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Your cat's eyes

Posted Wed, Apr 30, 2008, 10:15 pm PDT

Your cat's eyes are more than just beautiful; they're exquisite sensory tools. Here are some interesting facts.

There's a reflective layer at the back of the eye. It reflects light that wasn't absorbed at first pass. This layer provides about 40% more efficiency. When you drive at night and come across that glow in the dark look in an animal's eyes due to your headlight beam, that's the work of the reflective layer.
Cats have a 285 degree visual field. Ours is 210 degree.
Movements across a cat's visual field are easier to see than movements heading toward him.
The prey drive is triggered by movements going away from him.
The pupil can open wider and constrict more tightly than a human's because the light path to the retina is shorter.
Cats can't see in total darkness but they can see in low-light conditions that humans consider totally dark.
Cats have limited color vision. They see blues, grays, yellows, and greens. Their eyes are geared for movement rather than color since prey tends to appear during low-light conditions.
A third eyelid, called the nictitating membrane sits hidden in the lower corner. Its purpose is to shield the eye from injury. When a cat walks through brush or twigs, the third eyelid unfolds to cover the eye. The nictitating membrane is very sheer so the cat can still see. The third eyelid also is visible when the eye is injured or when a cat is sick. In a healthy cat the eyelid isn't very visible. If you notice it staying in the unfolded position, it could mean your cat is ill or injured. A trip to the veterinarian is necessary.

For more information refer to the book, Starting from Scratch.

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26 Comments

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1. KayKay - 10:13AM on 05/01/08

interesting information on cats eyes. a lot of it i knew but some of it i didn't. its good to know more about my cats eyes.
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2. VINCE - 10:46AM on 05/01/08

MY CATS LEFT PUPIL IS A MILKY COLOR RATHER THAN BLACK.IS HE BLIND IN THAT EYE?
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3. Lynn V - 12:45PM on 05/01/08

I'm giving our cat Pebbles who is 17 years old, eye medicine. She was getting stuff in the corner of her eyes , and it seems to be clearing it out. With the help of my husband, she is tolerating it well.
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4. willow - 3:47PM on 05/01/08

TO VINCE, SOUNDS LIKE YOUR CAT HAS A CATARACT
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5. taowright - 5:45AM on 05/02/08

Love cats. My kitty gets a mild infection in one eye from time to time -- got medicine from the vet to place in the infected eye & it clears up rapidly. He doesn't like when I administer the medicine, but it really works.
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6. fabeatty1 - 6:41AM on 05/02/08

Doesn't this third eyelid also show when cats are sleeping and their eyes appear to be open? I know I have seen this in more than just my cats.
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7. Barbara W - 6:54AM on 05/02/08

My cat has beautiful eyes - one yellow and one blue !! I don't see that much in cats. Does anyone else have a cat like this??
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8. Karen S - 10:36AM on 05/02/08

As a cat ages, what can go wrong with the eyes? My Jonesy's eye's look like the edges of the color are crinckled? He is about 9 yrs old.
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9. longjon - 3:40PM on 05/02/08

My Persian mix has had a discharge from her right eye, and stains her white fur brown. We try to clean that area. Is there a reason for the discharge and is there a way to cure it?
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10. Jessica B - 6:41PM on 05/02/08

interesting article. i knew some of this too but some was new to me too :) to longjon: certain breeds are prone to 'runny eyes'... i believe persians are one of them. you can use eye wipes from the petstore, or they sell drops too. a cotton ball in warm water or saline solution works well too. vince: i would definately have the vet check your cats eye. i hope he's okay! if it is infected, the vet can prescribe drops.
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11. John E - 8:22AM on 05/03/08

Thanks Jessica, for your advice.
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12. kelly C - 10:42AM on 05/03/08

To Karen S. My cat has the same thing. Her eye color crinkles. It doen't seem to effect her vision. She is 16 and still fiesty.
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13. james.dunn@snet.net - 11:25AM on 05/03/08

This isn't so much a comment, as it is a question to a forum I feel might know the answer. The question being, what does "puffing" mean; as in a human on friendly terms with a cat exhaling breath into the cat's face -- I think. I read about it (but it had no explanation) in an old story about a human and a cheetah in Africa. My curiosity is piqued, can you help? Thanks ahead of time. Jim
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14. freeatlastbob - 1:05PM on 05/03/08

