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What Colors Can Cats See? Cat Vision Explained

Cats are masters of twilight: they see far better than we do in low light. Colors and fine details matter less to them. Here is what colors cats can see and how cat vision works.

Updated · 3 min read

Contents
  1. What colors can cats see?
  2. Cat vision simulation
  3. Are cats color blind?
  4. Can cats see in the dark?
  5. How sharp is cat vision?
  6. What this means for toys
  7. And you – how do you see red and green?
  8. Frequently asked questions

What colors can cats see?

Like dogs, cats mainly have two cone types: one for blue light (around 450 nm) and one for yellow-green light (around 555 nm). Some studies suggest a third, weak cone type, but in everyday life cats see much like people with red-green color blindness. They see blue and yellow-green best; red looks dark to gray and is hard to tell from green.

Blue (~450 nm)Yellow-green (~555 nm)400 nm500 nm600 nm700 nm
Cats mainly have two cone types and a very large number of rods for seeing in low light.

Cat vision simulation

Simplified: fewer colors, lower saturation and less sharpness.

Colors look paler to cats because their retina has relatively few cones and a huge number of rods. For hunting, movement and brightness matter more than color.

Are cats color blind?

Not completely. Cats can tell some colors apart, but only to a limited extent – much like people with deuteranopia. In experiments, cats need a lot of training to discriminate colors and prefer to rely on brightness and shape.

Can cats see in the dark?

This is where cats beat us easily. They need only about one sixth of the light we need to see. That is thanks to:

In complete darkness, though, cats can’t see either.

How sharp is cat vision?

Less sharp than ours: estimates range from about 20/100 to 20/200. What we can recognize at 100–200 feet, a cat recognizes at about 20 feet. Very close up – under about 10–12 inches – cats also see blurry; their whiskers help there. Their field of view, around 200 degrees, is a little wider than ours.

What this means for toys

And you – how do you see red and green?

Many people see red and green almost as limited as a cat does and don’t know it. The test takes two minutes:

Also read: what colors can dogs see?

Frequently asked questions

What colors can cats see?

Mainly blue and yellow-green. Red looks dark to gray and is hard to distinguish from green.

Are cats color blind?

Not completely. They see colors in a limited way, similar to people with red-green color blindness.

Can cats see in the dark?

Cats need only about one sixth of the light humans need to see. In complete darkness they can’t see either.

Do cats see sharply?

Less sharply than humans, both far away and very close up. They are excellent at detecting movement.

Keep reading

What Colors Can Dogs See? Dog Vision ExplainedWhich colors dogs see, whether they are color blind – with a dog vision simulation.Deuteranopia: Green Blindness and Deuteranomaly ExplainedThe most common color vision deficiency: when the green cones are missing or shifted.What Do Color Blind People See?Interactive simulation: the same scene with red-green, blue-yellow and total color blindness.Color Blindness: What It Really MeansRed-green, blue-yellow and total color blindness – all types at a glance.Achromatopsia: When You See No Colors at AllTotal color blindness – rare, with light sensitivity and reduced sharpness.Red-Green Color Blindness: Causes, Types and Daily LifeThe most common color vision deficiency – causes, inheritance, types and everyday tips.