Cats are often regarded as animals with exceptional vision.
However, contrary to popular belief, cats do not see as well as people think they do.
Not only are they color blind, but they are also nearsighted. Despite having a wider angle of vision than humans, their ability to see is not as good as we may believe. Their vision also depends on the light, and whether it is six times better than humans.
The size of a cat's pupils can change depending on various factors such as the amount of light present, the object they are observing, or their mood.
When exposed to strong light, their pupils shrink as thin as needles to prevent damage to their retinas from the bright light. Conversely, when exposed to dim light, their pupils expand to the size of light bulbs to allow more light in.
In addition, a cat's pupils may dilate when they are scared, and they contract when they are hunting or preparing to attack.
The closer an object is to a cat's eyes, the smaller its pupils become. Conversely, the further an object is, the larger its pupils become. Their pupils can change very quickly and can be adjusted as soon as the cat turns its head.
Cats have a third layer of eyelids that are hidden in their eyes. The transepithelial helps to clean and protect the eyes.
These membranes are delicate and sensitive, so cat owners mustn't touch them out of curiosity, as this can cause inflammation of the cat's eyes.
There is also a membrane in a cat's eye that helps to reflect light beneath the retina. This is why cats' eyes often glow at night. Light is collected through the pupil into the retina, and then reflected the retina through this reflective mirror.
This secondary use of light enhances a cat's night vision in dim light.
A cat's field of vision is divided into two categories - the whole body and the two eyes. When hunting, the whole body is used to observe every movement of the prey, and the two eyes are used to visually detect the distance to the prey and notice changes in the environment on either side.
Experts have compared the world through the eyes of cats and humans and found that the overall field of vision of cats is wider than that of humans. It can reach up to 200 degrees, but their eyesight is poor, and they can only see vague and approximate shapes of objects that are far away.
However, cats are very keen on moving objects and will respond as soon as they detect movement.
Despite being nearsighted, cats have an excellent sense of hearing and smell that makes up for their poor eyesight. This ability helps them navigate their environment and catch prey with precision.
Cats' eyesight is not as good as we may think. They are color blind, and nearsighted, and their eyesight is heavily influenced by light. However, they have excellent hearing and a sense of smell, which helps them make up for their visual limitations.
As cat owners, it's important to take care of our pets' eyes and not touch their delicate eyelids out of curiosity to avoid causing harm or discomfort to them.
