You’re smiling the wrong way at your cat

Cats have a reputation for being aloof (and cuddly), but if you and your feline friend don’t have a good bond, maybe you just don’t speak their language. Don’t worry: 2020 research has shown that it’s not that difficult. You just need to smile at him more. Not the human way, showing your teeth, but the cat way, narrowing your eyes and blinking slowly.

By observing interactions between cats and humans, scientists have confirmed that this expression causes cats – both acquaintances and strangers – to get closer and become more receptive towards humans.

“As someone who has studied animal behavior and is also a cat owner, it’s great to be able to demonstrate that cats and humans can communicate in this way,” said Karen McComb, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, in a statement from 2020. “It’s something many cat owners already suspected, so it’s exciting to have found evidence for it.”

If you’ve spent time around cats, you’ve probably seen their “eyes partially closed” facial expression, accompanied by slow blinking. This is similar to the way human eyes narrow when smiling and usually occurs when the cat is relaxed and content. This expression is interpreted as a sort of feline smile.

Dogs can be much more outgoing than cats, but this news comes as no surprise to cat lovers. Research in recent years has shown that our feline friends are much more in tune with their human companions than previously thought, and that comparing them to dogs does them a disservice.

Cats, for example, respond similarly to humans who are receptive to them, so if you think cats are aloof, that may be your problem, not your kitten’s. Similarly, cats mirror the personality traits of the humans they live with: this may be related to the fact that they seem to sense when their owners are sad. They can even recognize their names (although they often choose to ignore them). And their bonds with their humans are surprisingly deep.

Watch the video with André Forastieri’s commentary.

André Forastieri is a journalist, entrepreneur, LinkedIn Top Voice and founder of the Homework platform. If you liked this video and want to receive exclusive content, sign up to our newsletter here, it’s free:andreforastieri.com.br

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Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.