What colors can cats and dogs see? - briefly
Cats and dogs primarily see shades of blue and yellow, with some ability to distinguish greens and reds. Their color vision is less vivid compared to humans, who have trichromatic color vision.
What colors can cats and dogs see? - in detail
Cats and dogs, like humans, have color vision, but their perception of colors is different from ours due to variations in the structure and function of their eyes.
Cats are believed to be colorblind to red, similar to many other mammals. Their retinas contain only two types of cone cells, which are responsible for color vision: one type is sensitive to blue light and the other to green light. This means that cats can see shades of blue and green but cannot distinguish between different shades of red, orange, or yellow. Instead, these colors appear as various shades of gray to a cat. Interestingly, cats have excellent low-light vision, which is attributed to their high concentration of rod cells in the retina.
Dogs also possess dichromatic color vision, meaning they can distinguish between two primary colors: blue and yellow. However, unlike cats, dogs do not see green as a distinct color; it appears more like a dull or muted yellow. Reds appear as dark gray or brownish to dogs. While dogs have fewer cone cells than humans, their vision is still adapted for detecting motion and changes in light intensity, which are crucial for their hunting and survival instincts.
In summary, both cats and dogs have color vision but with limited spectrum compared to human perception. Understanding these differences can help pet owners provide more suitable environments and toys that cater to their pets' visual abilities.