Never Returns my Slow Blink
So my cat is about 13 years. I've had him since approximately 9 months (he was a stray who followed me home while I was living in NC, and he kept coming back so I kept him and moved him with me to CO). I don't doubt - this cat loves me. He hasn't been allowed outside since before he tore his CCL, which has been about 2 years. He was also indoor only unless on our 2nd level patio while I lived in an apartment for a year.
None of that really matters though. I love this cat, and he loves me. I know because every time I come home, even if he's been fed, he always seeks me out. Since his dog sibling died (I adopted them around the same time), he's been even more loving and since her passing (the passing of my ride or die), he has stepped in and become my ride or die. If I'm home, 90% of the time he's by my side. If I'm sleeping, he's curled up to my feet until I change positions, and then he'll leave for 5-10 min before coming back to curl up with me again. He is super fractious if I take him to work for anything (I'm a vet tech, and he's almost bitten me twice at work while working on him), so we basically have to anesthetize him for anything we have to do because he has about a 1 min timer before he starts trying to hurt people working on him.
But the point is - this cat has never slow blinked me IN HIS LIFE. I've done it to him multiple times, and he just stares at me. Even if I'm giving him scritches and he's purring his ass off. I know slow blinks mean cats are safe and comfortable around you, but could a refusal for the slow blinks mean he feels dominate over me? Especially since he'll attack me at work if I'm working on him? It's not an issue, I know who my cat is, have for 12+ years, I'm just curious if anyone knows if a refusal for a slow blink is some sort of domination tactic given that he constantly gives me signs he loves and adores me? Or am I just overthinking everything?