Scientists reveal a simple way to win a cat's trust
If you find yourself talking to your cat only for them to look at you with a blank stare, you're not alone. Thanks to new research, there may be an effective way of communicating with them after all, and it's easier than you would think.
Breaking down the language barrier
Cat owners are the first to say that cats can be independent, aloof, and not always easy to bond with. But what if you could speak "cat" and break down the language barrier?
New research shows that you can effectively communicate with them by speaking cat and using your smile to your advantage. Here's the trick: you need to smile in a way that makes sense to your cat.
Researchers showed that by narrowing your eyes and blinking slowly, you could communicate and have deeper interactions with your cat.
Shining a light on how cats smile
By using these simple smiling techniques, researchers found that cats were more likely to come to you and interact with you. It's about communicating on their terms, and showing signs they understand.
Take a look at your cat, and you'll notice their different facial movements and expressions. A behavior you'll often see is that they will close their eyes a bit and then slowly blink.
They tend to do this when they're feeling relaxed, happy, and comfortable. Researchers said it can be interpreted as their form of smiling.
Mimic your cat's "smile"
Knowing that's how your cat shows it feels relaxed and happy, you can then mimic those same movements back to them. Partially close your eyes and slowly blink at them.
"Try narrowing your eyes at them as you would in a relaxed smile, followed by closing your eyes for a couple of seconds. You'll find they respond in the same way themselves, and you can start a sort of conversation," said Karen McComb, University of Sussex psychologist.
Taking your bond to the next level
The next time you want to communicate with your cat, maybe try giving them a "cat smile" and see what kind of reaction you get.
Source: ScienceAlert
