#Real cat eye pupil full

Pupils can change hundreds of times in one day, so varying pupil size and shape isn't something to worry about. 'They're neither worried nor relaxed but aware of their surroundings,' says Sinn. When your cat has almond-shaped pupils, this usually means they're at ease. If their pupils appear dilated even in bright light, Sinn says this could convey stress, fear, or concern.

#Real cat eye pupil full

Kitty pupils dilate in low-light situations to improve their vision-in fact, cat eyes are designed to dilate into full circles, giving cats excellent night vision. Large, Dilated PupilsĬonversely, pupils get larger in the dark to allow more light in-hopefully allowing the viewer to see better when light isn't present. In other cases, a small or slit pupil might simply mean that your cat is relaxed. When the eye (feline or human) is exposed to bright light, the pupil will shrink in an effort to protect the eye and keep light out. Remember that pupils can change not only based on emotion but because of light. In contrast, their parasympathetic nervous system allows them to relax, or 'rest and digest,' and the pupils will constrict.

Think of this as their 'fight or flight' response, says Sinn.

In a stressful situation, your cat's sympathetic nervous system causes their pupils to dilate. 'There are muscles that surround the pupils that either dilate or constrict based on emotional feedback.' Have you ever noticed that your kitty's eyes look different based on the situation they're in? 'Pupils constrict and widen not just in response to light but also to emotion,' says Leslie Sinn, DVM, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and member of the Daily Paws Advisory Board. RELATED: Why Do Cats' Eyes Glow in the Dark? What Are a Cat's Pupils Trying to Tell You?