How a cat sees the world. How cats see our world and why cats have glowing eyes How cats see and hear

The eyes of a cat are amazing in and of themselves. In relation to the size of the body of our mustachioed and purring pets, they are very large, and thanks to the convex shape, they provide a view of up to 270 degrees, which exceeds the human threshold. The eye color of different breeds is not the same, it varies from golden-light to dark green. Meet cats and blue eyes such as the Burmese.

In addition to the amazing ability of the pupils to expand and contract depending on the strength of the light flux, which simultaneously reflects the mood and feelings of our fluffy pet, the presence of a third eyelid in the cat's eye is also impressive. It plays a protective role, protecting the organ of vision from drying out, foreign bodies and possible damage. This is especially important for predatory representatives of the cat family, in the process of hunting, making their way through various thickets. To see the third eyelid, it is not at all necessary to look into the eyes of a tiger or a lion - it is also perfectly visible in domestic cats. It is enough to catch a pet in a relaxed state with half-closed eyes.

And yet, how do cats see our world? It has been scientifically proven that the vision of domestic cats has a binocular type, which is characterized by the ability to simultaneously clearly see the image of an object with both eyes. This happens due to the overlapping of the surveyed areas in a certain way. This way of visual perception of the surrounding reality is important not only for orientation in the area, but also serves as an indispensable tool in hunting, allowing you to accurately determine where the prey is. Features of the structure of the eyes also help the cat to quickly respond to moving objects, and above all to those moving horizontally on the surface.

However, due to the location of the eyes deep in the skull, their movements are limited, and in order to view objects located on the sides, the animal must turn its neck. Playing with him, you can often notice how a cat shakes its head up and down before jumping. Such movements change the angle of her vision, which allows more accurate calculation of the distance to the prey. As for stationary objects, cats do not see them very well. It helps to track prey and the unusual structure of the pupil: it is vertical in cats (unlike a round human), which, depending on the amount of light, greatly expands or narrows.

Seeing cats in the dark

There is no doubt that cats can see well in the dark. But how good? And are their organs of vision capable of distinguishing anything in pitch darkness?

The ability of night vision is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the retina in muroks. It is equipped with rods and cones, that is, the same receptors as the retina of the human eye. However, there are also differences. For example, cats have fewer cones, which are responsible for color vision, than rods. And significantly: 20-25 times. At the same time, the eyes of mustachioed domestic predators are equipped with light-sensitive receptors. There are a lot of them, which allows cats to navigate in low light conditions.

The back wall of the retina is lined with tapetum, a special substance with mirror properties. Thanks to him, the light falling on the sticks is reflected twice. As a result, our furry pets in low light conditions see much better than a person - about 7 times! Their vision at nightfall is very good in comparison with other animals. In the dark, the eyes of cats even glow, which evokes mystical associations. This feature determines just the same tapetum.

There is an opinion that cats see even in absolute darkness, but it has not been confirmed by scientific research. In the complete absence of light sources, cats, like people, are not able to distinguish between objects. Maybe that's why cats feel comfortable in darkened rooms? Watch them in the dark, and you will see that they are perfectly oriented in space, do not stumble upon surrounding objects, and successfully hunt rodents.

What colors does a cat see?

Of course, a cat's vision is not fully colored, that is, they do not perceive the surrounding reality in such bright colors as people do. The perception of color by our home "sailors" is somewhat faded, they see the world as if in a haze. For example, colors such as red, orange and yellow are completely indistinguishable. But they see green, blue and gray colors perfectly. At the same time, the difference between blue and cyan, as well as white, purple and yellow, is not fixed by their organs of vision.

There was also an opinion that cats are able to distinguish many shades of gray, namely about 25. The basis for this version was that domestic cats most often prey on mice and rats, whose hair is dyed in gray-brown tones. Since it has been proven that in conditions of poor lighting, the eyes of cats retain the ability to distinguish gray, the version of the ability of these animals to distinguish many of its shades can be considered confirmed.

It may seem to many of our readers that nature, having "deprived" cats of full-fledged color vision in human understanding, significantly "deprived" their attitude, narrowed it down. In fact, these animals do not need their eyes to have such characteristics - if only because, unlike humans, they do not paint pictures and do not compose poetry. A cat is a predator, albeit a domestic one, and for a full-fledged hunt and a comfortable life, there is no need to identify the surrounding objects by color. After all, in order to realize the hunting instinct, it is important for the Murka not to miss the movement of potential prey around the area. And such a "trifle" as the color of the coat, for the implementation of this task does not matter.

