TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cats are one of the animals that have the ability to see in dark or low light conditions. Cats can see well in low light, but can only see objects clearly up to a distance of about 6 meters.
This is in contrast to humans, who can clearly recognize objects up to 30 meters away. This difference is due to the structure of the eye and sensitivity to light, which affects how cats process colors and the distance they see.
Can Cats See Colors?
Cat vision has long been a subject of interest to pet owners and scientists alike. As humans, we enjoy the sight of a sunrise or sunset with its rich and varied spectrum of colors. But how do our cats see the same scene? Do they feel the same beauty as we do, or is their view of the world much different?
Veterinarian Rebecca MacMillan says cats do have the ability to see colors, but with significant limitations compared to humans. "Cats can see some colors but not the full spectrum, so they are less able to distinguish between different shades and colors," she said as quoted from Petstradar.com.
This is due to the special photoreceptive cone cells found in the retina of the cat's eye, which detect different wavelengths of light and send the signal to the brain to be interpreted as color.
Illustration of a Turkish Angora cat. (Photo: unsplash/Hiroko Sekine)
Colors Cats Can See
Although they can see colors, cats can't see the full range of colors like we can. The world for cats is not limited to black and white, but the spectrum of colors they can see is much more limited. A cat's eyes are incredibly unique, especially when it comes to their keen night vision.
With more light-sensitive cells (rod cells) than humans, cats can see clearly in low light conditions, an ability that is crucial for them as carnivorous animals that tend to be more active at dusk or early morning. However, this advantage has consequences for their daytime vision.
Because they have fewer cone cells responsible for color vision during the day, cats not only have difficulty recognizing slow-moving objects, but are also limited when it comes to color vision. A cat's eyes are only able to detect a few colors, while other colors may appear blurry or not even visible at all.
This limitation is mainly due to the fact that cats only have two of the three types of cone cells needed to see the full range of colors. As a result of this, cats are thought to be best at seeing blue and yellow, while other colors tend to appear on a grayscale compared to how humans see them.
"Cats are thought to see blue and yellow best, while other colors appear on the gray scale compared to how we see them," says MacMillan.
Due to limitations in color vision, cats rely more on brightness and movement to help them explore the world around them. This allows them to remain effective hunters despite their limited color vision.
In this sense, cats remain remarkable creatures with abilities that have been perfectly adapted to meet their needs as nocturnal predators.
MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | BANGKIT ADHI WIGUNA
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