What colors do cats see? - briefly
Cats have a different color perception compared to humans. They are believed to see shades of blue and green clearly, while reds and oranges appear more muted. This is due to the different types of cone cells in their eyes, which are responsible for color vision.
What colors do cats see? - in detail
Cats, like many other animals, have distinct visual abilities compared to humans. Their color perception is primarily influenced by the composition of their retina, which contains more rods than cones. Rods are responsible for low-light vision, while cones detect colors. The feline eye has only two types of cone cells that are sensitive to blue and green light, which means cats are essentially red-green colorblind.
This limitation in color perception is often referred to as dichromacy, where an individual can distinguish between blues and greens but struggles with differentiating between shades of red, orange, and yellow. This is because the cones that detect red light are absent or poorly developed in cats. As a result, these colors may appear as various shades of green or gray to them.
Despite this color deficiency, cats possess exceptional low-light vision capabilities due to their high concentration of rod cells. This adaptation allows cats to see clearly in environments with very little light, making them formidable nocturnal hunters. Additionally, the presence of a reflective layer behind the retina, known as the tapetum lucidum, enhances light absorption and further improves their night vision.
In summary, while cats have a limited color spectrum compared to humans, their visual system is well-adapted for their primary role as predators, emphasizing sensitivity to motion and low-light conditions over a broad range of colors.