The
cat's eye is a
retroreflective safety device used in
road marking and was the first of a range of
raised pavement markers. It originated in the
UK in 1933 and is today used all over the world. It consists (in its original form) of two pairs of
reflective glass spheres set into a white rubber dome, mounted in a cast-iron housing. This is the kind that marks the centre of the road, with one pair of cat's eyes showing in each direction. A single-ended form has become widely used in other colours at road margins and as lane dividers. Cat's eyes are particularly valuable in fog and are largely resistant to damage from
snow ploughs.