What Do We Know About Cats’ Night Vision?

Cats are usually more active at night than during the day. This is due to their hunting instincts and the fact that they can see in low light. In the following article we’ll tell you everything you need to know about cat night vision.

How is the night vision of cats?

It’s easy to see that  cats’ eyes are different from ours. Its pupils are elliptical in shape and oriented vertically. They can open wider than humans, so they allow more light to pass through them. That’s why the night vision of cats is superior to that of other beings, for example, dogs.

On the other hand, it should be noted that  feline eyes contain a membrane called Tapetum Lucidum. It is a layer of tissue located at the back of the eyeballs that reflects light rays so that they reach the retina without major problems. That’s why we see that cats’ eyes glow in the dark! This is nothing less than the light reflected in the Tapetum.

In addition,  the cat’s retina allows them to see in low light as well, as it is made up of more rods than cones.  The former are more effective in absorbing light. The seconds take care of absorbing colors (this ability is more limited in felines than in humans, as they see blues and violets better than reds).

All of these characteristics inherent to felines in general, and cats in particular, work together to be able to send a signal from the retinal nerve to the brain, no matter how dark.

And what happens during the day?

Now that you know about cat night vision, you may be wondering what happens when there is full light or sunlight. But don’t worry because your pet won’t go blind or anything. As with us, cats’ pupils can also close or open depending on the light or clarity of the environment. If there’s a lot of light, they contract until they’re a single vertical line. As it gets dark, they open up.

Most interesting of all, they don’t have to close their lids completely when there’s full light. The eye system of cats is like a curtain that is partially drawn. Before a radiant sun, the opening of the retina is reduced to a minimum, but this does not prevent them from seeing.

More information about cat vision

Feline eyes are truly fascinating. They are so different from humans! Among the curiosities of cats’ vision, we can highlight:

1. Have a larger visual field

We humans can even see at a 180° angle.  Cats are able to look up to 200° without moving their head.

1. see better at night

Cats are said to have 8 times more vision than humans because they don’t need the same amount of light as us to see at night.  Although they cannot see in absolute darkness, they can use even a low luminosity in the environment, for example, if the light of the moon or a street lamp passes through the window.

1. perceive the movement

Cats’ eyes are a very popular hunting tool.  They can distinguish when an object or small animal moves close to them. But, to react to this, the movements must be fast, because otherwise they consider it as something static.

1. They can see the middle distance well

Cats have an optimal field of vision between 3 and 6 meters. After this distance, they have nearsightedness and, before 3 meters, farsightedness.

1. They see blurry during the day

In situations of high light the vision of cats is not so good, even if they have their methods of “smothering” the light. Daytime images are somewhat blurry.