- Cat eyes can be so expressive.
Cat eyes can be so expressive and tell you so much. They can gaze directly at you and if you’re not used to it, this can be quite disconcerting. When cats are angry their eyes change completely and almost appear to flash. I’ve heard that if your cat gazes into your eyes it can be likened to a ‘cat kiss’. I know that when Cassie looks at me steadily I feel very warm and privileged.
Your cat’s eyesight is really much sharper than ours. I’m sure you’ve seen cats catching a mouse you can’t even see. Their eyesight, along with their keen sense of smell gives them this ability to catch prey. Cats have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. This inner eyelid protects the eyes from harm such as scratches and also from dryness. When a cat is sick, this membrane will somewhat close so if you notice this, call your vet. The pupil of your cat’s eyes can also tell a story.
If you notice that one pupil is larger or smaller than the other then it can be an indication of inflammation. It can also be a the sign of a neurological disorder called Horner’s Syndrome. If you notice this, take your cat to the vet as soon as possible. Cats are not totally color blind as they can see some color.
- Notice the difference in the pupils of this cat’s eyes compared to the picture above.
They certainly don’t see as clearly as we do, but their eyes are very sharp and can pick up tiny movements. I have read that cats have much better long distance vision than we do and this becomes obvious
when they spot their prey. The reason they they ‘lose’ the mouse when it escapes from their paws is because their close up vision is much more blurry. When they are this close they use their sense of smell.
Cats have some nocturnal vision but they are unable to see in complete darkness. The muscles on their iris that surround the pupils of their eyes are constructed similarly to ours in that they narrow into a vertical split when they are exposed in the bright lights and open fully when cats are in dim light. If you notice any problems with your cat’s eyes, call the vet immediately. You wouldn’t want your cat to lose their sight.
They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. This is certainly true for cat eyes as well.
