Why Cats’ Eyes Glow in the Dark - SciTechDaily
The same thing that makes their eyes glow helps cats see better in dim light. Cats and many other animals, including most dogs, can reflect light from their eyes. As a result, cats' eyes usually shine brilliantly in photos taken in a dimly lit room or glow when illuminated in the dark by a flashlight or a car's headlights. Species with glowing eyes have evolved to see better in low light because they either forage or must keep a watch out for predators all night, or they hunt mostly at dawn and dusk. In fact, domesticated cats can see in conditions that are only 16% as bright as what humans require to see. Cats are able to accomplish this because their pupils – the apertures that appear black in the middle of their eyes that widen and narrow in response to light conditions – are special. Pupils function like windows, with bigger ones letting more light into the eye. And in dim light, a cat's pupils can become up to 50% larger than human pupils. They also have a high...