A reader wrote asking whether all cats’ eyes glow in the dark. They do, and here’s why.

Q: My cat’s eyes seem to glow in the dark. Do all cats’ eyes do that?

A: Their large, luminous eyes are one of the finest features of felines. They may also be the reason superstitious people once thought that cats must be witches’ familiars, because of the supernatural appearance of their eyes glowing in the dark.

Those glowing eyes are part of a cat’s keen eyesight, making them the successful hunters that they are. Here’s how they work.

A cat’s eyes consist of the cornea, the clear, curved part of the eyeball in front of the pupil; the iris, the colored part of the eye; the lens, located behind the iris; the retina, a network of light-sensitive cells; and — the part we’re interested in here — the tapetum lucidum, Latin for “bright tapestry.”

Think of the cornea, lens and retina as working in much the same way as a camera. Like a viewfinder, the cornea takes in light and transmits it to the lens. The lens bends the light rays, focusing them to form an image on the retina.

The tapetum lucidum, which lines most of the back of the retina, comes into play in low-light situations, allowing the cat’s eye to take in extra light. It does this by acting as a mirror, reflecting light that wasn’t absorbed the first time it passed through the retina. The resulting glow, known as eye shine, occurs when light strikes a cat’s eyes in the dark. In other words, if there’s total darkness, your cat can’t see any better than you can, but with the aid of moonlight or other illumination, cats are able to see better in the dark.

Fun fact: Cats with green or yellow eyes have a green glow, while cats with blue eyes typically have a reddish glow.

There’s more – including how to protect your lawn from pet urine burns – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

It’s not unusual for dogs to act as canine chaperones, but with a little training, they can learn to relax their policing of romantic relationships. Here’s how to handle it.

Q: My dog growls at my boyfriend whenever he shows me affection, and it’s killing our vibe. How can I help them become friends?

A: When I would hug or kiss my wife, our Pomeranian-mix, Quixote, seemed to think he was a high school hall monitor, there to break up any displays of affection by barking and howling.

Dogs may try to separate lovers because they’re confused by our body language. Dogs don’t “get” hugs. To dogs, receiving a hug can be intimidating or frightening, and they may worry when they see humans hugging. This can cause them to stare, bark or try to step between the two. Dogs with a heritage of guarding or herding may be especially suspicious of hugging or other affectionate behavior.

Are they jealous? Maybe. Some dogs are used to having their person’s sole attention and may become upset when it is focused on someone else. Even if they’re scolded for trying to break things up, the attention is back on them, so they repeat the behavior.

To change your dog’s behavior, have your beau become the giver of good things: tossing treats in your dog’s direction without looking at him; feeding meals; tossing the tennis ball. You can also gradually condition your dog to tolerate touches between you by rewarding calm behavior during brief, light touches and slowly moving toward actual hugs or kisses as the dog remains calm instead of reacting.

One last hint: Provide food puzzles filled with goodies to keep him busy.

There’s more – including how to help your pet age well – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

If you’ve ever moved from one home to another, you know stressful it can be — for you and your animals! Cats can be especially nervous when you move into a new house because they are highly territorial.

The best way to help your cat relax is to confine him before and after moving day in a “safe room” outfitted with food, water, a litter box, a scratching post, a bed and toys. Put a “do not disturb” sign on the door.

Confining your cat not only reduces his stress, but also prevents him from slipping out, which is a danger at both the old home and the new. Your cat could easily become scared, take off and get lost.

Your cat should be confined in his safe room the day before packing begins, moved to his new home in a carrier, and then confined again in his new safe room until the moving is over, the furniture arranged and most of the dust settled.

After you arrive at your new home, don’t pull your cat out of his carrier. Instead, put the carrier in his safe room, open the carrier door, and let him come out into the room when he wants to. After he’s a little calmer, you can coax him out with some fresh food or treats if you want. But don’t rush him and don’t drag him out, or you may be bitten or scratched. Trying to force a scared and stressed-out cat to do anything he doesn’t want to do is hazardous to your health.

When you have the rest of the house settled, open the door to the safe room and let your cat explore his new home, on his terms. You can find more tips on moving with cats at fearfreehappyhomes.com.

There’s more – including a guide to parrot toys – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.