If you want to learn more about the color component of cat vision, check out the work of American artist and researcher Nicolai Lamm. With the help of photographic illustrations, he tried to reflect in what colors these gentle purring creatures perceive the surrounding reality. The master created his works with the involvement of ophthalmologists, felinologists and other specialists, that is, there is no near-scientific gag in them.

Seeing a cat from a distance

Our beloved cats, it turns out, "suffer" ... farsightedness, that is, everything that is in front of them at a distance of closer than 50 cm, they do not distinguish. Therefore, when playing with a pet, there is no need to bring the toy too close to his muzzle. What is going on right in front of their nose, cats "see" with the help of smell and vibrissae. Vibrissae, specialized sense organs, are whiskers, hair near the eyes (“eyebrows”), on the upper and lower jaws, scanning the surrounding space. Small children, playing with kittens and adult cats, sometimes shear these important formations, thereby actually depriving their pets of near vision.

Meanwhile, at a distance of 1 to 20 meters (according to some sources, even up to 60 m), cats see clearly.

What does a cat see in the mirror and on TV?

Surely each of us at least once in his life watched how cats behave in front of a mirror. It is impossible to look at this without laughing: the animal, having pressed its ears, literally attacks it, arching its back and sticking out its mustache. Reacting so violently to their own reflection, the cats do not even realize that they are seeing themselves. In fact, they are not afraid of the reflection as such, but that they perceive it as the presence of another animal, information about which is not transmitted by auditory and tactile receptors. They simply cannot understand how it happens that they see their relative in front of them, but at the same time they cannot even feel his smell.

As for the TV, most researchers claim that our four-legged friends only see flicker, but objects moving on the screen still interest them to some extent. For example, cats like to watch programs about animals. They, without taking their eyes off, as if spellbound, follow the flight of birds, the hunting of tigers, lions and other felines. If you turn off the sound, it will not affect the cat in any way, it will continue to watch. But as soon as you change the channel, your cat will lose interest in what is happening on the screen and even leave the room. How cats selectively see or understand that “their own” or the same birds (object of hunting) are shown on TV, scientists cannot yet understand.

How do cats see people?

Cats see their owner, and all people, as they really are - by height, physique, body weight, and so on. Unless mustachioed pets visually perceive us in a slightly different color. If a person is close, cats distinguish the features of his face poorly, being guided only by smell. If the owner is at a distance, then the animal sees only the outlines of the figure without detailed details. Some zoologists put forward a version that cats perceive people as their larger relatives who feed them, care for them and take care of them.

Be that as it may, the vision of domestic cats is unique. It is a complex mechanism that has evolved over a long evolutionary path. Due to the special structure of the eyes, their location on the face of the animal and the ability to see potential prey even in low light conditions, cats not only managed to survive in the course of natural selection, but also became, perhaps, the most successful hunters in comparison with other animals. Knowledge by us, people, of the features of visual perception of these amazing animals of the surrounding world helps us to better understand them and become even closer to them.

Cat owners have always been interested in how their pet perceives the world around them. To date, all the features of cat vision have not been fully studied. However, scientists managed to identify some of them. They relate to color perception, the degree of vision, the ability to see over long distances, etc. The structure of their eyes, which has developed during a long evolution, also provides important information about cats.

Features of cat vision

The organs of vision in cats are significantly different from human ones. This concerns not only the structure of the eyeball itself, but also the visual perception of the surrounding space. By nature, these cute pets are still predators. And they hunt at night. That is why their eye structure is special.

Cats have the largest eyes of any member of the cat family in relation to body size. They occupy most of the muzzle and have a convex shape, which provides good review within 200 degrees. For comparison, in humans, it is only 180.

Due to the fact that the eyes are deeply planted in the skull, their movements are limited. Lateral vision in an animal is poorly developed, in order to view something from the side, it has to turn its head.

Another distinguishing feature of the cat's eyes is a transparent thin membrane - the third eyelid, which protects them from drying out and mechanical damage and allows the pet to sleep with open eyes. In the natural environment, this device is indispensable for deceiving potential feline enemies who are afraid to approach an awake animal.

