Why do a cat's eyes glow at night?
 

Is there something in their eyes that makes them glow when it's dark and there's even the faintest of light that hits them?

I'm wondering, because I took a picture of one of my pets with the flash on when it was kinda dark on the room, and I noticed it's eyes were glowing alot in this particular picture...

You do know that they can see in the dark right?

Obviously this cat is possesed.

I think they "glow" because of the coating of something in the back of their eyes that helps absorb all the light they can when it's dark.

Yes, but I'm asking what it is that's in their eyes that makes them glow when light is shone on them, not if they can see in the dark or not... :p

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...um&btnG=Search

Tom

The back of the inside of their eye (I forget what it's called) is reflective, which means they pick up an image several times and thus gives them far better vision in the dark.

You'll probably find that in Tom's lik, as well.

Kind of like nightvision...

Is Neo from the Matrix originally named "Thomas"?

so cars don't crash in the dark :D

or, actually it's because...oh sod it first answer was better :D

Retina.

**** on the money, the Tapetum Lucidum is what causes the glow seen in the eyes of cats and other animals. It is a reflective surface within in the cavitiy of the eye which reflects additional light on to the retina, thus improving vision in low light.

If you ever take an Comparative Vertebrate course in college you will get to see this nifty adaptation 1st hand.

http://sciences.aum.edu/bi/BI2110/cadams/eye25m.jpg

Oh god I think I'm going to puke...

Does it ever glow in any other colors besides the warm colors (Red-yellow)?

That is one freaky cat.

Hmm... graphic.

:up:

That's the one!

The retina is the surface laden with rods and cones (not all animals have cones, cats do have them but in lower numbers then us) which registers the light and tranferes it through the optic nerve to the brain. It however does not create a signifigant reflection, for if it did we too would produce the glow. Alas we homo sapiens do not have the tapium lucidum (unless your name is Riddik) which is the source of this reflection, as depicted above.


The red glow we produce typically requires flash photagraphy which is preformed in low light where our pupils are most dialated. The red is the reflection of blood vessles in our retina.

Just depends on the light refraction at the time. If you look at human pictures, sometimes our eyes are red or looks white. Although a red "glow" actually is a sign of healthy eyes. White usually means there are cataracts. :)

Red eye rocks...It makes me look possessed... :D

The demon possesed in Doom III's eyes glow.

And we have a third eyelid!:D
We hunt best and dusk and dawn! We have vertical slit pupils for sun control! Oh and we're

I'll shamelessly plug one of my photos in here...

^Stunning! He married?(*winky, winky*)

hmm, wonder if there's a way we could have surgery to put it in....that would be awesome :p

Why do a cat's eyes glow at night?

The cat has a flashlight stuck up its ass!

As far as I know, no. Come over and I'll introduce you two.

O.O *grooms self profusely*