It is truely amazing all the things that cats' eyes can do. We think their vision is less than ours because they don't see color but their's is much more amazing. My cat has the most beautiful greenish-blue eyes and knowing what they can do makes them even more amazing.
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15. caroldesk - 6:51AM on 05/04/08

anyone want to comment on why one of my cats puts his paws in the water bowl while drinking and the other tips it off the slight edge before drinking? Maybe it's because they don't see the water?
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16. kimg1971@sbcglobal.net - 5:59PM on 05/04/08

my 15 year old calico is blind in both eyes. She gets around ok and sleeps alot. The vet said its like macular degeneration is in people. Its nothing I did or could have prevented. I love her so much Its hard to see her like this But we get along.
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17. DM - 3:48PM on 05/05/08

I never knew that about the limited color vision! One of my cats loved a blue feather boa toy...so much so, that she had pretty much stripped it bare. I bought her another, but she wasn't interested...it was hot pink. I thought she wasn't interested because it didn't have her scent on or something. A year or two later, I bought another one and she started playing with it...it was BLUE! I had always heard cats only saw black, white and grey, so I didn't make the connection.
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18. barrking - 11:12AM on 05/06/08

DM- That's funny because I bought my cats (3) a couple of different feathered toys. They won't play with the purple or blue ones, but go nuts over the hot pink and red ones!! I think it's just cats being finicky cats!
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19. texasrosie - 10:03AM on 05/08/08

cats get cataracts just like humans and so do dogs. my little dog has one on each eye ,we took him to the vet,he scrapped them and they are as good as new.it was 75.00 but well worth it.he had to stay inside for about a week but after that he was fine. still is and he is 19 human years old!
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20. catcrazymamma - 7:50PM on 05/08/08

My beautiful long-haired domestic has the biggest green eyes I've ever seen on any cat or human for that matter. I heard that as cats get older, they can lose some of their sight and get disoriented if it's too dark. I always keep a night light on so my elderly cats can see.
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21. theinsideinfo - 4:48AM on 05/25/08

I don't know for sure, but I think of the 'puffing' as the smae as a sigh in humans.
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22. Lady M - 8:55PM on 05/25/08

hi everybody.what fruits are poisonous to animals? is it ok to give a cat fruit? my babygirl meows like crazy every time i open a can of fruit cocktail and she tries to snatch the pieces off my spoon . she also likes iced tea and flavored waters. my babyboy likes oatmeal, broccoli and string beans and will only drink water from the faucets in the sink or tub.
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23. horphan - 4:30PM on 05/27/08

Lady M, I don't know about poisonous, but cats are obligate carnivores and should have meat. Cats in the wild eat meat, not fruit cocktail or grains of any type. Cats bodies are built to process meat and cannot digest fruit/grains properly. My cat became diabetic from eating things that he did not "need" but liked. Thankfully with alot of hard work he's been in remission since January. Now his diet consists ONLY of low-carb wet cat food. Any extras and his diabetes will come back. Just trying to help, good luck!
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24. Anna - 6:15AM on 05/31/08

Fro general nutrtional care for Cat's or Dog's or other Critter's eyes; Fish Oil drops or Cod liver oil drops on feed; use fish oil in summer and cod liver oil in winter for vitamins A and D... one or two fish oil or fish liver drops a month or try canned sardines or salmon; eggs; tuna do the cod liver oil once a week; fish oil per day. Fish oil prevents dry eye;
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25. catmando - 8:35AM on 06/02/08

My male cat is 17.5 years old and he sees colors as 3D objects. I know he recognizes red as well as the other colors mentioned because I have seen him do it. I put down newspapers under the food dishes. Sometimes there is a color ad in the middle of all the gray tones. He will walk to it and jump back, then come forward and inspect.
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26. flowergirl706 - 3:58PM on 07/13/08

I love cats and I really do wish I could have one, we just don't have any room for one at my house. Besides, we've got a bird and a baby, so I should wait. I hear cats aren't good with babies.
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