# Why does seeing something cute make us tilt our heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274 "2005-03-07T00:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/1 "2005-03-07T00:46:47Z")
If we see a particularly cute kitten, we tilt our heads. What’s the deal with _that_? ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/2 "2005-03-07T00:51:54Z")
Maybe we tilt our heads so the glurge can drain out? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/3 "2005-03-07T00:54:43Z")
It proves we have something in common with dogs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/4 "2005-03-07T01:10:59Z")
When I say something to my dog, he tilts his head when he looks at me. Does this mean I’m cute? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/5 "2005-03-07T01:13:12Z")
When dogs do it it means: “I’m confused, wha the \*\*\*\*\* are you talking about!” ---
**Author:** ![Pensandfeathers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Pensandfeathers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pensandfeathers)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/6 "2005-03-07T01:20:52Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > When dogs do it it means: “I’m confused, wha the \*\*\*\*\* are you talking about!” I loved it when my dog did that! She’d usually do it when my dad danced with himself… ---
**Author:** ![Pensandfeathers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Pensandfeathers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pensandfeathers)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/7 "2005-03-07T01:24:00Z")
> [@Pensandfeathers](#): > > I loved it when my dog did that! > > She’d usually do it when my dad danced with himself… And I mean ACTUALLY danced, perverts. 😉 \*sorry, the second I posted that I suddenly remembered the “hidden” meaning to that Billy Idol song…_shudders_ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/8 "2005-03-07T03:52:42Z")
WAG; To see if the cute thing is as cute from a slightly different perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Panzram](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Panzram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panzram)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/9 "2005-03-07T04:16:50Z")
I remember reading about this awhile ago. It turns out that it serves a purpose insofar as avoiding unneccessary conflict, since eye contact typically means a challenge to a lot of animals, and therefore the tilt signifies the nonviolent interests of the animal. Just something interesting. I don’t even tilt my head. I’m like . . :dubious: I may as well not even look. . the way she’s lookin’ back at me . . --\> :eek: ---
**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/10 "2005-03-07T19:28:22Z")
In a course I did a while back the tutor reckoned it was something you do when you’re interested in something. I’ve noticed I do it when something is on TV that I’m particularly interested in. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/11 "2005-03-08T15:17:54Z")
> [@Pensandfeathers](#): > > And I mean ACTUALLY danced, perverts. 😉 > > \*sorry, the second I posted that I suddenly remembered the “hidden” meaning to that Billy Idol song…_shudders_ :smack: \ I didn’t even think of that until you actually said it. You’re the perv! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seeing-something-cute-make-us-tilt-our-heads/293274/12 "2005-03-08T20:21:07Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > If we see a particularly cute kitten, we tilt our heads. What’s the deal with _that_? What do you mean, “particularly” cute? All kittens are super cute. Even that one-eyed, earless, floppy-jawed one that everyone calls Wumpy. Soooo cute. 😃