Published September 2016  •  Updated February 2024  •  Read Time: 5 minutes
Cat’s Eye is not a specific mineral, but rather a special optical effect that can be seen in a variety of minerals.  When cut and polished these minerals will have a narrow band of light, known as chatoyancy, that moves from side to side when the stone is turned.  This band of light is reminiscent of a cat’s vertical pupil.  In South Africa, this optical effect is so pronounced that the minerals are elevated to Tiger’s Eye.  In Zimbabwe, the same minerals that create Tiger’s Eye can be found, but the minerals are gray rather than a vivid blue, gold, or red.  These stones are called Cat’s Eye or Cat’s Eye Quartz.  It is a wonderful stone for patience and strength.

Cat's Eye cat's eye meaning

Cat’s Eye Meaning

Spiritual Healing Properties

Cat’s Eye is a stone of confidence and balance, and its energy is at once grounding and uplifting.  It helps us to trust ourselves, our natural gifts and our life experiences.  It encourages us to stand proudly in our power and to trust that everything will unfold as it should.  It gives us patience and strength when life is challenging.  It reminds us to view ourselves as survivors and champions, rather than victims, and to always remember that we contain true greatness within us.  Cat’s Eye helps us to understand that our true spiritual life is not separated from any other part of our life.  Instead they are one and the same, and a wise person acts accordingly.

Metaphysical Properties Cat’s Eye
Chakra Base and Crown
Element Wind
Numerology 6
Zodiac Aries, Taurus and Capricorn

Emotional Healing Properties

Cat’s Eye strengthens our confidence and self-awareness.  It asks us to be more honest with ourselves and others and to calmly communicate our wants and needs.  If someone is treating us badly, it can help us to walk away from that person without regret.  It is a wonderful crystal ally for anyone who needs to work on having better emotional boundaries due to the presence of manipulative and/or negative people.  It will push us to be more protective of ourselves and teaches us that protecting ourselves is one of the ways that we demonstrate self-love and self-care.  Cat’s Eye gently growls in our ear that we deserve to be treated well and that having personal boundaries is both healthy and wise.  However, this mineral isn’t always so serious.  When we are with a lover, it can help us to relax and express our sensual side more fully.  It shows us that we can be sensual and loving, without having to put ourselves in danger.

Mental Healing Properties

Cat’s Eye energy is exceptionally practical and can be used to help us manage our daily life with more ease.  It helps us to actively deal with problems as they arise and to solve them swiftly and fully. It helps us to be more responsible, at home, at work, and in our relationships.  In particular, it encourages good business and financial sense.  It helps us to budget, save, and make wise financial decisions which take into account both our present needs and our future desires.  It helps us to to plan for the life we want, and then act correctly so that our dreams come true.

Physical Healing Properties

Cat’s Eye is used by metaphysical healers for general vitality and healing.  It is said to be useful for balancing the body’s biochemistry, and is often used to treat diabetes as well as hormonal and reproductive issues.  It is also used by yogis to increase flexibility in the spine.

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Cat’s Eye Mineralogy

Where does Cat’s Eye come from?

Cat’s Eye is marketing name that can be used for any stone that demonstrates the optical effect of a thin band of light.  The grey mineral sometimes called Cat’s Eye Quartz is found only in Zimbabwe.

Mining and Treatments

Cat’s Eye Quartz is mined from its primary deposit in open pit mines.

It is natural, enhanced only by cutting and polishing.  If tumbled, the irregular shape results in a wide iridescence across one side, similar to a Moonstone.  If cut into a cabochon, the light reflects as a straight line.

Zimbabwe Placeholder
Zimbabwe

The Environmental & Social Impact of Crystals

Your crystals should have a healing energy that is clean, powerful, & makes a positive difference.

Mineral Family

Cat’s Eye is a marketing name from the mineral Crocidolite, a rare single-chain inosilicate mineral.  Silicates are minerals which contain the elements Silicon (a light gray shiny metal) and Oxygen (a colorless gas). Together, these two elements form a tetrahedron – a shape similar to a pyramid – with a Silicon atom in the center and Oxygen atoms at each of the four corners. These tetrahedra connect with other chemical structures, in six different ways, to form various minerals and rocks. One way the tetrahedra can connect is in long single chains.  In South Africa, the Crocidolite is often called Hawk’s Eye or Blue Tiger’s Eye.  In Zimbabwe, it is grey and called Cat’s Eye Quartz.

Cat’s Eye’s energy works well with its family – other single-chain inosilicate minerals.  Try it in combination with CharoiteDiopside, Hiddenite, JaditeKunziteLarimarRhodonite and Shattuckite.

Cat’s Eye Formation and Crystal Associates

Crocidolite is a sodium-rich mineral that can form long prismatic crystals in granite or a massive fibrous form in banded iron formations in sedimentary rocks.  In Africa, Crocidolite is in the process of being replaced with Quartz, transforming it into Tigers Eye.  In South Africa, the resulting stone can be a vivid blue, gold, or red.  In neighboring Zimbabwe, the stone is grey.

Cat’s Eye’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Chrome Chalcedony

Mineralogy Cat’s Eye Quartz
Chemical Formula SiO2
Cleavage None
Color Gray
Crystal System Hexagonal/Trigonal
Form/Habit Fibrous
Fracture Fibrous
Hardness – Mohs Scale 6.5-7
Luminescence None
Luster Silky
Mineral Family Tectosilicate
Specific Gravity 2.58-2.64
Streak White, yellow-brown
Transparency Opaque

History of Cat’s Eye

Cat’s Eye is not a specific mineral, but rather a special effect that happens to many different minerals.  When these minerals are cut and polished, they reveal a strong, narrow light which moves from side to side as the mineral is shifted.  This line of light resembles the slit pupil in the eyes of cat’s, hence the name.  The proper scientific name for this line of light is chatoyancy.  The effect may be seen on Apatite, Beryl, Moonstone, Opal, and Quartz. When it occurs in Ruby or Sapphire, it is called a Star Sapphire or Star Ruby.  But unless otherwise labeled, most of the “Cat’s Eye” sold on the market are Chrysoberyl, which was the first mineral in which chatoyancy was documented.

When Cat’s Eye is found on Quartz, the name typically refers to a grayish stone with a white chatoyant band.  But when the colors are more striking, such as a bright blue, golden-brown or vivid red color, the stone is elevated to “Tigers Eye.”

Cat's Eye

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