Why Do Cats Wink? (Everything You Need to Know)

Cats are never short on entertainment value. The internet would be a much smaller place if it weren’t for the sheer volume of pictures and videos of the world’s cats. But why do cats wink? Is it conspiratorial? Flirtatious? Something else?

There isn’t just one answer and they’re all important. They are both scientific and emotional.

In this article, we’ll look into the reasons why cats wink and what exactly this means for you and your cat. Is there any medical condition that could be leading to this? Should you be worried?

Let’s now get into it.

Why Do Cats Wink?

Cats winking is a common experience for any cat owner. There are a number of reasons why your cat could be “winking at you”. This could range from a show of affection to you, being sleepy, or not feeling threatened at all by your presence. It could also mean that the winking eye could have been infected. This can be detected by the frequency of the winking. If it keeps winking frequently and at a high speed you should get him checked by your local vet. A slow wink, however, shouldn’t be a major concern.

The other reason why cats wink is purely scientific. Cats have a third membrane in their eye called the nictating membrane. It’s translucent and it usually moves diagonally from the inner corner of the eye up across the eye.

Its job is to keep the eye moist. It also helps in covering the eye and still allowing them to see due to it being semi-transparent.

The membrane usually moves faster than any of us can notice it. But if one eye ends up being drier than the other, or if one of the kitty’s own hairs gets in the eye, this is when they bling using their “regular” eyelids.

This usually only happens to one eye, so viola…

Kitty is winking.

But do cats ever wink at us as some sign of friendliness?

What About That Slow Blink?

Cats are full of communication. While a slow blink could be a sign of sleepiness, it’s usually a message that kitty is trying to get across.

It means that your cat is relaxed, content, and wants to signal this to you. It’s a communication seen among big cats and it means that all is well.

This is sometimes referred to as a cat kiss. In fact, you can experiment on this; while making eye contact with your cat, try to slowly blink at him/her and you’ll see him/her reciprocating with a similar blink (kiss) back to you.

You’ll have been honored by their deepest affection.

So It’s Normal if My Cat Winks at Me?

Cats have been known to talk with their eyes. They, therefore, communicate with their fellow cats as well as human using their eyes.

The position of their eye and the action they take with them, therefore, means so many things to them.

If kitty is winking at you occasionally, then yes. Perfectly normal. It’s also a natural way for cats to clean something out of their eyes. But if they’re winking often and persistently, there might be some underlying issue that a diligent pet owner would look at.

If the third eyelid is showing a lot, there could be an infection. Especially if the cat is pawing at their eye, there’s reason to believe that something is bothering them. It’s time for a visit to the vet for a checkup.

It’s worth mentioning at this point that there are some cat-specific eye diseases, so don’t be too quick to think that it’s just nothing.

So What About Blinking?

A blink is very different than a wink. A blink involves both eyes, right? Many cat owners interpret a slow blink from a cat as a sign of affection. This bears some truth.

In the wild, when an animal trusts another, it will close its eyes to them. It’s a way of saying, “I don’t need to keep an eye on you. You won’t cause me any trouble.”

When kitty blinks at you like that, it means they feel safe and secure around you.

When they stare without blinking, this is a clear indication of dominance. Although most humans won’t understand this when other felines experience this they would stay away from that cat’s path. In a multi-cat homestead, this could mean other cats are not welcomed anywhere close to their feeding bowl, their favorite toy, or their sleeping area.

But Does it Mean My Cat Loves Me?

It could be a yes, it could be a no. There’s a host of ways that cats show they love their humans and blinking may or may not be one of them. If your cat is comfortable around you, it’s not far-fetched to think that your cat loves you also.

In most cases, when cats wink at you they are clearly showing some level of affection to you. They also don’t consider you a threat and are therefore relaxed and sharing a cat-kiss with you.

Monitor this closely just in case one of their eyes has been infected and therefore needing an urgent medical examination by your local vet.

Final Thought

In conclusion, now that we know cats talk mostly with their eyes – although, not commonly understood clearly by most pet owners, other felines clearly get’s the gesture and will always react accordingly.

A long stare without blinking for instance means that other feline is not welcomed at that spot and is a clear act of showing dominance towards a specific thing.

When it comes to cats winking, this is always a cat-kiss to its owner. It indicates they are content with everything and don’t feel any sort of threat being close to you and they honor you with their deepest affection.

It could also mean that you have a very sleepy cat that needs to take some rest.

If it’s blinking at a very fast pace, it could mean they could have caught an eye infection that needs to be checked by your local vet as soon as possible.

Have you ever experienced a cat winking at you? What was your initial thought from that first wink?

Share with us in the comment section below.