Everyone always asks the question can dogs see color? Which everyone then says, they can only see in black and white, which is wrong… So now that we have cleared that one up, let’s focus on cats.
Can Cats See Color?
Just like dogs, cats are not color blind, though they are limited in the different colors that they can see.
You may notice if you get your cat a bunch of little cat toys (such as plush mice), they many continually play with certain colored toys and not others. This may be a result of the different colors that stand out to cats, while others may seem like a lighter or dark grey color to them.
About.com has a few more useful facts about cats and how their vision works, and is compared to that of a human.
- Cats cannot see directly beneath their noses. You can test this by offering your kitty a treat, such as Pounce. He can smell it, but if you drop it directly beneath his nose, he’ll have to root around a bit before finding it.
- Rumors aside, cats are not colorblind. Their ability to see color is not as enhanced as ours, but they can see some colors.
- If normal human vision is 20/20, then that of the cat is 20/100. He has keen vision for objects far away, but things up close may appear fuzzy or blurred. Perhaps this is why cats do the sniff test when greeting friends.
- Most white blue-eyed cats are deaf. A white cat with odd-eyes (one blue and one green or gold) will most often be deaf on the side with the blue eye.
- Cats “Kiss” with their Eyes. Have you ever noticed your cat gazing at you for a long moment and then slowly blinking his eyes? That’s the kitty equivalent of a kiss, and you should feel very flattered. Of course, a nip on the nose is also their way of giving a kiss. If you want to show your cat you love him, give him a kitty kiss right back. No, not on the nose. Just give him that long stare and slow blink and see what happens.
The next time someone asks if a cat can see in color, now you know!
Can Cats See Color? Video