A person blinks about 15 times a minute. But how often do cats do it? It seems they don't need to close their eyelids at all. Is that really the case?
Winning a staring contest against a cat is certainly impossible. Cats are natural predators, and their bodies are perfectly adapted to watch and catch their prey. This is why our pets and their larger relatives blink very rarely, so as not to 'miss' their food. Moreover, their blinking occurs so quickly that it is difficult for the human eye to notice.
Even if a cat does lose a staring contest to you, you are unlikely to notice it. This is due to the unique structure of a cat's eye. Unlike humans, these animals have a third eyelid or nictitating membrane. It is located in the corner of the eye closer to the nose and is designed for blinking and moisturizing the mucous membrane. Because of this, when a cat blinks, its eyelids do not close in the same way as they do in humans.
The use of the nictitating membrane is much more efficient, as it allows for quicker blinking without distracting from watching prey or an enemy. By the way, in the event of an encounter with an opponent or another threat, cats generally stop blinking altogether, even using the nictitating membrane. Their intense gaze and widely dilated pupils indicate readiness to attack.
However, sometimes cats do close their eyelids, as if squinting. Studies show that this way animals communicate with each other and with humans. Squinting and blinking are also referred to as a 'cat kiss' — this is how a pet expresses its warm feelings towards the 'conversation partner.' If a cat shows such signs, the best response is to return the gesture with slow blinking.
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