Page 34 - Creature Companion, September 2020

FELINE MATTER

THOSE

CAPTIVATING

CAT EYES

By Dr Reeja George P.*

hose captivating glimmering structure seen between the eyeball will help your cat in retaining its
limpid pools of blue, green, and inner corner of the lower eyelid. vision. So be alert and watch out if
Tyellow, orange and a host of The third eyelid ensures that your you see your cat blinking frequently,
other colours can be quite bewitching! cat’s eye is kept moist always, which means that her eyes have
A cat’s eye, especially when she besides cats also use it to cover their become extra sensitive to light, or
gazes lovingly at you, can literally eye ball as a protective measure if you see any discharge around her

carry one into another world. Just as when they fight with other cats. Cats eyes. She may also try to rub her

in humans, taking care of your cat’s are additionally endowed with a eyes and sometimes find it diffi cult
eyes will ensure that your fl uffy ball special tissue inside their eyes called to move about as she usually would
of joy will have a good quality of life. the tapetum lucidum that absorbs have done. Vision problems may
excess light and makes your cat’s eye also be signalled by her diffi culty in
HOW IS YOUR CAT’S EYE six times more sensitive to light as fi nding things that she commonly
DIFFERENT FROM YOURS? compared to yours. uses, such as her litter box or her
Over the time and through normal food bowl; she may move around in a
process of evolution, a cat’s eye HEALTHY CAT EYES clumsy manner bumping into things
has developed unique features that Generally, your cat’s eyes will be and find it difficult to run up a fl ight

enable it to have clear indoor and bright and clear and those pupils – of stairs. All these are signs that she
outdoor vision. The way it functions those black slits within the coloured may have problems with her eyes
in general is very similar to a human part of the eye – will be of equal and she should be seeing her vet as
eye especially with regard to basic size. The inner parts of eyelids will soon as possible.
functions. However, there are some have a healthy pinkish hue and the
differences that are unique to a cat’s third eyelid will be intact and not CAUSES OF EYE PROBLEMS
eye so that it can improve its success protruding out. There are quite a variety of causes
rate while catching a prey and also that could cause an eye infection in
escape any danger lurking in the SIGNS OF TROUBLE a cat. The main causes are infectious
dark. Two features of a cat’s eye It’s always important to watch out in nature and include viruses like the
stand out as distinct from a human for tell tale signs of eye problems in Feline Herpes Virus (FHV), the Feline
eye – First is the presence of a ‘third your cat because in many cases if Leukaemia Virus (FeLV), the Feline
eyelid’ that is a pale membrane like you seek help from a vet early, you Immuno Deficiency Virus (FIDV) and

34 Creature Companion | SEPTEMBER 2020 • VOL. XIII • ISSUE 7 • NOIDA