The Wondrous Workings of the Extraordinary Eyes of a Curious Cat
A cat's field of vision is approximately 186 degrees, and as a result, these felines have excellent peripheral vision. It has been said that if the humans eyes were as large in relation to body size as is the case with a cat's eyes, they would be eight inches long. Because of the large size of cat's eyes, cats have keen vision when it comes to objects that are far away, but when it comes to things that are up close, a cat's sight is somewhat fuzzy or blurry. This farsightedness that cats experience explains why they cannot see directly beneath their noses and have to rely on their acute sense of smell for objects and creatures in close proximity.
Contrary to popular belief, cats are not colorblind, but rather, they are not able to see the wide variety of colors that we humans can. This phenomenon is due to the fact that cat's eyes have more rods and fewer cones than are present in the eyes of a human. However, as a result of the larger abundance of rods in the eyes, cats see motion more precisely than we humans do.
A cat's eye also contains a third, inner eyelid that is called a "nictating membrane." This eye covering helps to protect the eye from dryness and/or damage. If a cat is sick or in poor health, this membrane will close, and you need to seek medical attention for your cat as soon as possible.
The iris muscles surrounding the pupil control how the cat's eye reacts to the amount of light that is available in the cat's environment. When there is a bright light present, the pupils will narrow to a vertical slit; when there is not much light existing, they will open widely. Both pupils should be the same size, and if you notice that one pupil is reacting differently than the other, you should take your cat to see the vet right away, for the variation of the pupil size in the one eye can indicate a possible poor health condition.
Cats only need 1/6 of the amount of light that we need to see; however, they are not able to see in total darkness. Cats are able to see better in the dark than we humans. The reason for this is because their eyes have a reflective layer behind their retinas called the "tapetum lucidum." The tapetum lucidum reflects the light that comes into the eye and bounces it back off of the cones that are present in the cat's eye. This process allows the cat's eyes to make the most of the light that exists. The presence of the tapetum lucidum is believed to be the reason why cat's eyes appear to "glow" in the dark.
Cats utilize their eyes for a multitude of purposes. The pupil size of the eyes can indicate the cat's mood. If a cat is angry, he will have narrowed pupils; if he is excited or frightened, his pupils will be large, and his eyes will be wide open. It has been observed that when a cat is mellow and happy, the color of his irises appears to be a shade darker than normal.
Cats use their eyes to communicate with us and others of their kind as well as to intimidate their prey. If your cat gives you a long stare and then slowly blinks at you, he is giving you what is known as a "kitty kiss." If you stare and blink back, your cat will return the response in most cases.
If your cat is not feeling well or is ill, his eyes will be one of the first signs to tell. Cats that are sick usually have dull or glazed eyes, and if you notice this with your own cat's eyes, please take him to see the vet right away.
The eyes of a cat are beautiful in appearance and marvelous in the ways that they work and function. It is easy to see why so many of us have been taken in and fallen in love with these extraordinary creatures known as cats - as I have always told my husband, it is all about the eyes.
Sources:
Franny Syufy, "In a Cat's Eyes", About.com
Franny Syufy, ""In The Eyes Of a Cat", About.com
Franny Syufy, "What Makes Cats Work? ", About.com
Marcella Durand, "Insight into Your Cat's Eyesight," KATC.com
Published by Ruth Carter
Ruth is a homeschooling mother of three and the wife of a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student. She holds a Master s degree in counseling and has worked in a number of different settings with a varie... View profile
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