The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [7]
As for that red glow, it is caused by light reflected from a layer of tissue called the “tapetum lucidum,” which lines the back of the eyeball behind the retina. It acts like a mirror, reflecting light that was not absorbed the first time it passed through the retina back through the eyes onto the light sensor cells in the retina. The result is an eerie glow as your cat’s eyes catch a beam of light in a dark room.
FELINE FACT
Tapetum lucidum, the reflective layer in cats’ eyes, is a Latin phrase that means “bright carpet.”
Interestingly, some feline eyes glow green rather than red depending on the color of the cat’s eyes. Blue eyes, which your Siamese has, glow red, while golden and green eyes cast a green glow at night.
Facts on Feline Love
Q My super-sweet kitty, Bubba, likes to cuddle with me and follow me around the house. He is very friendly and affectionate, and of course I love him to pieces. This may be a silly question, but I’ve always wondered if cats are capable of loving us or are they just being nice because we give them food and shelter?
A That’s not a silly question, but it doesn’t have an easy answer. I would be able to give you a more definitive response if I could speak cat and ask the feline world directly. Cats are candid creatures and I’m certain they would reply honestly.
Without that ability, however, defining feline love can be tricky. What we do know is that cats clearly express emotions. They get angry and they show fear. They display contentment and express excitement. As for interpreting cat love, cats definitely form attachments with people in their lives who make them feel safe and who shower them with attention.
Cats convey affection toward their people in a number of ways, including delivering soft-eyed winks by half-closing both eyes at once, twitching an upright tail, and delivering head bonks also known as bunting. The next time you lock eyes with your cat, try giving him a few soft winks. I bet he returns the favor. And notice that when he sees you enter a room or hears your voice, his tail probably pops straight up in the air with the tip twitching just a bit. See if he expresses affection by purposely bumping the top of his head against your forehead, hands, or shins.
When I first adopted Little Guy, he was a young tiger-striped stray who camped out on my front porch each morning and evening in hope of scoring a free meal. I put food in a bowl for him though I wasn’t sure if I wanted another cat. But every time I bent down to pet him, he beat me to the punch by quickly stretching his body and bumping his head against my hand, accompanied by full-throttle purring.
Little Guy knew what he was doing. He was showing he liked me and as a result, he won me over. Sometimes, the timing of feline affection is not ideal, such as when your cat jumps on your bed and head-slams your forehead when you’re sound asleep.
But as you know, true love doesn’t care about time. Take it as a compliment that Bubba follows you around and likes to cuddle.
DO CATS HAVE A FUNNY BONE?
One of my favorite humorists and fan of cats is Dena Harris, the “Erma Bombeck of cat writers.” The author of Lessons in Stalking: Adjusting to Life with Cats, Harris created a Top 10 list (adapted below) to show that our feline friends do indeed see the humorous aspects of sharing their lives with us:
1. Our astonishing lack of hair
2. The way we harbor the illusion that we stand even the smallest chance of winning a staring contest against them (Hint: Cats blink only because they feel sorry for us.)
3. Our ability to pass through a sunbeam without dropping unconscious to the floor
4. That we appear not to consider a live mouse the finest form of in-home entertainment