Cats and their Unique Eyes

During the day cats usually have a very thin or normal sized pupils but when night-time comes their pupils are big and wide. A cat’s pupil is very unique and different from a humans pupil. It has the ability to open fully or close to a mere slit based on the amount of light. A cat can see so well at night because of a special organ called the tapetum lucidum. The function of the organ amplifies the amount of light that reaches the retina. Also, cats have a wide field of vision and can see 200 degrees, while humans can only see 180 degrees. Their wide field of vision helps cats when they hunt and to be alert of anything that comes their way. Although cats have a better pupil than humans, they can only see certain colors. They can’t see the colors orange, red, or brown but cats can distinguish blue colors the best. The eye has adapted so it can help the cat hunt its prey such as  mice, birds, and any fast-moving animal. Also, a cat’s division is sharpest when it’s two to three feet from the face. The reason why a cat must get up close to its prey is because it can’t see it from a distance. Another interesting thing about the cat’s eye is it has three eyelids. The eye has an inner membrane that moves horizontally and keeps the eye hydrated. Some of the different colors of a cat’s eye are blue, green, gold, or copper. Blue-eyed cats get their blue color because they don’t have any pigment cells in their irises. Usually there is little relation between a cat’s fur and eye color.

Cats Just Love to Hunt

Many cats love to hunt and are evolutionary specialized for hunting. Their fast and nimble legs help them catch insects or rodents. Cats are also very sneaky and quiet so their victim never sees them coming. Some things cats hunt and kill are birds, mice, rats, lizards, and insects. Cats are carnivores and can’t taste sugars so they don’t eat a lot plants. Multiple times my cat caught monarch butterflies and loved to play with them since they have gigantic wings and fly. Most of the time cats leave the victim they caught in front of the door for the owner as a “gift”. I think its pretty disgusting since we have to clean up the dead bird or rat. One time my cat caught a rat and only left the head, tail, and heart. In the wild, cat mothers teach their babies how to eat their food by bringing home a dead or injured prey. Usually that’s why cats don’t eat the prey they caught and just leave it near the door. Sometimes cats won’t kill the prey, but they will play with it for entertainment. Cats have such big ears that help them with picking up faint sounds for hunting. Also, the sense of smell helps guide the cat to their prey. Even though cats sleep a lot, they have a lot of energy and love to be in the outdoors.