Zoologists have found that nature endowed cats with binocular (or stereoscopic) vision, in which each eye receives two different images, and then the brain adds them into one three-dimensional picture. Such a vision of the surrounding space allows you to determine the location of the prey and the distance to it as clearly as possible, and is also indispensable for orienting yourself on the ground.

Thanks to the genetic memory, these animals mainly react to objects moving on a horizontal surface (this is how rodents move), capturing even the most minimal vibrations. But the motionless - they try not to notice at all. It is worth noting that furry hunters do not at all consider prey in detail, this explains the fact that sometimes they chase sunbeams. In preparation for the attack, the cat begins to move its head up and down, which allows it to change the angle of view and aim more carefully. This natural mechanism helps to calculate the distance to the prey up to a millimeter, and the predator's jump is very accurate.

Particular attention is drawn to the vertical cat's pupil, which appeared in the course of evolution. It has a high degree of elasticity and changes depending on the lighting. On a bright sunny day, the pupil narrows sharply, controlling the amount of light entering the retina by filtering out part of the rays. In low light at night, on the contrary, it expands greatly, letting in more light. In addition, the pupil can be transformed depending on the state of the pet - fear, calmness, irritation.

Cats see the world, comprehending it with all senses. Even visual images they perceive not only with their eyes. A multifaceted sense of touch of the surrounding space is achieved in an animal with the help of directional hearing. This helps to recognize the strength and pitch of the sound, up to ultrasonic vibrations. In addition, the muzzle of the animal is dotted with vibrissae - thin sensitive hairs, which allows him to fully feel the world around him.

Veneration of the cat in ancient Egypt Interesting Facts

Can cats see in the dark?

Due to the twilight lifestyle and the structure of the retina, these animals see perfectly in the dark. The eyes of nocturnal predators are equipped with many receptors that are sensitive to light, which allows them to move in conditions of poor visibility.

The back wall of the retina is covered with a special substance that reflects light twice on the nerve endings, like a mirror - tapetum. That is why the vision of a pet is very sharp, unlike humans and other animals. Thanks to the tapetum, the cat's eyes glow mystically at night.

It is a mistake to think that a cat can see in pitch darkness. In the complete absence of light, the animal is not able to move and distinguish objects. But even with a minimum amount of illumination, visual acuity in a cat increases more than seven times compared to a human.

American photographer Nikolai Lamm, together with zoologists and other specialists, tried to compare the vision of the surrounding space from the face of a cat with a human, creating a series of photographs on this topic. They do not give an exact picture, but approximate ideas about the cat's vision of the world can be gleaned from them.

How do cats see at night?

Do pets suffer from nearsightedness or farsightedness?

Scientific studies by ophthalmologists confirm that cats are not able to see more than 20 meters into the distance. This is due to their method of hunting from cover, which is not designed to observe objects at a long distance. Even the owner standing in the distance (at a distance of more than 6 meters), the animal is not able to distinguish, it perceives only the outlines of the figure and is guided by the voice.

But even at a distance of up to half a meter from the muzzle, pets are completely unable to see, which explains their habit of often bumping into nearby objects. From a short distance, they can hardly distinguish the outlines human face, and the owner is recognized solely by smell.

So the cat sees into the distance

Attractive cat eyes seem to be something amazing. Bright green, blue, yellow, they slyly look at us, and many are simply sure that cats see ghosts and brownies, and the Egyptians believed that these amazing animals communicate with the gods. the world? Does she really see in absolute darkness and only see shades of gray? How does a cat react to bright objects? And can she see colors? This amazing animal is shrouded in many myths. Consider the main physiological indicators of cats and cats and try to find out how these animals see.

cat pupils

The first thing we notice when looking into a cat's eyes is the pupils. In the evening they are large and round, and on a sunny day they turn into thin threads. This is due to the fact that cats do not tolerate bright small predators prefer to go hunting at night. In order to see the prey, the light of the moon is enough for them.

But in the daylight, the cat sees much worse: bright sunlight blinds it. In order to let in as little light as possible, the cat often squints in the sun and prefers to just take a nap, because on a sunny afternoon it sees everything blurry and indistinct.

While hunting or in a state of excitement, a small predator, in order to better examine prey or danger, and an angry animal, on the contrary, narrows them down to focus on the enemy.

Can cats see in the dark?

