Wild cats are dangerous, sure. But that does not mean we can’t admire their cuteness from a safe distance! And how could we not? In so many ways, wild cats like lions and tigers are just giant house cats. If you have ever seen a video of one of these creatures playing with toys at a zoo, you are probably not surprised. But one lion from Utah’s Hogle Zoo may be one of the sweetest of them all.
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In this video, the lion is not playing. On the contrary, he is acting pretty chill, resting near the water in his enclosure. There are people nearby, but he doesn’t mind. In fact, he is rather content with his human company. This is something he expresses through what we call “slow blinks.” See for yourself in the video below!
@hoglezoo Winter sun just hits different ☀️😌 #utahshoglezoo #hoglezoo #fyp #wintersun #sunshine #utah #zoo ♬ beans – yawn.
Even if you have a pet cat yourself, there is a good chance you have never heard about “slow blinks” before. But the name pretty much summarizes it — this refers to when a cat blinks particularly slow at a human or fellow cat. But what does it mean, exactly?
This Lion’s Slow Blinks Are an Indication of His Comfort and Cuteness
“The slow blink is a sign of trust,” Cristin Tamburo, a certified feline behavior consultant explains. “Your cat is showing that they are relaxed and comfortable in your presence.”
But house cats are not the only ones who exhibit this adorable behavior, as this Utah zoo has shown. Even wild cats use the method of slow blinking to indicate trust and comfort. When you consider how vital it is for felines in the wild to remain aware of their surroundings, this makes their slow blinks all-the-more meaningful. And adorable, of course!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
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