What color do cats see us as? - briefly
Cats have two types of color receptors in their eyes compared to the three that humans possess. This means they likely perceive humans as shades of blue and yellow, with less distinction between colors like red and green.
What color do cats see us as? - in detail
Cats, unlike humans, are not capable of distinguishing between colors as we do. Human vision is trichromatic, meaning we have three types of cone cells in our eyes that detect short (blue), medium (green), and long (red) wavelengths of light. This allows us to see a wide spectrum of colors. In contrast, cats are dichromats, possessing only two types of cone cells—one sensitive to short wavelengths (blue) and another sensitive to longer wavelengths that combine green and red.
This difference in visual perception means that cats do not experience the world of color as vividly or diversely as humans do. While we might see a variety of colors, cats perceive these differences more subtly. For example, what appears as red or green to us may appear as shades of gray or yellow to a cat.
In terms of how cats see humans, their vision is primarily adapted for detecting movement rather than distinguishing between specific colors. Therefore, the color of clothing you wear is less important to a cat than the movement or shape it creates. Cats are more likely to be attracted to the motion of a hand waving or a toy moving than by the color of these objects.
Additionally, cats have excellent low-light vision due to a higher concentration of rod cells in their eyes compared to humans. This adaptation allows them to see well in dim conditions but does not enhance their ability to distinguish colors.
In summary, while cats do not see the world with the same color richness as humans, they possess other remarkable visual capabilities that help them navigate their environment effectively.