[Sebastien]

Sebastien asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi The Naked Scientists!

Thanks for newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive] that I am newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive].

I have some questions.  

I have noticed that my cat does not blink or rarely. How does he do to clean his eyes? What is different from human eye? And what about the other animals?

Thanks for your answer.

Sebastien

What do you think?

[ricbritain]

I'm guessing they clean them the same way we do. I guess they have some form of subaceous glands around the eye. Whilst they may not blink that often I suppose they do nevertheless blink and close their eyes regularly. Certainly at least when they clean the rest of their faces they tend to close their eyes.

[RD]

If this ancient paper is to be believed,
 the blink frequency of adult humans (and other primates) is higher than many in other animals ...

STUDIES OF THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EYELIDS OF ANIMALS: BLINKING.
 By W. P. BLOUNT. From the Department of Physiology, Edinburgh University,
 and the Department of Physiology, Royal (Dick) Veterinary College.
(Received for publication 28th April 1927.)

[The number after the creature is the "interblink" period in seconds]

Dog, 25 to 30.
Domestic Cat, 18.5
Goat, 30.
Ostrich, 60
Polar Bear, 12.3
Elephant, 4.1
Horse, 2.3

http://ep.physoc.org/content/18/2/111.full.pdf   

According to this source in adult humans the "interblink" period is an average of 6 seconds.

It's not blinking obvious why there should be such a wide range of blink rates,
perhaps prey animals blink as little as possible to maximize their chance of seeing an approaching predator. 

[Karen W.]

My cat used to wash her face and particularly her eyes by licking her paws and then meticulously rubbing her wet paw across he eyes on both sides.. it was a a bi-daily ritual for her, once in the mornings then later when she went to sleep in the evening.

[Make it Lady]

Cats have an inner eyelid as well as an outer one. I guess this gives it greater protection.