As a cat moves forward in the dark, the glowing eyes to have a magnetic, almost hypnotic quality that people find fascinating. What is it about a cat’s eyes that causes this reaction in both children and adults? Why don’t human eyes appear as riveting?

In some ways a cat’s eyes are formed exactly like a human eye. They have an iris, a cornea, and a pupil. The iris, or colored part of the eye can be a variety of colors, ranging from green, to yellow, orange, or blue. Some cats even seem to have copper or lavender colored irises. Cats may also have two different colored eyes which gives an odd appearance.

Cats can see fine in both normal and dim light because of some special features found in their eyes. Their pupils narrow in bright light, protecting their eyes by lessening the light allowed through. In dim light, the opposite occurs. The pupils widen so that all of the available light may enter the eye. All cats have a third eyelid. This is found in the inner corner of each eye. It serves as an added protection and also aids in lubricating the eye.

Another special feature of the cat’s eye that is not found in a human eye is the tapetum lucidum. This structure acts almost like a mirror to reflect light. It helps a cat to see as the light dims. It is also the reason a cat’s eyes shine so brightly as it moves through the dusk.