How Does Your Furry Friend See the World?
Can cats see color or is it just a myth?
Most cat parents are often fully prepared for their fur baby’s playtime with a well-stocked room of colorful toys ranging from scratcher pads of different shades to brightly colored balls with tiny bells that they can chase.
We all are well aware of the fact that cats remain alert at all times (except for when they are in deep sleep) and as a cat owner, you might have witnessed your pet go crazy for that neon laser pointer. However, did you ever pause and wonder that do your cats actually see and recognize those lively colors of the toys that you put so much thought into before purchasing them for your little friend?
If you desire to know if the vibrant hues of cat playthings are simply marketing gimmicks used to entice customers to purchase them or the beautiful shades truly catch your pet’s eye, you have come to the right place. Here is a detailed guide to everything you need to know about a cat’s color vision:
Quick Answer
Cat’s can in fact see color. They don’t see things simply in black and white. While cats are capable of perceiving various colors, they cannot do so with the same level of vibrancy as humans can. The simplest way to explain this is by stating that cats see the world the way a colorblind individual sees it.
Colors that Cats Can See
The reason that cats can see a smaller range of colors than us is because of the difference in the number of cones and rods in their eye. The cones and rods are two different nerve cell types that are located in the retina of the eye. Both of the cells affect how an animal, in this case, a cat, or a human being views everything in front of them.
While rods, that are more sensitive in dim light, help the eye detect motion, cones perform best in brighter light and are responsible for color perception. Since both cats and humans are trichromatic, they have 3 types of cones in their eyes. The total amount of cone cells in humans is almost ten times more than that found in cats. This allows us to recognize all rainbow colors.
Due to a lower number of cones, cats are only able to see various shades of green and blue. Pinks and reds often confuse them and tend to appear greener. Cats see purple as a shade of blue. While cats can recognize the aforementioned colors when they appear in front of them, they can’t see them with the same level of saturation or richness as humans.
How Does a Cat’s Vision Differ From a Human’s Vision?
Humans generally have an exceptional color vision as compared to most mammals. Since this type of vision depends mainly on special neurons and color-sensitive cells in the eye, humans can see a way more colorful world than cats.
While your furry friend’s color spectrum might not be as dramatic and vibrant as yours, the other remarkable characteristics of their vision certainly make up for it! Here are differences between the vision of a human and the vision of a cat:
Cats are Nearsighted
When it comes to human beings, the sharpest vision is 20/20, whereas in cats it is 20/200 or 20/100. Due to their nearsightedness, cats find it quite difficult to see things that are very far away from them. While an average individual can see from a distance of 100-200 feet, a cat can only see an object that is about 20 feet away from it.
As a cat lover, you might worry about all the cats out there that are usually eagerly looking to hunt for food. However, you have no reason to be worried! What may seem like a weakness to you is actually a cat’s weapon. Their nearsightedness helps them hunt their prey right on time and that too from close proximity that is enough for them to pounce right on time without scaring their food away!
Cats Have Better Peripheral Vision
Since there’s a bigger gap between the two eyes of a cat as compared to humans, cats are known to have better peripheral vision. The field of vision of a human is approximately 180 degrees, whereas, the field of vision of a cat is approximately 200 degrees, making their vision much stronger than that of us.
Cats Have Better Night Vision
As mentioned earlier, the number of rods in a cat’s eye is much more than in a human’s eye. This makes it easier for cats to detect motion and see in dim-light situations. Since cats are crepuscular creatures, they tend to doze off all day long and become active at dawn and dusk. This is primetime for cats. Their vision is the best during these time periods.
As someone who is curious about cats, you must have taken a picture of a cat with the flashlight of your phone turned on, only to get a photo of the cute cat with creepy, glowing eyes. The structure behind the retina of the cat’s eye is responsible for causing a reflection of light. It allows cats to see better during nighttime.
See also : why do cats sleep at the foot of the bed
Do Cats Find Certain Colors Attractive?
Since cats don’t see a wide variety of colors as humans do because of a lack of certain cones in their eyes including a red cone which causes them to see a lot of colors as different shades of grey, it is quite difficult to conclude whether they find some colors more attractive than others. Blue and green hues might be more vibrant to view.
If your kitty prefers one toy over the other, it might be due to the design and structure of the toy itself rather than its color. Due to the vision benefits that cats seem to have over humans, the movement of an object is what draws their attention rather than its specific shade. Therefore, it might be best to see which toy your pet enjoys playing with the most rather than focusing on what color it is!
Can a Cat See Clearly In Complete Darkness?
While a cat cannot see in total and complete darkness, they certainly can see in the dark. A little light is enough for your furry friend to find its way through. Cats require one-sixth of the total amount of light that humans require to see.
The rod cells in their eyes allow them to detect light even at really low levels. Cats are also one of those animals who have tapetum lucidum behind their retina, which is a layer that reflects back any light that passes through the retina toward the eye.
This special layer not only allows cats to see in the dark but it is also what causes their eyes to glow in the dark. If you believe that your cat is scared of the dark or your home gets extremely dark at night, it might be best to install a few nightlights so that your pet cat doesn’t hurt itself.
Bottom Line
We hope that with all the aforementioned information on cats and their color vision, you found answers to various questions such as; can cats see color, can they see in the dark, how their vision differs from a human’s vision and more. As you watch your furry friend looking out the window, basking out the sunlight, you might now understand what your cat is observing and how does the world look like through its eyes!
