# Why does a cat always try to outstare you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150 "2003-03-05T02:31:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150/21 "2003-03-08T00:44:08Z")

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I used to have a Siamese cat that would fetch things and bring them back for me to throw again. All the others would play with it and then sit there looking at me & at the thrown object expecting me to come get it & throw it again. Which I usually did. One more reason cats are smarter than dogs: they can train human beings!

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150/22 "2003-03-08T00:56:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xgxlx \*  
> \*\*I was always able to outstare my cats as a child. I think i just had too long of an attention span. God I want another cat…☹ \*\*

Me too.  
Peace,  
mangeorge

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150/23 "2003-03-08T01:10:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MLS \*  
> \*\*I used to have a Siamese cat that would fetch things and bring them back for me to throw again. All the others would play with it and then sit there looking at me & at the thrown object expecting me to come get it & throw it again. Which I usually did. One more reason cats are smarter than dogs: they can train human beings! \*\*

My cat was a fetcher\* too. If I acted excited and said “where’s your mouse”, he’d go find it (any toy, not only a mouse) and drop it next to me so I’d throw it for him. When _he_ got tired of the game he’d hide the toy. If I went and found it, he’d get pissed off.  
\*Anybody who say’s “felcher” gets a poke in the eye.

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**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-cat-always-try-to-outstare-you/159150/24 "2003-03-08T04:43:43Z")

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Nearly all mammals read the direct stare as a threat. But if you cock your head, they read it as a sign of curiosity, not a threat.

If you _really_ wanna piss off a dog, bare your teeth. This is a much escalated threat posture on the level of giving someone the finger or brandishing a knife. It’s especially fun to do with tiny rat-size dogs – they FREAK OUT, and then their owner scolds them because they have no idea what you did. 🙂 Not recommended for Rottweilers, though.

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