About the cat's eyes and eye injuries

All cats are born completely blind and with their eyes closed. Cats usually do not start to open their eyes until they are about 7-10 days old, sometimes even later. Although all cats are born blind, sight is one of the most important senses for cats. A cat's eyes are built to collect small, tiny amounts of light from its surroundings. This means that the cat's vision is excellent at dusk and they see very well at a distance but not so well at close range.

Have you ever reflected on the fact that your cat's pupils change depending on the light? This is because a cat's pupils dilate to let in as much light as possible and in bright light the pupil contracts like a thin slit.

Since vision is such an important sense for cats, it's easy to understand why eye damage can have a huge negative impact on a cat's life. Eye damage can be caused by many different things, such as grit getting into a cat's eye or, more seriously, a cat's eye being damaged by another cat's claws.

Eye injuries in cats can vary greatly in severity and complexity, but a basic rule is that if you have a cat that is nipping at either one or both eyes, it should always be considered an emergency and you should contact a vet immediately. It can be very difficult to detect damage to a cat's eyes yourself, but the vet can, for example, stain the cat's cornea to detect damage that is otherwise difficult to see. If your cat has an eye injury and you wait to contact a vet, there is a risk that the condition will worsen considerably, with dire consequences and unnecessary pain.

Eye injuries such as these are difficult to prevent, but by keeping a close eye on your cat and paying attention if anything is wrong, you can prevent them.For example, if your cat suddenly blinks its eyes, you can make a big difference by knowing that you need to get your cat to a vet quickly.