AnisocoriaĪnisocoria is the medical term for unevenly dilated eyes. If your cat seems to have one or both eyes with dilated pupils for long periods of time or permanently, it is worth ruling out some underlying diseases that might be causing this!Ī trip to your vet to do some diagnostic tests is definitely worthwhile if you’re worried your cat might have a health problem causing unusual pupil dilation. Once they are back to their relaxed, normal self then you can check their eyes to see if they look normal again.Īgain, excitement can be a very common reason for dilated eyes so cat owners might notice their cat has huge pupils when they’re about to give them dinner or about to pounce on their favorite toy! Common Health Problems for Dilated Cats EyesĬats with permanently dilated pupils may be suffering from a health condition Do your best to reassure your cat and remove any potential fearful stimulus if you can. Watch out for tell-tale body language that might indicate your cat is feeling fearful, such as a hunched back, crouching, hiding under furniture, or not interacting with you as normal.
Kittens especially may well have wide dilated pupils when they play purely because they’re just so excited. Fear or Excitementįear and excitement can be other natural and normal causes of pupil dilation in cats. Dilated pupils in low light are an excellent reflex to maintain your cat’s vision so they don’t bump into things in the dark. It isn’t anything to worry about as it’s a totally natural body mechanism! Just make sure their pupil dilation decreases again when you turn on brighter lights. If you live in a fairly dark house, especially during winter with shorter day lengths, you might well notice your cat’s eyes look more dilated than normal. Low Light Levels Around the HouseĪs we touched on above, low light can cause your cat’s eyes to dilate so they can see better. Human Vision: Who Has Better Vision? Common Behavioral Reasons for Dilated Cats Eyes 1. Some health problems can cause your cat’s pupil size to increase for extended periods of time so it’s worth knowing about them and taking your cat to the vet if you have noticed this.Īlso Read: Cat Vision Vs.
When there’s lots of bright light, your cat decreases the size of the pupil to let in less light as too much bright light can damage the eye – like if you look at the sun!Īs well as changes in light, there can be a few other reasons for your cat’s eyes to dilate. Why do they need to change size and shape then? When your cat has dilated pupils, they let in much more light to the back of the eye and this lets them see better in darker environments. Like you and I, your cat’s pupils get larger and smaller by reflex – which means they don’t have to think about it, it just happens subconsciously! There are a variety of health conditions that can cause this, so it so a good idea to get your cat checked out if you’re worried.
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