Why do cats stare at the wall or stare at literally nothing?
I can’t count the number of times I caught the cat staring at the wall or into space. Sometimes at night he would stare out into the yard, so much so that I would go outside to investigate, thinking that the cat was looking at a burglar (yes, I’m a scaredy cat). There was never a burglar.
He was more likely to be looking at an insect or some movement that caught his eye.
Cats’ vision and hearing are more acute than ours in different ways. Maybe he was checking out something important to him, like a moth not a burglar.
| Reasons Why Cats Stare At The Wall |
|---|
| Is It Normal For A Cat To Stare At The Wall? |
| 1. Vision |
| 2. Hearing |
| 3. Head Pressing Against A Wall |
| 4. Hyperesthesia Syndrome |
Is It Normal For A Cat To Stare At The Wall?
Just like dogs, cats have different personalities. Sometimes I think that non cat owners think that all cats are the same but it is not so. Some cats never stare at walls, or show a remote interest in staring at walls.
Why Do Cats Stare At The Wall?
1. Vision
Your cat may be looking at something on the wall that you are unaware of.
We tend to have a quick glance at the wall and see nothing. The cat, however, might be looking at that tiny, almost undetectable bit of spider web, a reflection or even a tiny insect.
Cats can’t necessarily see in the dark as the popular saying goes, but their sight is six times better in low light than humans. The structure of cats eyes is discussed in more detail in this article in the MSD Veterinary Manual.
Households with more than one cat report that one cat will be staring at the wall as though his life depends on it, whereas the other cat pays no attention at all.
2. Hearing
When the cat is staring at the wall, it is a possible and plausible theory that he is hearing some noise from within the wall cavity that we simply cannot hear.
Cats do have an acute sense of hearing. We may not think this is true as they often choose to ignore us, unless there is something in it for them.
Come to think of it, my family is a bit like this too.
This research studied the hearing range of domestic cats. The results were as follows
The behavioral audiograms of two cats were determined in order to establish the upper and lower hearing limits for the cat. The hearing range of the cat for sounds of 70 dB SPL extends from 48 Hz to 85 kHz, giving it one of the broadest hearing ranges among mammals. Analysis suggests that cats evolved extended high-frequency hearing without sacrifice of low-frequency hearing.
As an approximate comparison, a human’s hearing range is typically 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Cats have far better hearing than humans.
Conditions That Need Veterinarian Attention
3. Head Pressing Against A Wall
Cats do like to headbunt or headbutt, and this is a harmless activity. However, head pressing against a wall requires medical intervention.
This article discusses headbunting and the clear difference between head bunting and head pressing.
This article gives more information about the medical condition that occurs when the cat presses its head against the wall. This is entirely different from sitting still and staring at the wall. The article has sound advice, but as always, ask a veterinarian if you have immediate concerns.
Does Your cat Knock Things Off Tables?
4. Hyperesthesia Syndrome
Although not specifically related to why do cats stare at the wall, this syndrome does correlate with the cat showing signs of unusual behavior and it may include staring into space.
Rather than exhibiting one unusual behavior such as staring at the wall, it is usually characterized by a group of behaviors that are not normal for the cat and may include:
- Excessive grooming
- Staring into space
- Salivation
- Vocalization
For in-depth information, this article from Cornell University – Veterinarian Medicine gives information that is helpful for anyone worried about unusual cat behavior.
As much as we would like an easily explained answer, it appears that there isn’t that one thing that causes wall staring in cats.
It is impossible for us as humans to relate to the acute hearing and night vision that cats have.
Other Common Cat behaviors Explained
If only we could put ourselves into the cat’s shoes for a few minutes, we would probably have more cat behavior answers