They mysteriously glow in the dark, so people used to believe that these animals perceive what is inaccessible to human eyes. To some extent, this is indeed true - mustachioed hunters see in the dark 10 times better than a person. Why do cat eyes glow?

The vision of this animal, due to its nocturnal lifestyle, is significantly different from ours. On the back wall of the retina there are special tissues, a kind of mirror that can reflect light to the nerve endings. At night, the cat's pupil dilates to capture as much light as possible. It is the light reflected from the retina that we see when we look at a cat's eyes in the dark.

Contrary to popular belief, cats cannot see in absolute darkness. But in a well-known room, thanks to a developed sense of smell, good hearing and mustaches - vibrissae, animals perfectly orient themselves even without a light source.

How far can cats see?

Cats actively react to objects that are in motion. These small predators can notice a running mouse at a distance of 800 meters, clearly see objects at a distance of up to 60 meters. But things located directly under the nose, closer than half a meter, the cat sees poorly. You probably noticed that if you put something right next to the cat, then she will first of all begin to sniff it, receiving information using smell and touch.

For effective hunting, the animal does not need to see the prey in detail. The main thing is to determine the distance to the victim well, the direction of its movement. And the cat's vision is designed for just that.

Cats are located close to each other, which allows you to see the subject with the left and right eye at the same time. Thanks to this, the animal can very accurately determine the shape and size of prey. A cat's field of view is 20 degrees wider than a human's, and they see much better in the horizontal plane.

25 shades of gray

Many are interested in how a cat reacts to bright objects, because in nature its main prey is a nondescript gray mouse. It is precisely in order to distinguish and isolate from the environment many shades of gray that cat vision is designed. The question remains whether the animal sees any other colors.

What colors do cats see?

For a long time it was believed that animals see the world in black and white, so the question of how a cat reacts to bright objects was not raised. But modern scientists have carefully studied the structure of the cat's eye.

Nerve endings in the organs of vision are represented by two types - cones and rods. The rods are responsible for the perception of light, and the cones are responsible for the colors - blue, green and red. There are very few cones responsible for the perception of red in the cat's eye, so it can be understood that animals distinguish well only blue and But there are a lot of rods in the cat's eye, which allows them to see well with a lack of light.

Cats do not see the difference between red and green, and perceive shades of blue as one color, but still they have color vision.

Vision and behavior of a cat

Owners are interested not only in how the animal reacts to bright objects. The cat often shows interest in the TV, but can she see the image on the screen? Scientists believe that cats can only see flicker. However, the researchers note that the animal can see movement. Indeed, many owners claim that their pets enjoy watching animal shows, especially those with hunting scenes.

Cats see themselves in the mirror perfectly. Many young animals, seeing their reflection for the first time, mistake it for a rival, and may even sneak up and attack.

How do cats see their owner? From a distance, they are able to recognize only a fuzzy silhouette, and a close face turns into a blur. In close communication with the owner, the cat focuses primarily on the smell.

How does a cat react to bright objects and toys? There are owners who claim that their pets prefer toys of certain colors. Most likely, this is an individual feature, and no pattern has been identified. Therefore, when buying toys, you can safely be guided by your own taste.

How is cat vision different from human vision?

Yes, you can read that cats see better in the dark, their field of view is wider and they perceive colors differently. But it's pretty hard to imagine. Fortunately, photographer and retoucher Nikolai Lamm decided to demonstrate how our pets see the world. Thanks to a series of his photographs, we can easily find ourselves in a cat's shoes. He contacted veterinarians and cat specialists, and with their help he was able to replicate the animal's vision.

How to understand that a cat has vision problems

Cats are prone to various eye diseases. An attentive owner should be alert if the animal rubs its muzzle with its paws, blinks often, avoids bright light, the eyes become cloudy, tears flow, pus appears in the corners, and the eyelids are swollen. This is a reason to go to the vet. The most common eye disease in cats is conjunctivitis. Especially often it affects street animals.

There are some really serious problems. The cat may begin to lose sight, simply go blind, but this is not immediately noticeable. Even a completely blind animal can navigate the house well. How to define vision loss?

Firstly, the cat stops jumping on favorite places - high cabinets, shelves, or does it awkwardly, misses, falls. Second, she stumbles upon new or rearranged furniture. Thirdly, her pupils do not narrow even in the bright sun. Fourth, she stops responding to her favorite toys. Finally, the animal is not looking directly at you, if you are addressing it, the gaze is defocused.

