What colors do cats not distinguish? - briefly
Cats are unable to distinguish between red and green colors due to their color vision being limited compared to humans. They primarily see shades of blue and yellow, along with different intensities of other colors.
What colors do cats not distinguish? - in detail
Cats, as predators, have evolved to see in low-light conditions, which has significantly influenced their color vision. Unlike humans, who are trichromatic and can distinguish three primary colors (red, green, blue), cats are dichromatic, meaning they can perceive only two primary colors: blue and yellow.
The feline retina contains two types of cone cells, which are responsible for color perception. These cells are sensitive to short wavelengths (blue) and medium wavelengths (yellow-green). Cats lack the cone cells that detect long wavelengths, such as reds and oranges, making these colors invisible to them.
This limitation in color vision is compensated by cats' exceptional ability to see in low light conditions. Their eyes are designed to gather more light, with a higher concentration of rod cells, which are sensitive to dim light. This adaptation allows cats to hunt effectively even at night or in poor lighting.
Additionally, cats have a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum behind their retinas, which further enhances their low-light vision by reflecting any available light back through the retina, giving their eyes the distinctive glow when exposed to bright light.
In summary, while cats cannot see reds and oranges, their visual system is finely tuned for detecting movement in low light, making them highly efficient hunters in dimly lit environments.