The world around us through the eyes of a cat: features of cat vision

There are many myths surrounding the cat's organs of vision. Since a cat is a partly mystical creature, according to many people, the eyes also seem mystical. Their mysterious glow and unique expression seem to hide a lot of unknown things. But how are cat eyes different from human eyes? Let's figure it out.

Cat's eyes: how do they work?

Perception of light

The perception of light in animals occurs due to light-sensitive cells (photoreceptors) located on the retina. The specificity of vision of certain species depends on which type of photoreceptors predominates. There are two types of photoreceptors, depending on the cells that form them:

• sticks;
• cones.

Sticks

Rods are highly sensitive to light, their predominance in the eye is characteristic of animals that hunt at dusk and often use peripheral vision. Cats fit this description perfectly (although many modern cats do not hunt at home) - their retinas are, indeed, filled primarily with rods.

The predominance of rods in the cat's eye was established due to the nocturnal lifestyle of animals

Rods are used in conditions where there is not enough daylight to effectively navigate in space. The predatory ancestors of cats survived by hunting in the dark, which gave them an advantage over their prey. This determined the type of vision that cats carried through the centuries. Acute vision in daylight, when some individuals even get enough sleep before hunting, turned out to be not in demand among furry predators.

Night hunting is a huge advantage for wild cats

Rods allow cats to focus on movements that are barely noticeable to the human eye in dimly lit rooms. The slightest rustle, made carelessly by a rodent, is enough for a keen cat's eye to notice the prey and rush after it.

Cones

In order to use cones, on the contrary, you need bright lighting. Cones are responsible for all the nuances of perceiving color shades. Since color details were less important for cats in the struggle for survival than determining the trajectory of prey in the dark, cones were assigned a more modest role.

Cats do not need the nuances of light perception in their everyday life.

More recently, the prevailing hypothesis was that cats, like dogs, have poor sensitivity to color and see the world around them in black, gray and white. Some experts spoke about the predominance of blue-gray tones. Now zoologists are inclined to believe that almost the entire palette of shades is available to cats, it’s just that our pets distinguish between them worse than people. In general, no radical difference in color discrimination between a cat and a person is observed.

Specializing in gray shades will allow a cat to notice a gray mouse on a gray background

Moreover, cats' vision is tailored to certain colors, which are useful for cats. One of these colors is gray: felines are able to distinguish up to 25 of its unique shades. The utility of this ability lies in the ability to quickly isolate from the environment mice and other rodents whose fur is colored in different shades of gray. In general, cats are more sensitive to cool colors and indifferent to warm colors such as red, orange and yellow.

Vision Explained: How the Human Eye Works

The way we see things is part of a complex process: different things happen in the eye and in the brain before we see anything.
This process follows the retinocortical pathway, which begins in the eye and continues to our brain. In short, the way vision works is that the human eye absorbs ambient light and collects it on the cornea. The result is the first visual impression. Each eye then transmits this image to the brain via the optic nerve and converts it into what we call “vision.” Light is the source of everything we see. In complete darkness we are practically blind. This means that a certain amount of light must illuminate an object for us to have even the slightest chance of seeing it. This light is then reflected by the object and processed by our visual system. If we look at a tree, our eyes absorb the light it reflects: the rays first pass through the conjunctiva and cornea, then through the anterior chamber and pupil. The light then reaches the lens, which absorbs it and transmits it to the retina, the photosensitive organ (= sensitive to light). The retina collects visual information and sorts it: the rods are responsible for night vision, the cones for daytime vision and colors. This information is transmitted to the optic nerve, which transmits it directly to the brain, where it is evaluated again.

Although we already have detailed information about the anatomy of the human eye and its structure, many questions remain regarding how our consciousness works. We know, for example, which areas of our brain are most active when we see something, but we don't actually know what worldview is.

Mechanism of vision

Sometimes we notice strange things about our pets: a cat that can easily catch a fly on the fly does not seem to see how a toy is being waved right in front of it. At the same time, everything is completely normal with the pet’s vision. What explains this selective blindness?

