"Teenage" Kitten and Slow Blinking?

[NewYork1303]

Today my fiance and I were discussing the way cats slow blink. Our adult cat, Carrot, is big on slow blinking at us. He will initiate it or if we slow blink at him he'll do it back. 

We have a nine month old kitten as well. She does not slow blink back most of the time. She usually doesn't slow blink at us either. Usually if she does, it is because she is cuddling sleepily. Is this some angsty teenager thing? 

  or does it have something to do with her learned social skills in general?

 

[rpandcat]

I hope it's a learned thing.

My cat doesn't do the slow blink thing at all--she never has. And when I do it at her, she's doesn't even seem to notice.

She hasn't been around other cats since she was weaned, basically. And I know she loves me there's plenty of other signs...

 

[donutte]

I always figure different cats show love in different ways.

Lucky did pretty much everything out there that was said to be a sign the cat loved you. Some of it though, he didn't really do until he got up there in years. He didn't start "gumming" me until he was 14 (I really, REALLY miss that btw). I know the slow blinking thing went on for some time, not sure how long it was before he actually did it though. I think it was some time after we moved, so probably at least 7 or 8 (maybe older).

Sara doesn't slow blink. She stares at you and drools on you. Yes, that's how she shows love.

 

[NewYork1303]

Its good to know that slow blinking is not universal. I'm actually surprised my older cat does it at all.  He was raised by humans not cats. 

My kitten only ever slow blinks once in a while but she has taken to grooming me vigorously when she cuddles with me.