Cat Vision vs. Human Vision: Vet-Reviewed Differences (With Infographic) | PangoVet (2024)

VET APPROVED

REVIEWED & FACT-CHECKED BY

Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca

Veterinarian, BVSc GPCert (Ophthal) MRCVS

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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We might not always realize it, but felines and humans have important differences when it comes to eyes and visual function. We share our lives and homes with our furry friends, but we don’t view the world in exactly the same way. How each of us sees things is totally adapted to the way that we have evolved as distinct species.

Just by looking at a cat’s eye, you can tell that it’s not the same as a human’s eye. There are also differences in vision. For example, humans don’t see well in the dark, but we can distinguish different colors incredibly well. Cats have excellent night vision, but their color vision is more limited.

Read on to learn more differences between cat and human vision.

How Do Eyes Work?

Here’s a quick summary of how eyes work before we get into how these things are different in felines and humans.

At the back of eye lies the retina. This is a thin layer of tissue that contains two main types of photoreceptors: rods and cones. Photoreceptors are light-sensitive cells, so they respond to light and turn light rays into messages for the optic nerve, which then sends these messages to the brain. The brain takes those messages and translates them into images.

Rods provide the ability to see in the dark or at low-light levels and to detect movement. Cones are responsible for daytime vision, detecting colors and fine detail.

Now that we know eye basics, here are the differences between cat and human vision.

Overview of Cat Vision

Cats rely on their unique vision to help them hunt and capture prey. They don’t have the advantage of great strength or height, so their vision enables them to stalk their prey stealthily and ambush it before it even knows what’s happening.

Cat Eye Function

Part of a cat’s eye is the sclera, or the white of the eye, which is a tough, outer layer. It is lined by the conjunctiva, a thin transparent-to-pinkish membrane that provides protection and lubrication. This membrane goes to the edge of the cornea and inside of the eyelid.

The cornea is a clear dome on the front of the eye that protects it while directing light back toward the retina and through the lens. The iris, the colored part of the cat’s eye, surrounds the black slit-shaped pupil in the center. The pupil enlarges in the dark to let in more light and contracts in brightness to let in less light. The corneas and dilated pupils are larger in felines than in humans, enabling more light to enter the eyes.

Cat Vision

Cats have a high concentration of rods throughout their retinas, which is why their night vision is outstanding.

Another reason that cats have such excellent night vision is their “glowing” eyes. A reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum lies behind each retina, acting as a mirror. Any light that doesn’t get absorbed by the photoreceptors in a cat’s eye is bounced back out. This gives the light another chance to hit the retina and be used, thus enabling cats to make the most of minimal amounts of light.

Does your cat stare at the wall, focused on something that you can’t see? Their specialized eyes are the reason for this behavior. They can detect the smallest movement from dust bunnies or a tiny insect that you never would’ve noticed.

Another element that adds to their hunting ability is their wide peripheral vision. A cat’s visual field is about 200 degrees.

Overview of Human Vision

Humans can see better in daylight and with bright lights. We can also see objects more clearly from great distances and see a wider range of colors than cats can.

Human Eye Structure

The structure of the human eye is similar to that of feline eyes. It consists of the sclera, conjunctiva, cornea, iris, lens, and pupil. That said, we have different-shaped pupils. Cats have vertical slit pupils, while humans have round ones.

The lens of the eye, located behind the pupil, directs light to the back toward the retina. The retina turns the light into electrical impulses that get carried by the optic nerve to the brain, which tells us what we are looking at.

Human Vision

Humans are characterized by their good eyesight in daylight, but we don’t have more cones than rods, as some people think. Surprisingly, the proportion of rods to cones in our retina is 20:1. We do have an area of the retina called the central fovea, which only contains cone photoreceptors, and it’s responsible for the greatest degree of visual acuity. We can focus on something that is close and see it clearly, while a cat needs to be much farther away to get a clear image of the object.

Humans have three types of cone photoreceptors that enable us to see a wide array of colors. We can also detect motion in bright lights and determine how far away objects are, which helps us do things like walk and drive.

Our peripheral vision is not as good; our visual field is about 180 degrees, compared to 200 for cats.

What Are the Differences?

Cat Vision

Felines have a greater peripheral vision range than humans, which enables them to see prey from different angles. This helps them to be proficient hunters.

Cats have far better night vision than humans, which helps them during their most active hunting hours, at dusk and dawn. They can see six times better in low light than we can.

Human Vision

Cats don’t have all the advantages in terms of vision. Humans have far better color vision and visual acuity than felines.

Humans can see far-off objects and those that are close due to the ability of our lenses to accommodate different distances. A normal human’s visual acuity is considered 20/20, meaning they can read an eye chart perfectly well when standing 20 feet away from it. Feline vision is reported to be 20/150, which implies that a cat must be 20 feet away from an object to see it as well as a person standing 150 feet away from it.

Retinas

One of the biggest differences between feline and human vision is the retina’s composition and the reflective layer behind it. The tapetum and the different proportions of rods and cones in different areas of the retina enable cats to have enhanced night vision and humans to have superior color detection and visual acuity.

Cats have superior night vision in comparison and can follow fast-moving objects in the dark.

Pupils

Felines and humans both have irises with central pupils, but cats have pupils shaped like vertical slits, and humans have round pupils. Slit pupils protect nocturnal animals’ sensitive eyes in the daylight. They can close as much as they need to in order to keep light out of the eyes and minimize blurred vision. Humans are mostly active in the daytime, so our eyes are not as sensitive to light. Round pupils work perfectly for people.

Color

Humans can see a wider range of colors than felines can. Their color detection range is thought to be primarily blue and green hues. Our vibrantly colored world is more like pastel to cats. Similar to some humans who are colorblind, cats have trouble seeing the colors red and orange.

Visual Activity

The eye’s ability to distinguish shapes and the details of objects at a given distance is called visual acuity. Felines must be seven times closer to an object to see it as well as a human does. However, their front-facing eyes help them determine the exact distance that they have to leap to capture something, such as prey or a toy.

Interestingly, in areas of complete darkness with absolutely no light source whatsoever, neither cats nor humans can see at all. There has to be a minimal level of light for both to be able to see. Cats can run around the house all night if there is at least a bit of light coming in the windows from the moon or streetlights.

Conclusion

Cats and humans have eye functionality that is adapted to their respective needs. Each species has certain strengths and weaknesses when it comes to vision. Felines are crepuscular, so they hunt and are most active at dawn and dusk. Their need for night vision is far greater than for humans, who are usually asleep at that time.

Human vision may be stronger than cat vision in some ways, but our stronger visual abilities work to meet our needs. Our vision helps us see colors and clear images at farther distances, and it gives us the ability to recognize and distinguish between faces.

How we humans and our cats each view our surroundings has equipped us with the tools necessary to evolve and survive.

Featured Image Credit: Top (PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay), Bottom (Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay)