Cat vision. Do cats distinguish colors, or visual features of fluffy pets

Cats are crepuscular animals, meaning they are more active during the evening and morning twilight. This explains the fact that they see much better than humans in the dark. In the retina of the cat's eye, there are 6-8 times more rods that are sensitive to dim light, compared to the human organ of vision. Such vision has developed due to their lifestyle and the need to survive in the wild.

Another feature of cat vision is the ability of the pupil to narrow and expand greatly. In bright light, the cat's eye shrinks to the size of a thin thread, and in low light it expands to almost completely cover the cornea. At dusk, such an enlarged pupil is able to better absorb light.

In addition, the cat's eye's elliptical shape, enlarged cornea, and lining at the back of the eyeball, which reflects light back to the retina, collect more light. Because of such an organ of vision in the dark, it is strong.

A cat's eye mirror can change the wavelength of light perceived by a cat so that the animal can see prey and other objects more clearly against the night sky. Light-sensitive rods also allow you to see moving objects better in the dark.

Vision in humans and cats

Cats have a wider field of vision than humans. While in humans it is 180 degrees, in these predators it is 200 degrees. Peripheral vision in cats is also much better developed than in humans. It is important for them to notice a mouse or a toy in the corner of the room.

Unlike humans, cats can't see distant objects as clearly. For example, a person with normal vision in daylight clearly sees large objects at a distance of 70 meters. The cat will see these objects blurry. Her eyesight allows her to see them clearly up to 7 meters away. There are more receptors for the perception of color and details, cones, in the human organ of vision than in cats. The same applies to the perception of movement in daylight, which is much better developed in humans than in smaller brothers.

Cats perceive colors differently. Scientists used to believe that cats are dichromats, that is, they do not perceive green shades. As it turned out later, they still see some green tones.

But the night vision of cats, where rods are the main receptors, is not affected by the small number of cones compared to humans. And while cats can't see in total darkness, they only need a sixth of the light humans need to see objects clearly.

Cats have difficulty seeing objects under them. In this sense, they are far-sighted creatures. They will smell the food placed next to the muzzle, but it will take them some time to find it.

For a long time, cats were considered magical animals, they were credited with the ability to see ghosts, brownies, and predict the future with their behavior.

We can say with confidence that cats see the world differently, but in what colors, why do their eyes glow with a camera flash and at night, and how sharp is the sight, the question is interesting and completely unknown. Is their eye structure fraught with mystery, or is it all about touch?

Vision in the dark

The eyes of a domestic cat differ from human eyes in the structure of the pupil. Scientists argue that their vertical shape plays an important role. During the day, they protect the eyes from bright light, stretching into a narrow strip, and the cat sees the picture of the world indistinctly, and at night the pupil increases and vision is restored. Light entering the retina is reflected from the back wall and returns to the nerve endings. This ability explains the glowing eyes in the dark and in photographs.

The animal can estimate the distance to the object, its size, but it is best to see objects in motion. The angle of view is about 250°. At the same time, he does not see anything under his nose within 50 cm. Such blindness is compensated by the senses of touch and hearing.

In absolute darkness, a cat does not see as well as a person, but with the slightest source of light, vision is activated. She moves with ease, finds food and can keep track of her prey. How so?

For a predator animal, night vision is extremely important; their life may depend on it. The retina of the eye has a completely flat shape, while in humans it is slightly recessed. The nerve endings through which light passes are called cones (photoreceptors) and rods. Cones are responsible for the perception of the size of objects and color shades, and rods help to navigate in the dark. With the development of life on earth, passing through the stages of evolution, sharp vision in the daytime turned out to be unnecessary and the number of cones decreased, increasing the number of rods. This is how nature itself disposed of the cat's ability to see in the dark.

As soon as people did not treat cats: they deified, and attributed to the servants of Satan, and were afraid, considering fluffy creatures associated with the afterlife. Cats are the most intriguing representatives of the animal kingdom, living side by side with humans.

In addition to the flexible body and predatory habits, people have always been interested in the eyesight of cats. The cat's eye is perfection itself, its gaze captivates, bewitches and draws you into a kind of mystical whirlpool. Having studied the cat's eyes, scientists realized how differently the four-legged meowing see the world around them.

