Do Cats See Color? See the World Through a Cat's Eyes

Absolutely, our feline friends can see colors and see much more than just the grey shades that some people assume they can detect.

Indeed, they are believed to see the world in a similar way to a person who is red-green color blind. This means they can pick up on various colors, seeing shades of blue and yellow the best.

Compared to humans, there is no doubt that cats can see less variety of shades and colors, but they don't let this hold them back!

They have lovely depth perception; this visual acuity makes them excellent hunters. Cat vision is well adapted to seeing in low light, as they have evolved to hunting during dawn and dusk.

A cat’s retina has two types of cells: rods and cones. Rods ensure excellent night vision and can see in dim light, while cones help with color perception.

Interestingly, cats have far fewer cones (about 10 times less) than us humans, meaning their ability to see color is impaired.

Image credit: liebchen.travels

So, what colors can cats see best? Well, shades of blue and green are seen very quickly, and they also see yellow very well. This is good information to have as an owner, as we can tailor their toys to them, picking out colors that they find attractive. Cats can also see other colors, but not quite as clearly.

It is a myth that cats cannot see color, and, much like dogs, they can see far more than just black and white. Science has revealed that their world is much brighter than once believed.

Cats can see really well in the dark as their eyes allow plenty of light to enter and reach the retina, and they have a good proportion of rod cells. These photoreceptor cells detect the light and perceive the size and shape of the object being looked at.

Cats can see their reflection in something like a mirror, body of water, or puddle. This means they would be able to see themselves and their fur color. Specific colors will appear more transparent for them, but regardless, they can see their own color clearly. Of course, it is not likely that a cat’s color is exciting to them!

We believe that cats see blue and yellow as the clearest and that red and greed can be hard to distinguish. There was once a common belief that cats could see no colors, but this has since been disproven.

Since yellow and blue are most visible and attractive to cats, many toy manufacturers use this information when designing their products.

Though not nocturnal, cats have a superior ability to see when the lights are dimmed, and they see better at night than we do.

They are crepuscular, most active at dusk and dawn when most of their hunting is done and when they are naturally most active. For this reason, a cat’s vision is designed to work well in poor lighting.

The abundance of rod cells in the retina at the back of the eye means they see best in low light. This is different from human vision.

While we can detect colors more efficiently than felines, their ability to see in dim light is superior to ours. Of course, this sets them up very well for low-light hunting.

The pupil controls the amount of light entering the eye. Cats have vertical pupils rather than round ones, which can adapt quickly to the surrounding light, much like a camera aperture.

Cats can see best when the light is dimmed, and cats easily out-compete us in low light. However, we can see clearly in bright light and can detect a much broader range of colors than they can.

They have a wider field of vision, and their peripheral vision ensures they are excellent hunters. Nonetheless, they find it challenging to recognize details up close.

We see things best from a distance of 100 to 200 feet, but cats need to be no more than 20 feet away for the most transparent view.  But cats also struggle to see things placed right under their nose.

In some ways, yes, they are. They see specific colors more mutedly than the average human, which is akin to how a red-green color-blind person sees the world.

Still, they also have more rod cells than we do and see better in dim light, so it's not all bad news!

Whether cats can see all the other colors of the rainbow is still up for debate.

If your cat has been diagnosed with blindness, you may worry they will struggle. Those born blind or who lose their vision when very young will cope the best, as they learn quickly to rely on their other senses. Older cats may take longer to adjust, especially if they suddenly become blind.

Owners can help blind cats by keeping their home environment predictable and not moving around furniture or food bowls.