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A silver tabby kitten with golden eyes sits on a concrete walk beside a carved jack-o'-lantern lit from inside at dusk. 9 / 22

The Jack-o'-Lantern by the Walk Came to Life at Dusk. Someone Sat Down Beside It.

AI imagehalloweensilver tabbyjack-o-lantern

The light is fading over the yard, and the jack-o'-lantern by the walk has come to life. A flame flickers behind its triangle eyes and jagged grin, casting a warm orange glow across the concrete. Seated right beside it, a silver tabby kitten with bold dark stripes and soft white paws turns her head toward the glowing face, her golden eyes reflecting the light like two little lanterns of their own. Dry leaves curl around her feet, and the quiet house behind her is slipping into evening shadow.

Those shining eyes are a clue to one of cats' great talents: seeing in dim light. Cats have a reflective layer at the back of the eye, called the tapetum lucidum, that bounces light back through the retina and helps them see when it's nearly dark. It's also what makes cats' eyes glow in photos and headlights. Their eyes are packed with light-sensitive cells, which is ideal for dusk and dawn, when they're naturally most active. They can't see in total darkness, though, and they see less detail and color than we do in bright daylight. On Halloween, swapping real candles for LED lights is a simple way to keep curious whiskers safe.

This kitten seems mesmerized by the glow, perfectly content to sit and stare as the evening deepens around her.

Two pairs of glowing eyes on one front walk. Only one of them is carved.

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