February, 2001

Volume 3,Issue 2

What's That Glow in the Dark?

Inside this issue:

the reflective layer sends the light back through, giving the cat the ability to see very well in low light.  Their eyes also have a high number of rod photoreceptors that sense motion and work best in low light levels.  But, these special features don't help the cat distinguish colors any better.  In fact, the cones of the cat's eyes (they have three types of cones) do not allow them to see colors as humans do.  Instead of seeing bright crisp colors, scientist believe the same colors look pastel-like to cats.  As a result, cat's generally respond better to pastels like blue and yellow.  Greens and reds are hard for cats to see; a green lawn is whitish and a red flower is simply dark.

Keeping your kitty's eyes in good shape is essential.  As a part of your regular routine, examine her eyes. They should be bright and the pupils should be of equal size.  There should be little, if any, tearing at the corner of the eyes.  And, be sure your cat is not squinting either eye.

If you've ever seen the green glow of your cat's eyes in a dark room and wondered why that happens, the answer is fairly simple. The corneas and pupils of your cat's eyes are oversized to gather more light. A reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum, located deep to the light sensing layers of the retina, creates the green glow we see when light reflects from a cat's eye.

Light passing through the eye stimulates the light sensitive cells in the retina, and

Pick-up and Delivery Service

Pick-up and Delivery is another service our clients really Appreciate. This service is offered Monday through Friday and is usually done by our long time employee Herbert Mack. Medications and food can also be delivered. Please contact Julie Plauche, our head receptionist, at the hospital (835-4266) to coordinate pick-ups and drop-offs.