Why Does My Cat Wink At Me? 3 Reasons

If you are like most cat owners, you are usually surprised by the things that your cat does. One quirky component that some cats seem to do is a wink at their human household members. But cats cannot be winking for the identical reasons that human beings wink. So, why would a cat wink at someone?

Is Winking Anything To Worry About

Unless the winking is brought on by eye trouble of some kind, there is no purpose to fear about your cat winking at you occasionally. If you suspect that the winking is due to a health circumstance of some kind, do now not hesitate to schedule an appointment to see your veterinarian for a checkup. It is usually better to be secure than sorry.

3 Reasons For This Behavior

Their Palpebra Tertia Is Acting Up

Pussycats don’t use their regular eyelids to blink. Instead, their palpebra tertia does the blinking in the background. A cat’s palpebra tertia, or nictitating membrane, is like an alternate eyelid. It helps cover the cornea, especially in nature, where leaves, branches, and tall blades of grass could injure the eyes.

Still, a cat’s eyelid might blink in place of its palpebra tertia until it gets moistened enough to do its job again if the palpebra tertia becomes too dry. This can beget your cat to look like they’re winking at you, when in fact, they’re simply just trying to blink and moisten their eyes and lids. Once their eyelids are properly moistened, the blinking winking should subside.

They Want To Show Trust And Loyalty

Pussycats occasionally wink at people whom they trust and feel loyal to.  However, chances are that you’ll get a wink from them at least sometimes if your cat enjoys spending their time around you and they feel a deep bond with you. Some pussycats wink at their owners out of adoration with one or both eyes, depending on the situation and the particular cat’s personality.

Pet possessors whose pussycats are generally frosty or indifferent likely won’t do any winking at their family members. But pussycats that tend to stick to the sides of their human companions and show other signs of affection, such as rubbing and talking, are likely to find the time to wink at the ones they care about most, but if you aren’t paying attention, you might miss it.

They Are Dealing With An Eye Infection

Unfortunately, eye infections are common in pussycats, and some infections can make your cat blink, and the blinking can be confused for winking. A good sign that your cat is dealing with an eye infection is them winking constantly throughout the day. Your cat might be dealing with pink eye, which is when the membrane lining the eyes becomes infected by bacteria. In addition to winking, your cat might have discharge coming from their eyes and/ or experience swelling around the eyes.

Corneal ulcers can create sores in the eyes that irritate them and make them blink, which occasionally looks like winking. Corneal ulcers can also create a cloudy look in the eyes. Allergies can also make your cat wink, at least seasonally. Other symptoms that could accompany allergies include redness, rubbing, and squinting of the eyes.

Conditions That Can Cause Eye Infections

Eye Infections

Eye infections of all feathers can beget excessive blinking.  However, it can fluently become infected, if your feline has an injury in its eye. Generally, eyes heal from minor injuries by themselves. After all, our pussycats are likely constantly injuring their eyes with small blades of grass and dust.

When the eye doesn’t heal correctly, infections can set in. Generally, the cat will act like their eye is bothering them. They may rub it exorbitantly and blink further than usual. Both of these are obvious signs that your cat’s eye may be infected.

Redness and swelling are frequently signs of an infection as well.

Occasionally, only one eye is infected. In these cases, your feline may only blink and rub one eye. It may look like they’re winking at you. One or two winks aren’t anything to be upset about, but consider visiting a vet if their eye seems to be bothering them after a day.

Upper Respiratory Infections

You generally don’t associate upper respiratory infections with eye issues. Still, the respiratory system and eyes are explicitly connected.  However, it can cause issues with the other as well, if your cat gets an infection in one.

Generally, both eyes will be infected. It isn’t odd for one eye to be worse than the other, though.

Symptoms like sneezing and nasal discharge are common. Your cat will sound like they have a cold and likely have pretty similar symptoms to people.

Third Eyelid Infection

While your cat’s whole eyelid may not be infected, the third eyelid can get infected. This eyelid is used to keep your cat’s eye moist. That’s not actually a major job of their third eyelid.

When this eyelid becomes infected, it generally becomes visible. Generally, it’s transparent and not visible without looking veritably hard. Still, when it becomes infected, it becomes obviously visible. It’ll frequently bag out of the eye.

These sorts of infections are relatively serious and need veterinary care. Without proper treatment, the rest of the eye can come infected. Ultimately, your cat could lose an eye due to the infection. Thus, it’s essential to get them the proper care ASAP.

This condition is frequently much easier to treat when you catch it beforehand. Furthermore, indeed with treatment, delaying can lead to complicated and long-term consequences. A cat’s third eyelid is relatively important, so it’s essential to keep it functioning.

Final Thoughts

If your cat winks at you, it’s possible that they simply have something caught in their eye. As long as it just happens once or twice, you don’t have anything to be involved in!

However, if it continues over a variety of days, then it may be the signal of an underlying problem. For instance, eye infections can motivate immoderate eye irritation, which can lead to immoderate winking. If your cat winks multiple times over the course of 24 hours, it’s time to see the vet.