Cats' eyes glow in the dark because of a membrane called the tapetum lucidum that reflects light. This same feature makes flash photography harmful to their eyes, and it's also why their eye color varies.
The eyes of many predators in the animal kingdom glow in the dark, and cats are no exception. But why does this happen? In this video by an animal expert, we will answer these questions and explain why cats eyes glow. Don't miss it. Cat VISION to understand where the glow comes from, it is necessary to first review how cats see. Light is the most important element, since it must pass through the different parts of the eye to form the image that the brain perceives. To summarize, it first passes through the cornea, then through the iris and the pupil. Depending on the intensity of the light, the pupil increases or decreases in size. If there is a lot of light, the pupil takes the shape of a narrow vertical line, while if there is little light, the pupil appears completely rounded. After reaching the pupil, the light reflection continues its course to the crystalline lens, which is responsible for focusing the object. It then reaches the retina, so that all the information it collects can be sent to the brain. When this information arrives, the cat is aware of what it sees. This entire process occurs in a fraction of a second and is the same in cats and humans. So why do cats eyes glow in the dark and ours don't? Because in the anatomy of the cat's eye, we find an additional structure called the tapetum lucidum. What is the tapetum lucidum? It is a membrane located at the back of the eye and responsible for reflecting light back to the retina. In this way, the cat can capture even the smallest ray of light in the environment. In the dark, the cat needs to capture as much light as possible, and for this reason, its pupils dilate until they occupy almost the entire eye. Once dilated and the previous process has been carried out, the tapetum lucidum absorbs the light, reflects it back and causes the cat's eyes to glow. Thus we can understand that the glow is nothing more than the product of the light itself. That the cat's eye has been able to perceive this same membrane is what allows them to see in the dark much better than here humans. Thanks to this evolution in their vision, cats are excellent nocturnal hunters. Can the brightness of their eyes be different colors? The truth is yes. And the responsible for these variations in tones is once again the tapetum lucidum membrane. This membrane contains riboflavin and zinc, and depending on the amount of these elements present, the color of the brightness of the eyes will be one or another. In addition, the breed and physical characteristics of the cat also influence the coloration, so that the variation is also linked to the phenotype. Thus, we can see cats with greenish, reddish or yellowish reflections. In general, cats with light colored coats and blue eyes are the ones that have red reflections. Your cat's eyes shine in flash photographs. Now that you know why cats eyes shine, you will also understand why yours always comes out with red, green or yellow eyes in flash photographs. For this reason, we recommend avoiding taking this type of photo since the reflection of light emitted by the camera's flash can be very annoying for the animal. What did you think of this video? Did you know the answer? If you liked it, don't forget to give it a like and subscribe to our channel. Until next time, experts.
