Cat Vision

-- Cat Vision --

Cat vision is an important part of your cat’s daily life. It is essential for everything they do, from hunting to playing to knowing when danger is present.

It’s a good idea to be aware of any possible problems that could arise that might compromise his sight.

Cat’s pupils should be the same size as ours, so if you notice your cat's pupils change in size, it could be a symptom of a health issue, which could range anywhere from mild to very serious. Here are some other symptoms to look for:

• Inflammation of the eye
• Horners Syndrome (neurological disorder)
• Felv (may cause pupillary spasms)
• Central nervous system injury

Cats have a third eyelid called the nictating membrance. This is used to protect their eyes from dryness and/or damage.

If your cat is sick, this eyelid will partially close. If this or any other symptoms are present, get him to the vet immediately.

You can tell a lot about what kind of mood your cat is in by looking in his eyes.

• He may be angry if his pupils are narrowed.
• He may be excited or scared if his eyes are wide open with large, dilated pupils.
• He's likely mellow if his eyes appear to be a shade deeper than normal.

What makes cats such good hunters?

A cat’s excellent hunting ability is largely due to their exceptional vision. Cat vision is designed to detect motion, which gives them an incredible advantage while hunting.

They have what is called "binocular vision", which shows us that they most likely see in 3D.

The pupils on a cat are elliptical. They open and close much faster than a round pupil, which allows for much more light to enter the eyes.

Cats are slightly near sighted, so their vision is meant for closer objects. If something is several hundred yards away a cat will not be interested in it.

Coupling this intense vision with their extra sensitive hearing and directional ear movement, they are able to find prey very easily.

Why Do Cats See So Well At Night?

A cat's vision is good during the day, but even better at night time. This is because they have a Tapetum, a mirror like membrane in the back of their eyes. The Tapetum reflects any light that has passed through the rods, back through the rods a second time, in the opposite direction.

Can Cats See Color?

In low lighting and at night cats do not see colors; they see only black, white and shades of gray.

In the retina, cats have cones and rods. Cones are receptors that the eyes use for seeing at night, and for any fast movements. During daytime hours, cones enable them to see colors.

Cats see certain colors more brightly than others and some are seen as dark to mid grays.

Purple, blue and green seem to be the strongest colors that cats can see. Red, orange and brown colors fall outside their color vision, and are seen as shades of gray. 

 

Ask a Vet Online

Type your Cat question here

 letters left

---

Home » Cat Health Problems » Cat Vision

---