For what how do cats see, corresponds to the special arrangement of the organs of vision of the animal. The work of the pupil is interesting - this is a strictly vertical position. If you have seen the reaction of a cat's eye to a bright light, then immediately remember that the pupil narrows sharply. The pupil reacts to twilight or subdued light by dilation.

Do not think that the cat's predatory data contribute to special visual acuity. No, furry friends see worse than a person in the daytime, and besides, they are short-sighted. The ability to clearly "see" the outlines of objects exists due to vibrissae - special outstanding hairs on the muzzle and mustache. Thanks to the vibrissae, the animal is able to determine the distance between objects, and at the same time correct the trajectory of the jump in the head with high accuracy. The angle of view of cats is striking: 270 ° - a full-fledged spatial review. Prey has no chance.

At night, only a night vision device can surpass a cat in vigilance - we will talk about this feature of the cat's body a little lower.

What colors do cats see?

We figured out how clearly cats are able to navigate in the night world and what helps them during the day, but what colors do they distinguish? From the biology course, everyone knows that in the lens of the eye there are photoreceptors called rods and cones. Rods contribute to the special night vision of cats, and animals distinguish colors thanks to the work of cones.

Since there are fewer cones than rods, the advantage is on the side of night sharp vision.

It is curious in the structure of the eye of cats that there is a tapetum - a specific formation responsible for the reflection of unabsorbed light. The tapetum sends all the light to the retina. People see the cat's eyes glow as a result, although it is actually reflected light.

The former view that only achromatic colors are available to cats: black, white and shades of gray. But scientific research on this topic corrected the conclusions: since there are cones in the eye, therefore, the animal is able to distinguish colors. What colors do cats see? Fluffies are available in blue, green and gray tones. They confuse yellow with white, they distinguish purple. Red, brown and orange are not available to them.

How cats see our world

Cats feel great in our world and see it somewhat especially because of the structure of their eyes. The reaction to life around is expressed in the look. Fear is noticeable by the expansion of the pupils to a round shape, anger narrows the pupils to the state of a narrow strip. Any event of the external world is reflected in the behavior of the animal. Even a mirror can be attacked by a cat, because she sees in it not herself, but the same animal. It is interesting to watch how a pussy, excited by its own reflection, calms down and loses all interest in it - except for a visual signal, the mirror does not show others.

Cats have an interesting attitude to TV - there are still debates about what they still distinguish: a running picture or a simple flickering of frames, but cats definitely like programs about animals. Even the absence of sound does not interrupt the purr's observation of a bird hovering on the screen, which the cat will try to knock down with its paw.

A cat sees a human in a different color. Due to myopia, the pet can better distinguish the outlines of the owner away from the room than nearby.

How do cats see in the dark?

As it was said, in the cat's eye there is a certain organ tapetum, located in the retina. All the light absorbed by the cat's eye seems to a person to be a glow in the night. What is happening with eyesight of a cat in the dark? The pupil becomes bottomless - this is how it absorbs the maximum of light that is reflected from the mirror organ of the tapetum and returns to the nerve endings.

In photographs, cat eyes glowing in dim light are always noticeable. Cats are nocturnal hunters, so evolution has made sure that they see much more clearly at night. This is how people see at dusk. If the ancestors of modern cats could not focus their eyes on prey in the process of night hunting in the dark, then perhaps the cat family would not have survived to this day. So, the once necessary improvement of the organs of vision with the help of the efforts of nature gave the domestic cat the opportunity to perfectly navigate in the dark and became an important condition for the further evolution of the genus.

Do cats see the underworld?

Since the day the first cat was tamed, people have been observing pets living with them in the same area. For many centuries, people believed in the existence of brownies, in various kinds of spirits, and in the souls of the dead coming into the house.

"And ask yourself the question" "Where will we try to answer this question.

How do cats see in the dark? This is usually associated with the sparkle of cat eyes, which can sometimes be seen. But we will start from afar - with a person. So, the highest sensitivity is in the dark-adapted eye (the observer must stay in the dark for at least 30 minutes). The maximum sensitivity of the eye falls on a light wavelength of 506 nm (this is blue). The minimum portion of energy that the eye perceives is about 5 photons, they must fall into the same place on the retina in 1 millisecond for a person to see something.

