The Secrets of Cat Eyes: 10 Surprising Facts🐱
Hey cat lovers! They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and this holds true for cat eyes, which, like cats themselves, are full of surprising secrets. That’s why we thought it would be fun to share some amazing facts about cat eyes.
1. Cats Have Excellent Night Vision
Cats can see much better in the dark than humans, thanks to several unique mechanisms in their eyes. Cats have vertical pupils, increased rods, and a tapetum lucidum, all of which contribute to their enhanced night vision. These features allow them to see clearly with just 1/6th of the light that humans need. This is an evolutionary adaptation that helped their ancestors hunt in low-light conditions like dawn, dusk, or nighttime. Even though domestic cats no longer rely on hunting as much, they still retain this incredible ability to see in the dark.
2. Cats Have Vertical Pupils
Unlike humans, who have circular pupils, cats have vertical pupils that resemble slits. This is another evolutionary trait that aids in hunting by giving them more control over the light entering their eyes. Vertical pupils can adjust size more quickly than circular ones, making cats more adaptable to changes in lighting, which is particularly useful when hunting in low-light conditions.
3. Cat Eyes Glow in the Dark
If you've ever noticed your cat's eyes glowing in the dark, it’s because of a layer behind their retinas called the tapetum lucidum. This reflective layer bounces light back into the retina, allowing the eyes to absorb more light in dim conditions. This gives cats better night vision. Many other animals, particularly predators, have this reflective layer, though some prey animals like deer and cattle also possess it to help detect predators.
4. Cats Are Great at Detecting Motion
Cats are highly sensitive to movement, which enhances their hunting skills. The rods in their eyes help them pick up even the tiniest movements, and their flicker fusion rate—70 images per second—lets them detect more motion than humans, who perceive around 50 images per second. This quick detection of movement is essential in their natural hunting instincts.
5. Cats Have More Peripheral Vision Than Humans
A cat’s field of view is 200°, compared to a human’s 180°. This wider scope allows them to see more of their surroundings without moving their heads. However, their peripheral vision isn’t as extensive as some other animals like chameleons, which have a 360° field of vision.
6. Cats Have Three Eyelids
Cats have an extra eyelid, called the **nictitating membrane**, which most mammals—including dogs, beavers, and polar bears—also have. This third eyelid helps keep their eyes moisturized, clean, and protected. You can often see this membrane when your cat is falling asleep, as it closes over their eyes before the upper and lower eyelids shut.
7. Cats Are Midsighted
Despite their sharp reflexes and enhanced vision in the dark, cats are not as visually acute as humans. Their visual acuity is between 20/100 and 20/200, meaning what humans can see from 200 feet, cats need to be 20 feet away to see clearly. Cats are also unable to focus on objects too close, with an ideal viewing distance of 2 to 6 meters.
8. Cats See Colors Differently
While cats are also trichromats like humans, meaning they have three types of cones (blue, green, and red), they don't perceive colors as richly as we do. Cats have fewer cones, which limits their color vision. Some scientists believe cats may not perceive red well, and it could appear more like green or blue to them.
9. Cats Are Born Blind
All kittens are born blind with their eyes tightly shut. Their ear canals are also closed, making them entirely dependent on their mothers for the first few weeks of life. After one to two weeks, a kitten's eyes and ears begin to open, though their eyesight remains poor for a while. This vulnerability early in life is common among predators who give birth to multiple offspring at once, unlike herd animals that birth more developed, sighted offspring.
10. Cats Blink Much Less Than Humans
Cats blink much less than humans because they don’t need to blink as often to keep their eyes moisturized. Cats can go hours without blinking, and when they do, it often looks more like a slow squint than a full blink. This ability to focus on prey without blinking is another evolutionary trait that has made cats effective hunters.