Do Cats See Color and Other Feline Curiosities

by: Lamar Deane

Do Cats See Color?
It once was believed cats were color-blind, but now we know they actually can tell the difference between certain colors. Basically, they see the world around them as shades of blue and green. But though they see color, cats don't pay much attention to it. In nature, color isn't particularly necessary to a cat's survival success.

Why Do Cats' Eyes Glow In The Dark?
Cat's glow-in-the-dark eyes seem eerie, mystical, even scary when they pop out at you from the black of night, especially since your cat is one of only a few animals that can return a human's stare. There is a simple explanation for that characteristic green or gold shine. A membrane, called tapetum lucidum, coats the eye and reflects light. When a cat is in the dark, its pupils open wide and light is reflected off them, but they're not actually "glowing." This ability along with their extraordinary sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, enables them to see well in the dark.

Can Cats Really See In The Dark?
They can't see in total darkness and their daytime vision is only fair. But they can see better than most humans in semi-darkness. They also can distinguish brightness seven times better than we can. As nocturnal hunters, their eyes are able to scoop up even the smallest scrap of available light. Their vision generally is blurred at the edges and they see best at six to twenty feet. When it comes to movement, though, a cat doesn't miss a twitch. By the way, feeding dog food to your cat is a no-no. Dog food lacks taurine, a substance crucial for your cat's eyesight. A diet without it will make your cat go blind.

Why Do Cats Flick Their Ears When They're Asleep?
A cat's remarkable ears each have 30 muscles that control the outer ear (by comparsion, our ears only have six muscles). These muscles rotate 180 degrees, so it can hear without moving its head. Even though a snoozing kitty appears to sleep quite often, most of the time it's only dozing and constantly searching the air for messages that might mean it needs to spring into action at the spur of the moment.

What's The Purpose Of That "Pad" Midway Up The Rear Of A Cat's Leg?
It looks pretty useless sitting way up there on the back of the leg like that. But it does have a purpose. It's called the carpal pad, and it acts as an anti-skid insurance policy for crash landings (which, of course, are rare) or to keep your energetic kitty from hitting a wall as she speeds around the house.

About The Author
Different types of cat breeds have different temperaments and personalities. Knowing those traits is important before adopting a cat. Here are some of the more popular Cat Breeds.
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