Interestingly, the sensitivity of the eye to colors at night and during the day is different. So, 555 nm is typical for daylight (green-blue color), and 506 nm (blue) is for night. This is called the Purkinje effect. This same Purkinje in 1825 noticed that the brightness of blue and red road signs is different at different times of the day: during the day, both colors are equally bright, and at sunset, blue seems brighter than red. At the onset of deeper twilight, the colors fade completely and, in general, begin to be perceived in gray tones. Red is perceived as black and blue as white. This phenomenon is associated with the transition from cone vision to rod vision with a decrease in illumination.

By the way, there is one trick with the sensitivity of the eyes, which is used by amateur astronomers. Look at the stars on a dark clear night. Focus on some non-bright star. Look like this for a few seconds, then look away a little bit to the side. You will see that the brightness of the star has increased. This happens for two reasons. Firstly, cones located closer to the center are less sensitive, and secondly, the retina tends to get tired. Those. if you look at one point for a few tens of seconds, you will see that it will begin to disappear over time.

As you understand, cats have both cones and rods in the same way. But, firstly, there are more sticks. And secondly, there is something else in connection with which cats were considered a devilish creature for thousands of years.

So, back to our topic. How do cats see in the dark?

Cats can't see in total darkness. But with such illumination, which is already perceived by a person as darkness (for example, in the light of stars), cats see quite well. Why? Everything is very simple. And this is due to the fact that, as they say, "cats' eyes glow in the dark."

Again, cats' eyes don't glow in total darkness. The eyes of cats “shine” in the semi-darkness, when the light falls on the eyes at a certain angle. This happens because a mirror is located behind the retina of cats (the scientific name for this reflective layer of the eye is tapetum). And as a result, the light that is not absorbed in the retina is reflected and again passes through the retina. What is achieved by increasing the sensitivity. And what was not absorbed during the second passage comes back through the pupil. This is the light we see.

The glow-in-the-dark eyes of cats have done great damage to the reputation of these animals. For centuries, black cats have been considered companions of witches, and the belief that cats' eyes glow on their own has survived to this day. However, simple experience convinces us otherwise. If you put a cat in a room without windows, then in complete darkness its eyes will not glow.

By the way, human eyes are also able to reflect light and glow in the dark. If you illuminate the eye with a bright light source or use a flash lamp, then the eyes glow. This is why people's eyes sometimes shine with red light in color photographs. This ability of the eye makes it possible to see in the dark.

It's just that cats have this ability much more developed, so they see much better in the dark.

So, thanks to the built-in reflector, the smallest light source, a distant lamp, the light of the moon, stars, a neighboring window is enough for a cat to reflect it and see everything that is needed.

According to http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/1810675/post55805036/

From time immemorial, a cat has lived next to a person. There is a belief that this animal is a guide to the other world. The cat's gaze has given rise to many mystical speculations among the population of different countries. Indeed, cats see the world differently than humans, and they are able not only to see the owner, but also to feel.

Features of the structure of the cat's eyes

Known fact: "The cat sees perfectly in complete darkness." For a long time, scientists have been figuring out the reason why cats, unlike humans, see in pitch darkness. According to the results of the study, this feature in cats lies in the special anatomical structure of their eyes. So, in the dark, the pupils of cats dilate (also occurs in the process of hunting or excitement), and to focus on a specific object, the pupils of the animal narrow. In addition, the vertical structure of the pupil allows cats to protect their eyes during the day from sunlight and ultraviolet radiation.

However, cats' eyesight is not perfect. The animal does not see well during the day, when compared with a person. Bright light is unpleasant for cats, and they are very sensitive to it. Therefore, cats in the daytime see everything blurry and fuzzy.

Color gamut

Cats hardly see the difference between red, yellow, orange and green. Blue, purple and blue pets perceive as one color. Pets are able to distinguish other colors. At night, cats see many more shades of gray than humans.

Do cats see the underworld?

Many people are sure that their pets are able to see the other world, which is inaccessible to the human eye. This statement was due to the abnormal behavior of cats. So, the owners often observe how their pets seem to peer into something invisible, and then abruptly jump up and run away, demolishing everything in their path.

