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This can also mean a couple very different things Staring catsĬats like to watch over and observe things, so you’ve probably caught your cat staring at you or others in your family before. For example, if they get the chasing look (slightly rigid body with dilated pupils and careful movements) try using a wand toy and play some stalking and pouncing games.Īlso, keep in mind that the amount of light in the room can have a big effect on pupil size, lots of light will cause pupils to contract and the darker it is, the more they will dilate. Paying attention to these and other body language cues can tell you when your cat wants some attention or to play some games. Reciprocate the expression to keep building the relationship with your cat.Ĭats can change their attitude very quickly – you’ve probably watched as your cat’s pupils grow from almond to fully dilated circles when you’re playing or getting them excited. If your kitty is looking at you with almond pupils and slowly blinking, squinting or partially closing one or both eyes, they’re showing you how much they appreciate and love you.

Have they just woken up from a snooze? Or they might be roaming around the house looking for someone to cuddle up with. If your cat's eyes are anywhere in between the two extremes, they're likely feelin' fine - when they have almond-shaped pupils, your cat is probably feeling happy, relaxed and contented. On the other hand, if you’ve just brought out a toy, treat or meal and their pupils expand they’re probably showing some anticipation and excitement. Sometimes cats can give this look when they’re feeling guilty or have just been cheeky.Īgain, consider your cat’s posture and what is going on around them, if they are backed into a corner with wide eyes and dilated pupils, you should try not to intimidate them further.

If you see these pupils with eyes wide open, ears slightly back and/or tail a waving or flicking, think twice before startling your kitty or trying to pick them up!Īt the other extreme, your cat’s eyes might be close to fully consumed by their dilated pupils, this can mean a couple things too Īs these are completely different emotions you should look for some other body language before trying to play if they have these eyes - startling your cat when they are anxious you might scare them even more. Slit eyes will make cats able to focus on a target and increases the accuracy of their depth perception, which is very useful for hunting and pouncing.Ĭonsider your cat’s posture and what is going on around them, if they're relaxing on a chair or eyes partially closed, they're likely in a good mood. Whereas, if they are looking tense with ears slightly back and tail waving they might be agitated. Or they might just be looking around and keeping a watch on things. This might also be caused by another animal nearby or maybe you’ve just told your kitty off for doing something bad. Your cat might be concentrating, in stalker/hunting mode or just feeling a bit grumpy. It can be difficult to tell what these eyes mean sometimes and lots of bright light can cause slit eyes regardless of your kitty's mood. If your cat’s pupils are contracted into a very slim vertical slit, it’s likely they are feeling one of the following You might notice your cats’ pupils dilate to cover almost all of their eye – this allows them to see in close-to complete darkness.Īs well as being a useful accessory to vision, the size of a cat’s pupils can also indicate what they’re feeling. Obviously, cats use their eyes to see - the pupil controls how much light is allowed to reach the retina - so similar to our eyes, a cat’s pupils will contract in bright light and dilate in low light situations. There are very obvious changes to pupil dilation that can tell us quite a bit about what’s on the cat’s mind.

When trying to understand your cat, a great starting point is their eyes and pupils. Your cat probably won’t be giving too much information away with their facial expressions, but there are some other observations you can make if you want to understand what your kitty is feeling.

What Changes in Cats’ Pupils Can Tell You