Cats may consider those who don't like them to be non-threatening.

Why Do Cats Like People Who Don’t Like Them?

Have you ever gone to a cat lover’s house with a friend that couldn’t care less about cats (or even outright dislikes them), only to see that the cat goes over to them and NOT you? Why DO cats like people who don’t like them?

How annoying is that? After all, you’re the one admiring the cat and looking to heap praise (and treats) upon her. YOU sincerely want to see and pet the cat, but it’s the friend that gets the cat’s attention. What do you and the non-cat person do differently when you go into that cat’s home that makes the cat prefer them to you?

Here’s the difference: the “crazy cat person” immediately looks at the cat and admires her unique beauty. While admiring the cat, they may even go over to the kitty and kneel down to pet her. That’s usually when the kitty avoids you and goes toward the other person.

What does the non-cat person do? More often than not, they totally ignore the cat. They make no eye contact and they don’t try to approach the cat at all.

Why Do Cats Like People Who Don’t Like Them?

Most cats just love attention, so what gives? Why does this happen? If you think about things from the cat’s perspective, this behavior actually makes a lot of sense. Direct eye contact is considered a sign of dominance and even aggression among cats, so your advances and eye contact can be considered threatening. The cat avoids this intimidating creature (you), and who does the kitty go to? The “safe” person that isn’t making eye contact or challenging them. The cat doesn’t feel threatened and, being the independent creatures they are, can make contact on their own terms.

If you hate it when this happens and want to make a good impression the next time you’re visiting a cat, try this way to make eye contact with cats that is not considered threatening: once you briefly make eye contact, proceed with a nice slow blink. This is considered a non-threatening and even friendly behavior among cats that signifies a calm and trusting state. Some cat will even “blink” back to let you know that they are relaxed as well. Hang back a little and let the kitty choose to interact with you; you’ll have their permission to admire you in no time.