This behavior of cats is easy to explain. Pets perceive almost all the changes that occur around with their ears, while peering at the picture, they are able to be frightened by the slightest rustle, which leads to a similar reaction.

There is a sign that a black cat has magical abilities (protection), and if you get such a pet, then trouble will never touch the owner. The suit of a cat is not a guarantee of certain abilities, so this sign is just a superstition. The energy of a pet can be negative or positive, which also does not depend on the color. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Siamese or Thai cat, all pets have the same abilities, the same applies to tricolor cats.

It is also known that cats perceive ultrasounds that humans are not able to perceive. An animal perceives light waves faster than a person, but whether cats see the souls of the dead or a biofield remains a mystery.

The energy of cats for humans is soothing. Putting a fluffy pet in his arms, the owner can bring his emotional state back to normal. You need to stroke the cat with a positive attitude and wool.

The negative energy of a person is felt by cats, they can hiss, scratch.

How far can a cat see

Cats and kittens can see up to 800 meters away. Mustaches see well from 1 to 60 meters, but closer to this distance they see objects indistinctly. Sometimes you can notice that the cat is walking, not noticing the objects that are found nearby.

What do cats see in the mirror and on TV?

If you bring the cat to the mirror, then it behaves somewhat inadequately - it starts to hiss, press its ears, scratch, fight with yourself. In fact, pets see themselves in the mirror, but they do not understand that they are in the reflection. They are afraid that the reflection does not give any tactile and auditory vibrations, which causes this behavior.

As for the TV, zoologists say that cats see only flicker on the monitor. The moving objects on the pet screen are mesmerizing. Many owners have noticed that cats love to watch programs about animals. Scientists cannot explain this phenomenon.

However, the website editor's pet cat happily jumps on the mouse cursor moving quickly across the monitor, apparently mistaking it for a fat midge.

How does a cat see a person?

Cats see their owners for who they are, except for the color scheme. If a person is at a distance, then the pet sees only a silhouette. But close up, the pet can clearly see the face of the owner. In general, cats are guided solely by smell.

As for human energy, not every cat is able to feel it. A negative person will push the animal away from him, and it will not accept him. But the reaction to a person with a bad energy field in different cats will be different. Therefore, do not be surprised if one cat begins to hiss, and the other purrs and rubs.

Many owners notice that felines of only a certain color take root in them. This phenomenon is not explained by scientists in any way. But it is clear that cats live only in conditions that are comfortable for themselves, so if the owner created unfavorable conditions for the pet, then he can leave the house and never return. Perhaps the owner had a negative attitude towards the pet, and he felt it. Also, an allergy to animal hair can be a signal for a cat to leave the house, apartment and choose other housing.

Many cats go to bed next to the owner. Sleeping with a pet at night, according to experts, is beneficial. There is a lot of speculation about why cats lie on a person. Often the owner notices that the pet is trying to fall asleep on a certain part of the body. It has been proven that a pet is able to feel the outgoing vibrations of an unhealthy organ and heal it. There is also a belief that a cat takes energy from a person, but only negative, but each owner decides for himself whether it is possible to sleep with a cat.

It used to be thought that cats had visual acuity. This statement is misleading. Cats have a phenomenal sense of smell, but they cannot boast of visual acuity. Their eyes, in proportion to the body, are quite large. That is why the eyes of cats are credited with magical abilities to energize people and take away negativity. Dogs, for example, cannot boast of such features.

By the behavior of a cat, you can determine what kind of energy a person has. If the aura, the soul and the person as a whole are kind, then the pet will treat him affectionately. The relationship between the cat and the owner is close, so if the second one has a headache, then the pet will try in every possible way to appease her (purr, climb on her head). In this case, you can take the purr to rest in bed and put it next to your head on a pillow. After sleep, headaches are guaranteed to disappear. Not all cats can produce such treatment, but only with positive energy.

Cats love small children, because the child has positive energy. And also, importantly, a positive attitude towards the cat.

Small "total"

Cats see people for who they are. In fact, the vision of pets is not so perfect. But their sixth sense is very developed. With a person who has a negative energy field, the cat will not live.

A lot is attributed to the look and eyes of cats. Also, a large number of owners noted that such an animal can cure many diseases and improve mood. If you treat a cat with kindness, then it will respond the same to its owner.