# Third eyelid blinking?



## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I just noticed it in my kitteh. She keeps her 'main' eyelids open most of he time, and just blinks with her third eyelid. There's a normal interval between the blinks, but her third eyelid blink is so rapid that I consider myself lucky to have seen it.  
I was surprised to see this and just had to share.
rcat


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Arianwen is beyond talented. I've never actually seen a third eye lid.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I only see third eyelids when they are sleepy or unwell.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

It's usually not visible. You have to really be watching for it, and the blink is very, very quick. Just the thing for a huntress who wants to keep her eyes moist while keeping rapidly moving prey in sight.


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

Arianwen's an alien! Remember that guy in the first scenes of Men in Black? 

Calling the Catmother Ship....... 8O


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

cats have 3 eyelids?????


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Yep, they have the upper and lower "regular" eyelids, and a "third" eyelid that you usually don't see. That one retracts into the corner of their eye by their nose. Sometimes when a kitteh is fast asleep their eyes will open just a little and you can see it then.

Arianwen is a scout for the main force of the invasion, and she promised I'd be safe. Here's the theme song for the coming revolution.


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## fishflakes (Feb 28, 2008)

I always wondered what that was. My older cat shows hers a lot when she is really sleepy, but I have yet to see my younger cat's, no matter how sleepy she gets.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

gunterkat said:


> Yep, they have the upper and lower "regular" eyelids, and a "third" eyelid that you usually don't see. That one retracts into the corner of their eye by their nose. Sometimes when a kitteh is fast asleep their eyes will open just a little and you can see it then.
> 
> Arianwen is a scout for the main force of the invasion, and she promised I'd be safe. Here's the theme song for the coming revolution.


ohhh ok! I think i have seen that! But i didnt know it was an eyelid. i didnt know what it was! lol


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

We call it a third eyelid, but its technical name is the nictitating membrane (or "blinking" membrane). It can protect the eye from too much light. (Chip's comes way up when he's in the summer sun.) Mostly it clears the eye of debris. Some cats normally show some of the membrane in the corner all the time. Most don't. But when it comes up farther than normal and stays that way, or looks inflamed or thicker than normal, that's one of the first signs that something is wrong. 

I think we cat people are fortunate that our furkids come with such a neat built-in little diagnostic tool!


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