Near objects may become invisible to cats

To understand the details of image clarity, you need to turn to the lens, which is responsible for focusing light rays on the retina. The lens, depending on the circumstances, can straighten (then the cat sees distant objects more clearly) or acquire a convex shape (when the cat focuses on close-up details). Changing the state of the lens is called accommodation and involves adjusting vision to a particular object.

Distant objects are of little interest to a cat interested in prey nearby

Accommodation is available equally to both humans and cats, but in humans it is much better developed. The fact is that the muscle responsible for changing the shape of the eye lenses - the ciliary muscle - is less developed in felines. This is expressed in the fact that people with good eyesight are able to distinguish objects at a distance of up to 60 meters, while a cat’s capabilities end at six meters. The rest of the space merges into a grayish, blurry background. Since cats are not strategists, but tacticians, they use the technique of a surprise attack from cover, they do not need farsightedness for long-term tracking.

The ciliary muscle is responsible for quickly adjusting the eye to the object in question.

The underdevelopment of the ciliary muscle does not allow cats to focus their gaze on objects located right under their nose. At such moments, felines exhibit unexpected farsightedness, which greatly surprises their owners, although there is nothing surprising in this. To see an object, the cat needs to move a certain distance away from it. She sees everything that is closer than fifty centimeters to the cat very blurry, if she sees it at all.

Cats don’t always see what they interact with; their keen sense of smell helps them identify objects.

This feature could be noticed by owners who introduced the cat to some new toy, bringing it directly to the animal’s face. In order to somehow get to know the object, the pet used its sense of smell, not being able to examine the toy at such a close distance.

The effectiveness of jumping on prey saved the cat from tedious tracking

This feature is difficult to attribute to advantages or disadvantages. The difference in the perception of objects and color shades in humans and cats is associated with the conditions in which both visions are used. While color and small details are important to humans, cats are interested in quick reactions to moving “targets.”

Does a cat see ghosts?

It is not known for certain whether the cat sees ghosts. However, many of us have repeatedly witnessed how a cat suddenly froze and looked at one point for a long time. Or it would suddenly jump up from its seat, its fur would stand on end, its muzzle would express great fear, and the animal would begin to hiss and wave its paws, as if defending itself from someone.

Or, conversely, for no reason at all, the cat begins to happily run around the room, jump up and play with some non-existent object.

All this is difficult to explain, but scientists have practically proven the fact that cats have the gift of foresight. They sense trouble long before any event and try to warn us about it.

Perhaps this is a figment of our rich imagination, but cats amazingly accurately detect the arrival of any natural disasters and try in advance to leave the place where, in their opinion, it is unsafe.

Perception of moving objects

Every owner who has played with their pet at least once has noticed that the cat reacts faster to a toy moving on the floor. When the owner suddenly lifted it into the air, the reaction could be twofold: the cat either tried to quickly grab the “prey” or fell into a stupor and did not understand where the mouse had gone.

To track the movement of an object in the air, the cat requires additional effort

This behavior is a manifestation of inherited hunting instincts from wild relatives. As you know, only cats themselves are capable of climbing vertically, deftly clinging to trees with their claws; up and down movements are not typical for cat prey, which relieves our hunters of the need to track vertical movements. Due to the fact that rodents move on the ground, the horizontal plane is a priority for cats. To air movements, the cat's pursuit reaction will either be very sluggish or not manifest itself at all.

Stereoscopy

As already mentioned, the lack of need to track prey over long distances makes cats less sensitive to distant objects. The main technique used by felines when hunting is a sudden rush from cover onto an unsuspecting victim. Therefore, long-term tracking in cats is inferior to instant actions.

Correct calculation of the distance to the prey allows the cat to finish it off with one blow

Point concentration on a close object is achieved through stereoscopic vision, which allows the animal to correctly compare the location of the animal and its own in order to imagine the order of further actions. Calculating the jump and the force of the impact - the cat can do all this thanks to stereoscopy. The close set of the cat's eyes and their direction allow them to look forward and down, under the paws, which is ideal for hunting small animals.

Despite the fact that cats see objects moving on the floor best, they can also catch a bird in flight.

It is curious that rodents do not have stereoscopic vision. These animals literally see two different pictures, delivered to the brain alternately by their eyes, without combining them into a complete image. The advantage of this type of eye work is that the area being inspected is doubled compared to the cat’s field of view, which allows rodents to effectively escape from the predator.

Binocular vision gives the cat access to three-dimensional vision and covers the blind spot

A cat's binocular vision allows it to cope with its blind spot due to the fact that the image from one eye compensates for and fills in the gaps of the other. In binocular and peripheral vision, a cat is superior to a human, since the girth of felines is 130 and 120 degrees, respectively. In total, the cat is able to cover the territory with its gaze at 270 degrees. The three-dimensionality of the image, achieved thanks to binocularity, and the wide viewing angle make cats excellent hunters, from whom prey is unlikely to escape.

Features of cat vision

There are several interesting facts that will help you better understand the features of the cat's vision system..

• Everyone knows that cats' eyes glow in twilight and darkness. Predators often hunt at dusk and at night. Nature has endowed their eyes with a layer of tapetum (special cellular compounds that reflect light). The topetum is located between the retina and the posterior optic nerve. Thanks to this structure, the cat sees better in the absence of good lighting.
• Darkness is much more comfortable for our “meowing friends” than light. The fact is that cats see poorly in bright light.
• Previously, scientists were sure that the eye of this animal perceives only black and white shades. But recently it was proven that cats distinguish other colors. They are able to distinguish 25% more shades of gray than the human eye.
• Seals notice horizontal movement faster than vertical movement.
• Cats have stereoscopic (a similar definition is binocular) vision. This means that her brain, receiving signals from vision through neurons, combines the pictures from both eyes into one. She perceives shapes, sizes well and can calculate distances to an object. This explains the jumps right on target. In this regard, the structure and field of perception of the eye of a “cute predator” is similar to that of a human eye.

© shutterstock

Vision in the dark

Contrary to the generally accepted belief, in rooms without light, a person, a cat, and all other animals are equally helpless. When talking about cats’ ability to navigate well in the dark, we usually mean poorly lit spaces, which are where the cat’s eye is focused. The tapetum lucidum helps felines see in twilight conditions.

Some owners assume that their pets' eyes glow on their own, which is wrong.

The tapetum is a specific layer of the vascular eye, found not only in cats, but also in other vertebrates. Representing a reflective system, this layer plays the role of a mirror onto which light rays fall, having previously passed through the lens and cornea. Having reached the fundus of the eye, the light is reflected, coloring the cat's eyes in different pearlescent shades, which depend on their actual eye color.

Do cats' eyes glow?

The structure of the tapetum also allows us to debunk the myth that the eyes of cats have a certain unique glow that manifests itself in the dark. The characteristic iridescence of a cat's eyes, which attracts the attention of anyone who notices it, is explained by the reflective pigment contained in the tapetum lucidum.

In cats with heterochromia, light is reflected differently in each eye.

The color of the tapetum varies from yellow to green, with red-pink and purple shades sometimes occurring. The color of this layer does not depend on the breed or age of the cat and is distributed randomly. Its color can be affected by whether it is located closer to the center or to the periphery of the cat's eye.

You can see your pet's tapetum quite easily by directing a beam of light (from a lamp, for example) at it at a certain angle, or by photographing the cat with a flash.

Video - Reasons for cat's eyes glowing in the dark

Mechanism of operation

Entering the eyes, light rays pass through the transparent cornea to the lens and vitreous body, and then converge at one point located on the surface of the retina. Due to their refraction, the image is reflected here upside down. From the retina, information is transmitted to the brain along the optic nerves, where it is converted into a correct, non-inverted picture. In this case, the paths of its transmission from the left and right eyes intersect, so data from both eyes passes to each hemisphere. Subsequently, it is processed and combined, which makes it possible to obtain a three-dimensional image of objects in the surrounding world.

Another distinctive feature of the structure of a cat's eye is the presence of a tapetum. It is a special layer of cells at the back of the eyeball that reflects light not absorbed by the photoreceptors back to the retina. It is due to this natural “mirror” that the eyes of cats can glow in the dark when they reflect the light falling on them (but are not its source at all).

Interesting! Most cats' eyes glow green, but sometimes there are exceptions: for example, owners of Siamese pets can see a yellow glow, and with different levels of eye pigmentation, the eyes of even two individuals of the same breed can glow in different colors.

The statement that cats are able to see well in a dark room is erroneous: in the complete absence of light, they are not able to see anything. Their ability to see in the dark works in the presence of at least minimal glimpses of light. Once they hit the retina, they will multiply with a reflective layer and provide good vision in such a situation.

Loss of vision in an animal at an early age leads to the fact that the number of neurons in the brain responsible for vision decreases, but at the same time the number of those that respond to light and tactile stimuli increases. The sharpening of other senses compensates for the loss of vision so well that blind animals practically do not differ in behavior from their healthy relatives. The only thing is that now the owner will not be able to see joy, sadness and all other nuances of mood and emotions in the eyes of his pet.

• What is the significance of a cat's tail?
• Why do cats have rough tongues?
• Cat skeleton: detailed anatomy

Auxiliary organs

In addition to the eyeball, the cat’s visual system also includes auxiliary organs that provide its protection. These bodies include:

1. Upper eyelid.
2. Lower eyelid.
3. Third eyelid.

Anatomy of a cat's eye

Since cats do not have eyelashes in the traditional sense, they need organs that provide protection to the eye shell from environmental particles - dust and microbes. These tasks are performed by all three eyelids, which, in addition to protecting the eye, are responsible for its nutrition and distribution of lubricating fluids throughout the cornea to prevent drying out.

Third eyelid

The third eyelid (nictitating membrane) performs several important functions, which should be discussed in more detail. In a healthy state, the third eyelid is invisible to the naked eye. It can be detected only in those rare moments when the fold of the conjunctiva straightens and covers a large surface of the eye - for example, when the cat's head is tilted at a certain angle.

If you can discern a third eyelid on your pet's eye, it's time to take him to the vet.

Also, the third eyelid becomes noticeable when it is inflamed or due to other pathological processes in the cat’s body. A visible third eyelid is a good reason to immediately consult a veterinarian.

The functions of the nictitating membrane include:

• production and distribution of tear fluid throughout the eye membrane;
• retention of the tear film on the cornea;
• protection of the cornea from mechanical damage and injury;
• immunological protection against microbes.

The third eyelid is present not only in cats and other mammals, but also in humans

It should be clarified that the exact functions of the third century remain largely unexplored to this day. In determining the significance of the nictitating membrane, zoologists move from the opposite direction, determining what damage damage to the third eyelid brings to the eye.

The person preserved the “remains” of the third eyelid in the inner corner of the eyes

Both cats and humans have a third eyelid. The difference in the structure of the human eye is that the third eyelid plays the role of a vestigial organ, which has turned into a small bulge in the inner corner of the eye. The reason for this change in the third eyelid lies in the fact that a person does not grab prey with his teeth and does not eat from the ground, which reduces the likelihood of contamination of the eye and eliminates the need for additional protection of the eye shell.

The functions of the third century have long been of interest to scientists, but the purpose of this organ remains a mystery.

Rudiment or useful device?

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the nictitating membrane was treated as a completely unnecessary organ. Moreover, the practice of removing the third eyelid was widespread, which supposedly simplified the life of a pet, ridding it of this “relic of the past.” Such careless actions led to an imbalance in the eye: the visual system lost the ability to produce a sufficient amount of tear fluid, which led to dry eye syndrome. The third eyelid was partly regulated with the help of the nervous system, and therefore its removal did not pass without a trace for her.

A hundred years ago, cats underwent surgery to remove the third eyelid, which caused harm to the animal.

Today, scientists are inclined to believe that the third eyelid is not an exception, but rather the norm among mammals and birds. Its absence (or rather, modification) in primates and humans is an interesting curiosity, and not a rule that should apply to all other species.

Structure and device

There are 3 membranes of the eye, which differ in characteristics. The structure is shown in the table:

All structures of the organs of vision belong to certain membranes.

