This is a baffling and puzzling question that often encounters pet owners and feline enthusiasts all over the world. Many pet parents don't know about cats' vision and their color differentiation, in this article, we are going to unveil the facts and information regarding cats' visual ability and acuity with up-to-date and researched knowledge, so stay clung to this article if you want to be acquainted with cats visual perceptivity.

 

What colors can cats see!!

Cats are able to differentiate colors like blue, yellow, and shades of gray, etc. because of the presence of photoreceptor cells i.e., cones and rods on the retina.

 

The visual spectrum of cats: 

Unlike humans, cats are unable to see the full spectrum of light because of their eye anatomy and they don't have three different color-sensitive cone cells compared to humans.

 

Visual anatomy of cats and how it affects cats' vision: 

Here we will delve into the eye anatomy of cats to get insights into the cat's visual system.

 

Outer layer: 

The Cornea is the outermost layer of the eye which is dome-shaped and protects the inner parts of the eye from external interference and also directs lights towards the destination.

 

Light controlling part: 

Iris is the colorful part of the eye which serves to control the amount of light falling on the retina by adjusting the pupil. 

Pupil: 

It is the opening through which light passes and falls on the retina, which dilates and constricts depending on the bright and dim light. Pupils dilate during dim light so that maximum light reaches the retina while in bright light pupils constrict.

Lens: 

The lens is present just behind the pupil and focuses light on the sensitive part of the eye, so that image can be created.

 

Light-sensitive component of the eye: 

The retina is the light-sensitive part of the eye that receives the light that passes through the pupil and lens. The retina consists of two types of photoreceptors namely cones and rods.

 

Cones: 

Cones are the photoreceptive cells in the retina of the eye that are responsible for vision during bright light or during daytime. Cats contain two types of cone cells so they are able to see blue and yellow clearly and they can't see red and green vividly but shades of grey.

 

Rods: 

Rods are sensitive to dim or low- light, so cats can see in low light efficiently. Cats have more rods than cones. Owing to this they can detect motion and be able to navigate in dim light.

 

Tapetum lucidum: 

Cats and other animals possess a thin membrane capable of reflecting light, which is located just behind the retina. When light accidentally misses the retina, this membrane reflects light back at the retina. At night we often observe the glow in the eyes of cats when flashed, it is due to this tapetum which reflects light.

Difference between the vision of cats and humans: 

There are a lot of differences between human and cat vision, humans are able to see 10 to 12 times better than cats during daytime or bright light, while cats are able to see better than humans during dim light because of the presence of more rods. 

Size of the cornea: Cats have enlarged cornea than humans which directs more light on receptors.

Pupil shape: cats have vertical pupils rather than the rounded pupils of humans.

Presence of tapetum lucidum: cats have reflective membrane tapetum lucidum while humans lack this one.

Rods and cones: cats have more rods than humans while fewer cones than humans.

Location of lens: A cat's lens is located nearer to the retina thus creating a sharp image.

Due to these differences, the visions of cats and humans are different.

Cats have two types of cones making them capable of dichromatic color vision, cats are able to distinguish blue and yellow in contrast to humans who are able to see red, blue, and green. They cannot clearly see green, or red but these colors appear as shades of grey for them.

The visual field of cats: 

The area in which a cat is able to see with one gaze is called a visual field, cats have a visual field of 200 degrees while a human's visual field is 180 degrees.

Cats’ night vision: 

Even though cats are unable to see clearly during night they have prominently more night vision than humans because of the presence of more rod cells. Cats are able to see 6 times better than humans during dim light.

Nearsightedness and farsightedness in cats: 

Nearsightedness:  it refers to the ability to see nearer objects clearly while farther objects appear blurry.

Farsightedness: farsightedness refers to the ability to see farther objects vividly on the other hand nearer objects are not focused properly.

When images focus properly and correctly this condition is called emmetropia.

The majority of cats are emmetropic with some farsighted or nearsighted.

Cats' vision disturbances: 

Cats are subject to many problems of different origins like environmental, health, and genetic problems which negatively impact cats' visions. While addressing these concerns, attending to their overall joint well-being is also important. Consider our Hip and Joint Chews for Cats for their dietary routine.

When the following signs and symptoms appear, it is recommended to seek veterinary assistance without delay so that the cat's vision cannot be impacted.

• Excessive pupil dilation.
• Redness of eye.
• Swelling of eye 
• Puffy eye.
• Corneal discharge.
• Excessive tears from eyes.
• Eye rubbing etc.

Cat eye working mechanism: 

Cats possess visual mechanisms just like humans and other animals’ vision and create images at the retina which transmit messages to the visual center within the brain which will interpret later on.

The first and foremost thing for image creation is the passing of light rays through the cornea.

The light beam passed through the cornea enters the eye via an opening called the pupil and falls on the lens of the eye, The image is created at the retina which is a light-sensitive part of the eye. Cats' retina contains fewer cones than humans so they are unable to see as humans do but they have more rods than humans so they can discern dim light better than humans.

From the retina, messages are conveyed via the optic nerve to the visual center which is located in the brain. The brain interprets this message and coordinates appropriately.

Advice and suggestions for the pet parents: 

It is recommended to first figure out the visual taste and liking of cats before doing visual embellishments for the cats or buying colorful toys for them. Cats can distinguish between blue and yellow but are unable to distinguish red and green which appear as shades of gray for them, so buying red or green toys is futile because it is of no value for cats, but they can discern blue and yellow with clarity. So, it is advisable to be familiar with the vision and visual appeals of cats if you want your feline buddy happy and serene with what you do for it. 

Conclusion:

At the end of this guide we stress the dire need to know about the vision like day and night vision of cats, how they see objects, their ability and scope of vision, their visual predilection, problems associated with eye and visual system which hinder the capacity to see and judge object properly, pet owners and enthusiasts must know all these parameters so that they can bring up lovely and attractive feline pal.

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