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The Purrfect Perspective How Cats Eyesight is Both Better and Worse than HumansAs we...
The Purrfect Perspective How Cats Eyesight is Both Better and Worse than HumansAs we...
The Purrfect Perspective How
Cats Eyesight is Both Better
and Worse than HumansAs we
gaze into our feline friends
piercing eyes its hard not to
wonder about their unique
visual abilities While humans
take pride in their colorrich
world cats have a different
way of seeing things
literally Their eyesight is
both better and worse than
ours with some fascinating
tradeoffsBetter Than Humans1
LowLight Vision Cats can see
in incredibly dim light
conditions thanks to the high
concentration of rod cells in
their retinas This means they
can prowl through dark alleys
or spot a mouse scurrying
across the floor even when its
as black as coal2 Wider
Peripheral View Felines have a
wider field of vision than
humans which helps them detect
potential threats or prey from
the side Their eyes are
positioned on either side of
their head allowing them to
see almost 200 degrees around
them thats like having eyes
in the back of your headWorse
Than Humans1 Color Vision Cats
have limited color vision
which means they cant
distinguish between colors as
vividly as humans do
Scientists believe that grass
appears red to cats as their
brains process long
wavelengths like those in red
light more easily than shorter
wavelengths like those in blue
or green light2 Obtuse Color
Perception When it comes to
color perception cats are a
bit obtuse They cant see the
nuances of color that humans
take for granted For example
while we might distinguish
between different shades of
blue cats might simply see it
all as one big blueish messIn
conclusion cats eyesight is a
unique blend of advantages and
disadvantages While they excel
in lowlight conditions and
have an impressive peripheral
view their color vision is
limited and obtuse So the next
time youre watching your
feline friend stalk its prey
or lounge in the sun remember
that its visual world is just
as fascinating and foreign
to us humansSources Feline
Vision by Cornell University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cat Eyesight by PetMD How Cats
See the World by Scientific
American
