==== ==== Tips for Living With a Blind Cat................Check it Out: http://blindcats.com ==== ====
The cat's eyes have always been one of the animal's most appealing features. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians believed that, at night, the sun was placed into the eyes of cats for safekeeping and, looking at a cat's eyes, it's not hard to see why. Essentially, cats' eyes are no different to human eyes; they have exactly the same components. However, over the millennia, cats' eyes have evolved to make it a more efficient hunter. Therefore, they are not only stunningly beautiful, but also incredibly sophisticated and amazingly powerful. The Cat's Night-Vision One of the most extraordinary things about a cat's eyes is their effectiveness at night. A cat's ability to see in the dark is highly evolved and comes from the animals need to hunt at night when its prey is either more active or simply less wary of predators. The retina of a cat, like a human retina, is made of rods and cones. The rods are used in low-level light, whereas the cones are used to identify colors. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cat has an extremely large number of rods to increase its sight at night. However, the cat also has another secret weapon: tapetum lucidum, which is a lightreflecting membrane found behind the retina. With the tapetum lucidum and extra rods required for better night-vision, it is little wonder that our feline friends can find their way around so confidently in the dark. Are Cats Color Blind? It has been a long held belief that cats, and dogs for that matter, are color blind. In fact, recent research has proven that cats can indeed identify colors, but not as effectively as the human eye. Interestingly, the increased number of rods in the feline retina results in a reduction in the number of cones, which means that what a cat gains in low-level light vision, it loses in color recognition. Of course, it is very difficult to judge just what colors a cat can and cannot see, but it is currently thought that a cat can easily identify yellows, greens and blues. However, the feline eye is unable to process red and some shades of brown and orange (the same is though to be true of dogs). Are Cats Myopic? Near or short sightedness is another feature of a cat's sight that is not as highly evolved. Like many animals, a cat's ability to focus on objects at distance is by no means excellent. However, an object, at any distance, which moves, can be seen. Therefore, here again we see one aspect of vision making up for another. After all, in the wild, a cat has very little use for focusing on
stationary objects in the distance. On the other hand, movement perception is incredibly important for the predator. Caring for Your Cat's Eyes Unfortunately, domestic cats are susceptible to a number of eye problems. Therefore, owners should be on the look out for symptoms, such as discharge from the eye, redness, cloudiness and watering. In addition, as domestic cats reach a ripe old age, loss of vision can begin to cause issues. If your cat is beginning to lose its vision, you will notice the eyes become bulged or sunken; alternatively, your cat may squint frequently. Of course, an annual veterinary check-up will include an eye examination, so problems can be caught and, where possible, treated. However, if you notice any of the above symptoms it is wise to seek the immediate assistance of a vet, because they may be indicative of other health concerns. Cats' eyes have evolved to make the feline species an effective and efficient hunting machine. All cats' eyes are incredibly beautiful, but they are also fascinating in their development and sophistication.
==== ==== Tips for Living With a Blind Cat................Check it Out: http://blindcats.com ==== ====