No matter how well we think we know our feline friends, there is always something new to learn.
For instance, many of you might wonder what the world looks like through your cat's eyes. How does it see the things around it? What is your cat’s perception of you?
I’ve encountered some people who believe that cats see the world in black and white. However, this is not true.
Although cats’ color recognition is not the same as humans’, they still can recognize some colors.
Which are these colors? What colors do cats like?
Let’s find out the answer to this question and try to imagine how colorful exactly the world is for cats.
What Colors Do Cats Like?
To understand what colors cats like, first it’s necessary to understand what colors they are actually capable of recognizing.
Cats can see in color, but their world is not as full of different hues as it is for us. This occurs due to a difference in photoreceptors known as cones and rods.
According to Jeremy Long and his associates [1], cones are the primary receptors associated with color vision, while rod receptors have an important role for low-light vision.
Compared to cats, humans have a greater number of cones in their eyes, allowing for a broader spectrum of color vision.
On the other hand, a cat’s eyes mainly consist of rods. Although they do possess some cones enabling color perception, their vision is primarily geared towards low-light conditions rather than distinguishing as many colors as we can.
There are still many speculations and disagreements in the area of cats’ vision. However, it’s a common belief that cats see yellow-green and blue-violet shades. Brown, red, and orange are colors cats aren’t capable of seeing.
Since they see them most clearly, colors within the blue and green spectrum are also the favorite ones for cats.
These hues have the biggest chance of having a calming and soothing effect on cats.
Do Colors Have Influence On Feline Behavior?
Colors can affect feline behavior to a certain extent.
According to My Cats And Me, blue color is often associated with peace and can help create a tranquil environment.
This can be very helpful for anxious and stressed cats. For instance, if your cat is afraid of loud noises and thunderstorms, you can use a blue blanket or bedding in this color to help it relax during harsh weather conditions.
Green is another color that can influence your cat’s behavior. This hue reminds all of us of freshness and nature.
Keeping a cat indoors is a lot safer for its overall health, but it may mean that a cat will lack the stimulation it would have in the outside world.
You can fix this by adding some green elements like plants or green toys into your home. This way, your cat will have a better sensation of the natural environment in its surroundings.
Are There Some Colors Cats Don’t Like?
We can’t be totally sure of our cats’ preferences for colors.
As PetKeen explains, if a cat reacts strongly to something, it’s possible that this is more related to the overall appearance of the item than to its color.
However, based on our knowledge and feline behavior and reactions, we can make some general assumptions.
It’s likely that cats aren’t crazy about the bright white color. They aren’t as good at recognizing color as us, but they surpass us when it comes to their ability to see in low-light conditions.
This is why cats are so good at navigating and hunting during the night. Since their eyes collect more light than humans’ during the day, too, this likely makes the color white appear too bright for them.
Therefore, a purely white wall, clothes, or any item can seem to be too glowy for our feline friends.
Is Poor Color Recognition A Serious Downside For Cats?
There isn't a precise number that defines how many colors humans can distinguish, but estimates suggest that we can perceive up to 10 million different hues.
This sounds really amazing and our world is, indeed, full of beautiful hues. It is kind of disappointing to learn that cats are missing this.
But, how exactly does the inability to see a lot of colors affect a cat’s eyesight and its life in general?
Well, cats can’t see many colors, but they certainly don’t have bad eyesight. Actually, they even have a better one compared to ours in some ways.
They have exceptional night vision, resulting in most cats not being afraid of the dark.
Furthermore, Eye Consultants of Atlanta point out that felines have a wider field of vision than humans which helps them in spotting the movement of prey while hunting.
Compared to dogs, they have a better near-vision but are still not as good as humans in this field.
Considering all these, poor color recognition isn’t a serious downside for cats. They rely more on detecting motion, hearing, and their sense of smell rather than emphasizing the specific colors in their surroundings
Conclusion
Felines are not color-blind, which is something many people believe. But, they aren’t able to see as many colors as we do.
According to common belief, cats most likely see the green and blue hues the best. Due to this, these two colors are also the ones they like the most.
Although they cannot use words to inform us about their preference, it’s believed that, on the other hand, cats aren’t fans of white color. Since their eyes collect more light than ours, the white simply appears too bright and glowy to them.
Despite their lack of the ability to see more colors, cats still have very good eyesight.
This insight into the feline world of colors can help you create a cat-friendly environment. By adding green or blue color to your cat’s surroundings, you will make it relaxing, comfortable, and soothing for it.
The best way to do this is by providing your cat with toys and bedding in these colors. Also, try to avoid white color for your cat to feel fully comfortable.
References:
[1] Long, J. et.al. Catalyst: Seeing Through the Eyes of a Cat. FDG '10: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, June 2010. Pages 116–123. DOI, Retrieved December 4, 2023.
