What are the similarities or differences between the eyes of a Cat (Felis catus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Lion (Panthera leo), and Tiger (Panthera tigris)?
The Domestic Cat is nocturnal, active at night. The Cheeth and the Lion are diurnal, active during the day. The Leopard and the Tiger are crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk.
The eyes of a nocturnal animal have vertical pupils that look like a black line, called slitted eyes. The eyes of a diurnal or crepuscular animal have round pupils.
Cheetah (top left), Domestic Cat (top middle), Amur Leopard (bottom left), Lion (bottom middle), Sumatran Tiger (right)
All felids (domestic and wild cats) have binocular vision (two eyes that see three dimensions or depth of an object).
All felids have eyes that are six times more light-sensitive than the eyes of humans.
Amur Leopard
Cheetah
Lion
Sumatran Tiger
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM