Is it true that your cat sees better in the dark?
Despite the fact that our cat friends can see in the darkest of nights, cats do not necessarily see better in the dark than they can during the day. Cats’ eyes have evolved to help them with dark activity, although they still work best in daylight. Because cats are often most active after sunset, we frequently assume they see better in the dark. But don’t let your couch fool you. They can carry out missions in any situation… they just don’t want to show you.
How cat’s night vision is different from Humans?
The retina of the eye is where the distinctions between cat and human vision begin. Photoreceptor cells are situated in the retina, which is the part of the eye where they are found. Rods and cones are the two types of these cells. Cones assist in daytime vision and the detection of color shades.
Night vision and peripheral vision are assisted by the rods (seeing from side to side). Cats have a large number of rod receptors, but fewer cone receptors. This explains why they can see well at night but struggle to identify colors. Humans, on the other hand, have a color vision that is superior to that of animals, making us good at seeing colors but not so good at seeing things in the dark.
“When it comes to cats’ (night) vision, one aspect that comes to mind is their tapetum lucidum—or a thin, reflective layer along the back of their eye that ‘bounces’ and magnifies light in dark spots. According to Alicen Tracey, DVM, a veterinarian at Den Herder Veterinary Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa, “dogs and cats’ eyes tend to ‘shine’ in the dark.”