Some interesting facts about cat eyes

1. If we take the ratio of the eye to the body size, then the eyes of a cat are larger than the eyes of most mammals.
2. To see an object in the dark, cats need six times less light than humans. This is partly because they use the light reflected from their retina to engage the tapetum.

   Thanks to the tapetum, cats see in the dark

3. The color of a cat's eye can change throughout the animal's life.
4. Kittens open their eyes only 7-10 days after birth.
5. Some cats, like people, are color blind.
6. It is generally accepted that cats with white fur are more likely to have heterochromia.
7. Absolutely all kittens are born with blue or purple eyes. Over time, the blue pigment can be replaced by another. The exception is some breeds that are characterized by blue eyes (for example, Siamese cats).

   As they grow older, most cats change blue eye color to another, but there are exceptions.

8. Most blue-eyed cats have hearing problems.

The structure of a cat's skeleton and its joints

The skeleton plays the role of a frame made of bones (a cat has about 240 of them) and has 2 sections: axial and peripheral.

The skeleton of a cat has about 240 bones

The axial section includes:

1. The spine consists of 30 vertebrae, which are divided into 5 sections. The cervical vertebrae are large and allow the cat to turn its head almost 180 degrees without changing body position. The tail also belongs to the spine; it allows you to maintain good balance when jumping and falling.
2. The chest consists of 12 pairs of ribs.
3. Cat skull. Unlike other mammals, cats have a short skull, and the size of the head in relation to the size of the entire body is small. Conventionally, the skull can be divided into 2 parts:
   facial, on which 13 bones are located;
4. cranial, which contains 11 bones. The bones of the skull are stronger and larger than the facial part. The cat has a powerful jaw. Its main attribute is teeth. An adult animal has 30 of them. But even a kitten at the age of 3-4 weeks already has 26 sharp teeth. At 5–6 months, complete replacement of baby teeth with molars occurs.

The peripheral section includes the fore and hind limbs.

There are 5 toes on each of the front paws, and 4 on the hind paws. Each toe ends in a sharp claw, hidden in a so-called pouch when at rest.

The cat only releases its claws when necessary.

Cat joints are divided into:

• sutures that form between the fused bones of the skull and consist of hard fibers, devoid of mobility;
• cartilaginous, which consist of durable cartilage; in cats, these compounds are more flexible and mobile than in other animals;
• synovial - these are connections between two or more bones, providing them with greater mobility, the main types of such connections: spherical,
• articulated.

Is it possible to understand a cat's mood by its eyes?

There is a common misconception that the “faces” of animals, like human faces, reflect an emotional state. On the Internet you can find many photographs that give us the impression (depending on the photographer’s idea) that the cat is sad, happy, gloating, and so on.

Attempts to attribute any expression to a cat's face stem from a misunderstanding of the functioning of facial expressions in animals

Contrary to a person’s desire to endow a cat with his own psychology and fit it into the framework of his experiences, such an identification is incorrect. The eyes of cats are not evil, kind, or dreamy, since our pets do not have developed facial expressions like humans have. This does not mean that cats have no emotions. The times when animals were considered emotionless robots are long gone. However, attempts to guess what is in the soul of a four-legged friend usually end in empty projections, when the owner endows the pet with those experiences that he deems necessary and stops there.

The structure of the cat's skull does not allow the cat to smile, since it is not physiologically designed

You can recognize a cat’s psycho-emotional state by its general body language. In animals, rich facial expressions are replaced by “speaking” body movements. The waving of the tail, the poses that the animal takes in your presence - all this is endowed with its own meaning.

A person attributes different types of behavior to a cat based on his projective mechanisms

Regarding the eyes, you can only make a couple of notes. When a cat prepares to attack, its gaze becomes motionless and glassy. If this look is directed at you, then you have caused her aggression. Constricted pupils also indicate aggression. If a pet closes its eyes alone with its owner, it means that the animal trusts the owner.

