Can cats see in the dark like night vision goggles?

Cats are known for their keen senses - especially vision. But how good is its vision? Can they see clearly in the dark? Is it similar to night vision goggles? In this issue, let's explore the night vision capabilities of cats.

Can cats see clearly in the dark?

Cats can see better in the dark than us humans. In dimly lit environments or in dimly lit areas, cats can see better than we can. This is because cats have more receptors in their eyes than we do. These receptors are called rods, and they are light-sensitive and can help them see anywhere six to eight times better than us!

Their pupils dilate more than ours, which helps bring in more light. However, in the absolute absence of light, cats' vision is not very good. Cats must have at least one small light source to see in the dark. So even though cats have the ability to see clearly in the dark, they are not actually nocturnal animals, and cats prefer to be active at dusk and dawn.

How does cat night vision differ from humans?

The difference between cat vision and human vision lies in the retinal area of ​​the eye. In the retina, there are photoreceptor cells, and these cells are of two different types called rods and cones. The role of cones is to help see during the day and to detect shades of color. Rods, on the other hand, help with night vision and peripheral vision.

Cats have many rod receptors, but not so many cone receptors. This combination explains why cats can see well at night, but can't detect color very well. For humans, the opposite is true. We're better at seeing different colors, but not as good at seeing things at night.

Another factor that makes cats' night vision different from humans is their tapetum -- or the thin reflective layer that sits at the back of the eye. This layer bounces and amplifies the light when they are in a dark environment. This explains why cat and dog eyes may glow in the dark.

cats are colorblind

While cats may have excellent night vision, their vision is not perfect. In fact, cats are red/green blind.

Unlike humans, who have three different types of color receptors called cones, cats have only two different types of cones and far fewer in number. This means that shades of red and green are grey to them. Although they may not be able to see certain colors, cats are not as completely color blind as some people think.

They have the ability to see color even though it is not as vivid and bright as human vision. This disproves the myth that cats see black and white. It's actually pretty rare to see black and white called monochromatic. Cats see colors a little differently than we do, and their color blindness is similar to that of humans, with some specific colors (red and green) more difficult to handle. However, cats are much better at seeing shades of blue and yellow than red and green. They also rely heavily on the brightness of colors when viewing the world.

Therefore, you may want to consider getting your cat a yellow pet toy or a blue toy, as both will be more attractive and easier for your cat to see.

What are the limitations and advantages of cat vision?

Being able to see clearly in the dark also paid for the cat. They cannot discern details in their surroundings the way humans can. They also have a much shorter field of view when it comes to distance. Humans are able to see local details from 30-60 meters away, in contrast, cats can only see around 10 meters, which is a relatively short distance.

This is because cats lack the muscles needed to be able to change the shape of their eyes. For example, if you've ever held a cat toy close to your cat's face, you've probably noticed it start sniffing it. This behavior is not only how they detect the smell of an object, but also how it determines what the object is because they have a hard time seeing it. At close range, cats have a hard time focusing their eyes on an object, so if you put a toy in close proximity, the cat will use its sensitive whiskers to detect it.

While cats have a much blurrier field of vision, they have a wider field of view of 200 degrees (humans have 180 degrees), which provides better peripheral vision.

So now you know the answer to whether cats can see clearly in the dark! While cats' night vision isn't as great as most people expect, their eyes are still pretty good, which is part of what makes them such successful hunters.