Cats "tilt their heads" to look at you, mainly because when cats are curious about a sound, they tend to tilt their heads to better locate and hear the source of the sound. This behavior is part of a cat's hearing system and helps them detect and identify objects.

Secondly, if a cat looks sideways at its owner when playing with it, it is probably expressing itself curiosity and intimacy. If a cat bends its ears when turning its head sideways, it means it is in attack mode and is warning other cats or people to stay away.