Structure of a cat's eye

The cat's eye consists of three membranes: 1. Fibrous membrane. This is the outer layer of the eye. It is formed from collagen fibers and elastin protein. The sclera lines a large surface area of ​​the eye, and the clear cornea covers the remainder of the eye. It is the transparent cornea that captures light and also transmits it into the inside of the eye. 2. Choroid. This is the middle layer in which microscopic blood vessels are located. They supply the eye tissues with oxygen and nutrients.

In front of this layer there is the ciliary body. With the help of the muscles of this cilial body, the lens of the eye is held in place. Only its shape changes, which, with the help of this change, corrects the clarity of vision. In front of the ciliary body there is also the iris. This is the colored part of the eye.

It divides the eye into an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The saturation of eye color depends on the amount of pigment in the iris. Eye color begins to develop at the age of one month. The pet acquires its final eye color only by the age of two. At the center of the iris is the pupil. The pupil changes its size depending on the light. In bright light, a cat's pupil narrows, and in the dark it dilates. 3. Retina or retina of the eye. This is the inner layer of the eye. It converts light into nerve impulses and then transmits them to the brain.

This layer consists of very light-sensitive cells. There are two types of photoreceptors: rods and cones. The rods receive light and transmit it through themselves. This is how vision is formed.

Cones provide the ability to perceive colors and fine details. They make the “picture” clear. The quality of vision depends on the ratio of rods and cones.

Eye diseases in cats

Unfortunately, felines are susceptible to all sorts of eye diseases, which are not entirely possible to cover within the scope of this article. Different sources offer their own classifications, but we will briefly discuss some of them.

More information about the symptoms and treatment of eye diseases in cats can be obtained by reading a special article on our website.

Eye diseases in cats are divided into:

• inflammatory: this group of diseases includes all kinds of conjunctivitis, keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis, iritis, inflammation of the nasolacrimal duct, blepharitis, panophthalmitis and others;
• non-inflammatory: the group includes injuries, bruises of the eye, foreign objects entering the eye, entropion of the eyelid, prolapse of the eyelid, cataracts, glaucoma.

Glaucoma is accompanied by increased intraocular pressure

Due to the occurrence of eye diseases, they are divided into:

• primary: the disease that affects it is an independent disease that is not part of a complex of other health problems in the pet. In the case of a primary disease, all treatment is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the identified disease;
• secondary: eye disease is integrated into the general structure of diseases already characteristic of the cat. In such cases, there is a dominant disease that weakens the immune system and predisposes the cat’s body to other diseases. The most striking example of such a disease is ascariasis, in which the cat’s body, weakened by parasites, does not resist other ailments. In case of a secondary disease, a correct diagnosis is very important, allowing one to identify the dominant disease and first deal with it in order to later move on to treating the consequences, one of which is the secondary disease.

  Secondary diseases indicate serious neglect of primary

There are three scenarios for the progression of eye diseases:

• acute: this scenario is characterized by the unexpected appearance of symptoms and the rapid pace of development of the disease. The acute course of the disease often requires immediate medical intervention;
• subacute is in many ways similar to the acute course, differing only in less severe symptoms;
• The chronic course of diseases is varied and depends both on the disease itself and on the pet’s body. Sometimes chronic diseases seem to fade into the background, creating the illusion of recovery, or leave a significant imprint on the pet’s health, leading to death.

A chronic course is characteristic of conjunctivitis, which can go undetected for a long time

A chronic course is characteristic of many eye diseases in cats. Severe symptoms go away and the animal returns to its normal life, however, the lack of treatment and drug support in the worst cases can lead to the pet losing its sight completely, unexpectedly for the owner.

Classification of diseases by localization of the disease:

1. Diseases spreading to auxiliary organs.
2. Diseases that directly affect the eyeball.

Many eye diseases have a negative prognosis and are difficult to treat

Diseases of accessory organs

Diseases that spread to the auxiliary organs affect the protective devices of the eye, which include the upper, lower and third eyelids already mentioned above. The organs of vision themselves may remain intact.

Table 1. Diseases of accessory organs

Blepharitis can be both superficial and deep, affecting adjacent layers of skin

Diseases of the eye and eyeball

Diseases that affect the eyeball are dangerous because in the early stages they are invisible to the owner. Vision is not a cat’s strong point, so when it deteriorates, she successfully replaces it with other senses. Sometimes the owner notices something is wrong only when the pet begins to bump into objects and move unnaturally.

