Most cats become aggressive when they feel cornered or fearful. If your cat is bouncing after a toy and swishing its tail, you can be sure that he or she is excited.Ĭonversely, your cat may have been startled by something if it runs and hides or curls its tail around its body in a protective manner.īecause nervous cats are more likely to lash out in defense, it is best to wait for your kitty to calm down before attempting to interact. Perhaps the easiest way to determine whether your cat is fearful or excited is to look at the surrounding environment as well as your cat’s other body language indicators. This puts all muscles on alert and gives your feline companion the best chance of survival.Ĭats that are afraid will dilate their pupils to ensure they can properly assess the danger, just as cats that are excited will dilate their pupils to see their prey better. When a cat is startled or scared, it produces large amounts of this hormone which triggers the fight or flight response. To make matters worse, the culprit responsible for dilated pupils in fearful cats is also the same – adrenaline! How can opposing emotions, such as excitement and fear, both cause the same pupil reaction? This can be a little confusing for kitty owners to understand. This allows cats to react quickly and also causes your cats’ pupils to dilate, giving them better vision to catch that tasty mouse! Anxiety/Fear Here are the most common behavioral reasons for dilated pupils in cats: ExcitementĬats are predators at heart, and playing with a wand toy or a fake mouse allows our domestic cats to activate those deeply ingrained instincts.Ĭats must be vigilant when hunting in the wild, which is accomplished by pumping adrenaline through their muscles. So, by observing your cats’ eyes (as well as other parts of the body), you can get a gauge for how your cat is feeling. The pupils may also change shape and size depending on your cats’ mood. In bright light, the pupil appears as a narrow vertical slit and expands to be fully round in dim or dark conditions.īy expanding their pupils at night, cats can absorb the maximum amount of light possible in order to improve their vision. In fact, studies have revealed that a cat’s pupils can expand up to ten times wider than a human pupil! Humans do this as well, but it is especially important for cats because it contributes to their incredible night vision. The technical term for this is mydriasis. What To Do If Your Cat’s Eyes Are Often DilatedĬats dilate their pupils to regulate the amount of light that enters their eyes.Should I Be Worried If My Cat’s Eyes Are Dilated?.They will be able to help you identify the route of the issue and give some suggestions as to what to look into. Particularly if you have monitored your cat’s eyes for a while and noticed that they do not return to their relaxed state given a period of time. Ultimately, you are going to need to seek the advice of a vet if you are concerned. While low-light conditions and emotions such as excitement and anxiety can cause the pupils to dilate, this should only last for a short period or until the conditions change. A cat’s eyes should be in a normal, relaxed state most of the time. So, why are my cats’ eyes always dilated? Constant or prolonged dilation of pupils can be a symptom or sign of an underlying health condition or blindness in cats. But what about our domestic and pet cats? Particularly if you notice that their eyes always seem dilated? Is it something to be concerned with? Is there anything that you need to do? Well, here is everything you are going to want to know. This ability has enabled them to become successful hunters in the wild and to keep themselves safe from other, larger foes. For cats, this could not be more crucial. Ensuring vision remains clear even in low light conditions. Eyes are incredible and intricate body parts, enabling vision and the ability to observe developments in our environments.
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