show dominance even to you if they feel you have invaded their space especially if they stare and try to rub their chin on your hand, leg, and so on.
6. Being watchful
If you notice the staring occurs sequentially and involves gazing using only one eye as he or she dozes off to sleep, your cat is being watchful.
He or she is checking for any predators. In such a case, your kitty may not only gaze at you but could be staring into a black space, wall, window and so on.
7. It is one of their hunting behaviors or being curious
As predators, the indoor, outdoor, stray and feral cats often stalk anything they want to hunt. Therefore, if you notice your indoor fluffy friend staring or stalking on a toy, spider, cricket, grasshopper or insects, just know that this is part of their natural predator instincts.
He or she could also be stalking you too for the same reason since their hunting instincts are still intact even after many years of domestication.
8. Your kitting is taking a nap
Your cat could be taking a nap. Since they can sleep with their eyes partially or fully open, you may think they are looking at you while they are in slumberland.
9. No reason
Sometimes, your cat may just sit and stare at you for no reason. Probably your kitty is relaxed and quite peaceful especially if it happens while she is sitting in front of you.
Also, she could be staring into space, at a wall, out the window and so on.
10. A medical condition
Common deaths in felines include renal failure, cardiovascular disease, untreated hypertension, hyperthyroidism, and so and they these rarely cause the staring problem.
However, high blood pressure may injure their ocular, i.e., as Dr. Justine Lee, MVM, DACVECC, DABT notes, “the retina (the “film” of the back of the eye that causes the appearance of “red-eye” can detach (called a retinal detachment), causing a dilated pupil. This can result in dilated pupils and may look like your cat is starring.”
In such a case, you need to talk to your vet for a pressure check. Also, check if this pet has dilated pupils as she appears to be staring at you.
What to do to stop the staring
If your cat keeps staring at you always, you need to carefully look at her body language including ear movement, their tail position, whiskers, body position, and so on.
Calm your feline friend in case of anxiety, irritation, depression or bad weather such as thunderstorms.
Furthermore, consider the timing when these glaring occurs since it might be associated with them being hungry or you are forgetting to feed them.
Finally, do not always rush to giving your cat treats and all the attention if she keeps gazing at you since this may make him or her needy or demanding.
Conclusion
Besides just stalking or staring at you, these pets may also follow you wherever you go. Always consider all these actions as a compliment.
Note that your cat staring at you is not one of the signs of aggression unless they stare at each other. Besides these pets have other weird behaviors including blepping, licking, purring, gently biting, kneading, rubbing, and they are all normal.
Finally, there might be superstitions and myths on the meaning of why kitties look at people especially a black one.