Often say that to look in the face to a cat – not to good, a bad sign, it is so possible to draw upon itself a trouble. But even the people not inclined to mysticism consider that the stare in cat's eyes can strongly complicate relationship with an animal, make a cat your enemy. Why it occurs?
Look in eyes of a cat: it is a little mysticism
In many cultures the special part of the being who is in the special relations with the other world, some kind of conductor between the world live and the world of the dead is assigned to a cat. Not without reason the cat often acts as the assistant to witches and sorcerers. And people believed that in the big, glowing in the dark, hypnotic eyes of cats not ours is reflected, and "that" world inaccessible to an eye of live. Therefore was considered that the cat cannot look in the face: it meant to enter forbidden communication with the other world. And in beliefs of some people was considered that in a black cat evil spirits could be installed. And the look in eyes of an animal meant consent to transition of this spirit already in a human body.
And in Egypt where the cat, as we know, was a sacred animal, an embodiment of the deity. And the look in eyes of a cat meant a look in eyes of the deity – disrespect which the highest forces, having been angry, could punish.
Why cats do not love a look in eyes
If to distract from questions of the other world and to return to the world real, then it is possible to state – cats really very nervously react to a direct look in eyes.
The sight of the person is arranged not as at animals. Only the central site of a retina of an eye allows to see the image distinctly, the peripheral sight at people is much worse, than at the same cats therefore people should transfer constantly a look from a subject regarding. And the look in any direction means attention, interest. It is optional to cats to stare at the object which interested them, they perfectly developed peripheral sight, and they are capable to see well "out of the corner of the eye". And animals look in eyes each other only in special cases: as a rule, such directed look speaks about aggression. And the aspiration to show the superiority over the opponent.
Remember when the cat attentively watches long time in one point, fixedly watches something or someone? It either a situation of hunting, or emergence in sight of potentially menacing object (a dog, a cat rival, etc.). Fear and alarm, aggression, readiness to be protected, a warning of the possible attack – here the emotions accompanying this situation. If the animal recognized itself defeated following the results of a game "in glyadelka", it takes a look aside.
Respectively, if the person looks in the face to a cat, the cat perceives it as a call on a duel. And, as predators do not differ in cowardice, the animal can decide to be protected by means of teeth and claws.
Surprisingly, but fact: unlike domestic cats, tigers, lions and other large predators treat a stare of the person pretty calmly. Possibly, matter in scale: large wild animals do not perceive the person as the rival, the deserving attention.
How to look at a cat
Actually the cat can look in the face. But the look should not be lingering not to irritate an animal, and it is better to admire a cat kind of casually, out of the corner of the eye. Besides, if during exchange of views of people slowly blinks, the cat will not perceive such look as threat. If you happened views – do not look away hasty, otherwise to you "will include defeat", just smile to a cat, blink and slowly take a look aside.
And if it is about relationship of a cat and her owner, then a time the direct look in eyes is even useful – to maintenance of the authority and a reminder to an animal about that, "who in the house main". You should not abuse such educational measure if you want to keep kind relationship. But if the cat played mean tricks, then to take her by the scruff and fixedly, without looking away to look her fool in the face – very effective way of restoration of an order, an explanation "catlike". It is desirable to hold at the same time a cat at arm's length that she physically could not answer a call with claws on the person.