Frightening advanced forms of panophthalmitis are practically untreatable

In advanced cases, the veterinarian is powerless, since in case of serious eye diseases, the emphasis is on slowing down the development of the pathological process in the early stages, so it is very important to periodically check the pet’s vision, so that if an illness is detected, you have the most important resource in the identified conditions - temporary.

Table 2. Diseases of the eye and eyeball

The structure of the organs of vision

The cat's eye consists of 3 shells, each of which performs unique functions in detecting and perceiving light - the visible part of electromagnetic radiation. The general diagram of the structure is shown in the photo.

• The fibrous membrane is the outer layer of the eye, formed from collagen fibers and the protein elastin. It consists of the sclera, which covers 3/4 of the ocular surface area, and the anterior visible part, the transparent cornea, which covers the remaining quarter. The latter is responsible for receiving light and transmitting it to the inside of the eye for subsequent processing.
• The choroid is the middle layer with microscopic blood vessels that supply the eye tissue with nutrients and oxygen. In front of it is the ciliary (ciliary) body, with the help of the muscles of which the eye lens is held in the required position and its shape changes taking into account the distance to the object in question in order to ensure a clearer vision of it (the so-called accommodation process).

What colors do cats see?

To understand how cats see the world, it is important to consider how many shades fluffies can distinguish. This question interested people several centuries ago. Initially, people thought that purrs were able to see the world around them exclusively in black and white. However, the most accurate answer was formulated in the middle of the twentieth century.

So, what colors do cats distinguish? The most recognizable color is gray. Pets can recognize more than 25 of its shades - from the lightest to the darkest. Why grey? Everything is due to evolution. A large number of birds or mice that cats hunt in the wild are gray in color, which helps them track their prey.

Purrs are also good at noticing most cool colors. A cat's vision can distinguish: white, beige, blue, yellow, green, blue, lilac, black.

What colors cats can't see

Are there colors that are inaccessible to the animal's eye? Yes, a cat's vision is not able to distinguish several shades - red, orange and all brown tones. In addition, four-legged friends cannot perceive a variegated combination of shades - they better distinguish between solid colors.

If the cat only closes one eye

When a cat squints one eye, it appears as if he is winking. But do not forget that this may be a sign of injury or illness.

If the animal becomes restless, closes its eye and constantly rubs it with its paw, this indicates that it is suffering from severe pain in the eye area. Corneal injuries are accompanied by damage to sensory nerve fibers; By covering the eyelids, the cat tries to reduce the pain.

The cat closes one or both eyes with such a common disease as acute catarrhal conjunctivitis. Characteristic symptoms of this disease are redness and swelling of the mucous membrane, lacrimation and photophobia.

Pain syndrome is accompanied by other eye diseases:

• corneal erosions and ulcers;
• keratitis, blepharitis, iridocyclitis;
• prolapse of the third eyelid.

One eye may be closed with the following pathologies:

• congenital developmental defect of the eyelids;
• scars formed after healing of an injury or burn;
• facial nerve paralysis;
• age-related changes, loss of elasticity of skin and muscles;
• spasms of the muscles surrounding the eyes;
• neoplasms in the area of ​​the eyeball.

Ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid) sometimes occurs in cats. It can be congenital or acquired. The eye may be closed completely or partially. The cause of the congenital pathology is the absence or underdevelopment of the muscle that lifts the upper eyelid.

How cats see at night

Night vision in cats

- the talk of the town, since everyone probably knows that without bright light these animals navigate perfectly. It is believed that cats see 10 times better than humans in the dark. But it is worth clarifying that cats’ ideal vision is not in pitch darkness, but in dark twilight, for example, in a night room, outside the windows of which there are lanterns burning nearby, or on a moonlit night in the yard.

By the way, speaking about the night vision of cats, it would be unfair not to mention their acute senses - touch and smell, as well as excellent spatial memory - weapons that also come to the rescue in the dark.