---
title: "Can cats see color?"
description: "Discover how feline vision works, what colors cats can see, and how their eyes are uniquely adapted for nighttime hunting."
date: "2017-06-12T12:51:30Z"
author: "Just Cats Clinic"
image: "/img/fbc56c1d"
canonical: "/can-cats-see-color/"
---

# Can cats see color?


One of the most popular questions cat vets hear is, "Can my cat see color?" Though for years it was widely believed that
cats were colorblind, recent research indicates cats have the ability to detect color. While our eyes are able to detect
a broad range of different colors, cats view color on a much smaller spectrum.

## Where Does the Ability to See Colors Come From?

The retina contains two types of cells that allow us and our feline friends to see: rods and cones. Rods signal to the
brain when any light waves reach the retina, regardless of their color. Cones, on the other hand, fire when lights of
specific wavelengths (i.e., different colors) hit the eye. Some cones signal when blue light comes in contact with the
retina, others respond to red light, and a third variety fires when green light is detected.

## How Do Cat and Human Eyes Perceive Color Differently?

Because space on the retina is limited, more rods necessarily mean fewer cones, and vice versa. Because cats have
evolved to hunt in darker environments, their eyes are packed with considerably more rods than cones. As a result, they
can seemingly "see in the dark" and detect the slightest motion, but their perception of colors is relatively poor. One
study indicated, for example, that felines can only see blues and grays, while another concluded that they are also able
to detect yellows.

The relative lack of cones also makes cats less sensitive to changes in the brightness or vibrancy of a color. They may
not be able to distinguish, for example, between light blue and dark blue.

Humans, on the other hand, have to be able to function in both low-light and bright environments, so our eyes have
evolved to contain ten times as many cones as those of our furry friends. Our night vision is worse, but we can see a
full rainbow's worth of color during the day.

## How Else Are Cat and Human Eyes Different?

Evolutionary forces have also changed how well felines and humans can focus on objects at different distances. Because
cats are closer to the ground and have more acute senses of sound and smell, focusing sharply on objects at distances
greater than 50 yards away has never been a priority. As a result, they are somewhat nearsighted compared to us. Felines
can detect things in the distance, but those objects tend to appear blurry.

## What Does All of This Mean?

![Cat looking attentively at the camera](/img/f4126e6c)

Though your kitty's ability to detect and perceive color is largely unimportant with regard to its health and
well-being, knowing about its sensory abilities can help you create a more enjoyable living space for your feline
friend. For example, your cat may enjoy blue and yellow toys more than red.