Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: 1  shimmer, play(verb) a weak and tremulous light. 2  shimmer(verb) shine with a weak or fitful light. 3  shimmer(verb) give off a shimmering reflection, as of silk.
Cats, like humans, have both rods and cones in the retina. Rods are the receptors that the eye uses for night time viewing and sudden movement. Cones are used during the daytime, and process color information. Cats have more rods than cones, as compared with humans, making cat night vision superior to humans.
Rods and cones function as photoreceptors in the retina of the eye, turning visible light into neuronal signals, which are sent to the brain. This process is called transduction. Rods and cones perform at different wavelengths and sensitivities allowing detailed perception of light and color. Continue Reading.