can-cats-see-color

As pet owners or people that are wary of cats a lot of us tend to wonder about their abilities. Their agility, which they share with their wild cousins like the cheetah or lion, and the effortlessness with which they leap and climb are quite extraordinary. A question we often ask is whether cats can see color. There are several theories and explanations about this, even some wild guesses and assumptions.

 

How Does Color Vision Work?

The ability to see color lies in the retinas of the eyes. There are things called rods and cones within the retina that help us to distinguish between colors. The more rods and cones present in a species, the more colors they are able to see. Unless born with an abnormality, cats can certainly see more than just black and white. But as to how many colors they can distinguish, there are opposing theories.

 

Cats Can See Just Blue and Gray

Some scientists believe that cats have the ability only to see blue and gray. The evidence to support this comes from research. This research suggests that cats have only those cones that enable them to look in those shades.

Cats have three types of cones, as identified by the latest research. These let a cat see three types of colors – blue, green and red. The number of cones humans have far outnumbered the ones that cats have. This is why humans can see a lot more than cats or dogs.

 

What Colors Can Cats See?

Some scientists believe that since cats have many more cones in their eyes than initially thought, they are able to see a lot more than just black and white. The cones that let them see blue, green and red are present. But they cannot distinguish between shades of these colors. A cat’s eyes are not as sensitive to brightness. This is what makes them less able to tell the differences between shades. A human can see color 10-12 times better than a cat. They would be able to tell the difference between a few shades of these colors. We can say crimson from maroon, but to a cat, these would appear the same.

Other scientists theorize that a cat can see shades of yellow like a dog. There are also some that believe that while a cat is able to see the difference between the shades of red and green, the colors they see best are blues and violets. According to these scientists, a cat can tell the difference between some shades of violets and blues.

 

Are Cats Colorblind?

Research on color differences perceived by these animals suggests that even these shades are often confusing to a cat. They can see red and blue and differentiate between them but they can at times confuse a green for a gray. This is also research that was found when conducting behavioral tests on dogs who share some commonalities with their feline counterparts with regards to vision and seeing color.

Dr. Hazel Carney of the Idaho WestVet Emergency & Specialty Center believes that while cats can see colors, they are able to see blue and yellows more clearly. According to her, a cat will most often find it difficult to see either red or gray clearly. And, they will often look a lot closer to gray.

A more recent study revealed that cats are one of the few mammals that can also see colors that would appear to humans only in black light. They can look at the ultraviolet end of the color spectrum. The ability to see these could mean that cats see the world with much more vivid colors than humans do.

Scientists have differing theories on which shade a cat can see well. However, they all seem to agree that a cat has limited ability to recognize and differentiate between colors. Additional research would be required to tell definitively which of these shades a cat can see better than others. However, one thing we can be sure of is that cats do have some degree of color blindness. Also, they are unable to tell some colors apart. They also agree that a cat is not able to tell the difference between different hues of the same color.

 

Other Differences In A Cat’s Vision

Apart from the difference in the number of cones a cat is less able to see distant objects. Humans also have better muscles in their eyes as compared to a cat. This enables them to change their lens to see objects at a distance. The number of cones in a cat’s eyes also make it less capable of seeing distant objects. A human that is not nearsighted (or wears corrective glasses) is able to look up to 200 feet clearly. However, a cat will only be able to see a sharp image up to 20 feet away.

So far it appears that human vision is better than feline sight, but that is just in these aspects. A cat has a much higher range of vision, being able to get a 200-degree view of its surroundings. A human has a 180-degree field of vision. This means that their peripheral vision is far higher than ours. Also, they are able to see things in a corner much better than us, a significant advantage especially for the cats that need to hunt to survive.

The cat’s slit corneas make it much better for them to see in lower light. The shape of their eyes results in a lot more light being allowed in that makes their night vision better. The tapetum is a layer of tissue that can reflect light back to the retina is also much more prominent in cats. This could enable them to see silhouetted objects in the dark. They might have fewer cones in their eyes when compared to a human, but they do have a lot more rods. This is what enables them to see better at night.

 

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Conclusion

Many studies are being conducted on cats, right from their sensory abilities to their behavior. However, as is the case with many other scientific studies, results keep changing. At present, we know that our cats can see many colors and are able to see much better than us in the dark. Perhaps, a cat lover or owner will never be satisfied until we have a perfect picture of how our beloved pets function.

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