Assuming you got him from a shelter, he was probably just adjusting. Shelters are scary places for kitties. Lots of stress from the other cats, people, so many smells etc. how’s he doing now?
this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2026
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Cats not looking at you is often good! It (usually) means they trust you enough to not feel like they have to watch you. Obviously a cat that likes you will often look at you, but a cat that doesn't trust you will likely be keeping a close eye in case you do anything threatening
Somehow I can enter a room where my cat has his back to me and make noise at him or pet him or pick him up and he never even looks back.
I don't understand how he knows it's me. But also I'm not a cat.
Well we can recognise people by their voices and, if we're around someone long enough, even by the sound of their footsteps, right? And cats have far better hearing than us
The same way humans know who's who. Footsteps, voice
Cats can also smell you. Ideally, the humans cannot smell you
He can smell you better than he can see you.
'oh no, here comes the smelly human again...'
Yeah but it's their smelly human!
Wanted to say the same thing! A cat staring at someone is a pretty hostile signal - staring contests between cats are pretty much always the unfriendly type.
Give him the Slow Blink
this is the way
"Dude, where's my food!"
Yeap. "Curious" about breakfast!
"Yesterday". Most cats take more time than that to adjust to a big change like that!
Are you saying someone could put any text over an image of a cat? I doubt it, then it would be lying. And people wouldn't do that
Actually I was saying that whoever wrote that was being silly for thinking the cat didn't like them. I can't even imagine a scenario where text over an image of a cat isn't accurate. That just doesn't happen.
Yeah my kittens took about a week before they would actually come out and be visible while we were in the same room. For that first week, they would only come out to eat when we stepped out or were asleep and they’d hide all day if we were in the room with them
Can confirm. Takes four to six months minimum. If you have other cats sometimes it can take years for them to feel comfortable in their new home.
He is the best cat. Treasure him
My boy cat switches between hiding under the bed and running around like a maniac throughout the day, but bedtime is snuggle time.
Congratulations, you have been adopted. Please do not resist.
One of my favourite details in the legendary video game Dwarf Fortress is that dwarves can adopt most tame animals, with one exception: cats who like dwarves adopt dwarves who like cats. 😻
He's wondering what you think you're doing in his bed.
Cat body language is different. Not looking means he doesn't consider you a threat. Staring means agression.
Staring in most animals is aggression.
My cat tells me she wats to play by staring at me. I guess its less of a request and more a threat
Or she learned that you respond to eye contact
When I met my SO she had two sister cats. One you could hold like a baby and the other is friendly but didn't like to be held and fought pretty hard to escape. She said she doesn't like to be held. Long story short that cat will purr in my arms when there's milk about to be served because she is a milk hound. Bribery aside I think the cat just doesn't like when her human is walking around while holding her. Like car sick but for cats I think.
Almost no cats like to be moved outside their own power. I've had cats forever and most don't care to be held but almost all hate to be carried.
I have to look after my mom’s three cats for two weeks, which she insists will want to sleep next to me.
Usually they don’t want to be near me.
Ya boi was testing you. Looks like you passed! . . . for now. 😄
Baby just needed a day to adjust, what a cutie.
This cat's a juggalo fo sho.
Hims the goodest man.