If you notice any signs of visual impairment in your pet, contact your veterinarian immediately. Even if the cat is blind, this is by no means a reason to refuse it. A pet will be able to live a full life if you follow a few simple rules: do not let the animal out on the street, do not change the location of food bowls and the tray without a special reason.

In the article I will talk about the features of cat vision, answering the most common questions why a cat can see in the dark and analyze the main differences between cat and human vision.

How cats and cats see the world around them

The close location of the cat's eyes ensures the intersection of the field of view of the right and left eyes. Thanks to binocular vision, 2 eyes create a single picture.

The signals sent to the brain make the final image three-dimensional, so the cat is able to evaluate the main criteria of a certain object:

• the size;
• form;
• distance.

Mustachioed pets see the world around them as colorful and voluminous, but their color palette is less pronounced than that of a person. They perfectly distinguish their owner from strangers, but they see poorly up close, so they prefer to use their sense of smell.

Cats mark their owners with special glands located on their faces.

This helps them to easily recognize their favorite breadwinner without the help of the visual organ.

What colors can cats see

Light-sensitive cells (photoreceptors) are responsible for the perception of colors:

• cones needed to recognize shades in bright light;
• sticks that help determine shades in low light (night vision).

The human eye is equipped with 3 types of cones that help to distinguish shades of color spectra:

• green-yellow;
• violet-blue;
• yellow-red.

Cat's eyes are equipped with a large number of cones that distinguish the first 2 ranges, but the 3rd option is difficult to distinguish. Also, unlike bipedal owners, mustachioed pets perfectly understand all shades of gray.

Thus, the primary colors seen by cat's eyes are:

• green;
• blue;
• grey.

When choosing another toy for your furry pet, try to avoid yellow and red shades.

The structure of the cat's eye

The cat's eye is similar to the human one and consists of:

• a pupil that regulates the amount of incoming light;
• the cornea, which performs a protective and optical (refracts the incoming image) function;
• the iris, which determines the color of the eyes;
• the lens responsible for determining the distance to the object;
• the vitreous body, which transmits light rays to the retina;
• retina, which forms the final image and sends a signal to the brain.

The most common eye color in the cat family is yellow and green.

For outbreds, eye color does not matter, but in the situation with some show class animals, it plays an important role.

Despite the similar structure, the feline pupil has a slit-like shape different from the human one.

The pupil dilates in the absence of light and enlarges in bright light, protecting the sensitive surface.

The human pupil thus behaves with precision, but vice versa.

Why does a cat's eyes glow in the dark?

The luminous eyes of a cat's face, which frightened our ancestors, does not carry any mystical background, but has a logical scientific explanation. The posterior surface of the retina contains the tapetum, a layer of choroid that acts as a reflective mirror.

The pupil, which is maximally dilated at night, absorbs more of the light that passes through the eye and hits the tapetum, which sends the light signal back as a shimmering glow and appears to glow at night.
Sinister red reflections are characteristic of blue-eyed cats, and the usual greenish reflections are characteristic of yellow-eyed ones.

How do cats see at night?

Thanks to a large number rods responsible for orientation in dim light, cats see perfectly in the dark. The ability to distinguish shades of gray build a clear contrast picture, which makes it easy to track prey even with a gray color.

Vision depends entirely on light, therefore, in complete darkness, cats, like humans, do not see anything.

However, this does not at all prevent them from orienting themselves, because they have, performing a tactile function.

Interestingly, in the daytime, cat vision is inferior to human, and at night, on the contrary, it is 6 times higher.

In total darkness, without the slightest source of light, the cat does not see anything.

In addition to sticks, an enlarged pupil also plays a role, allowing you to capture the maximum amount of light.

Differences with human vision

The main differences between cat and human vision include:

1. Viewing angle. In cats, it exceeds 180 °, familiar to humans, and reaches 200 °. Such natural feature allows small hunters to catch prey in a wide range.
2. Perception of moving objects. The way of life of predatory ancestors, who obtain food by hunting, provided the cat family with a unique opportunity - to detect moving objects with lightning speed. However, static, easily distinguishable by humans, is difficult for cats. Mustachioed pets do not see well in the vertical plane, so a mouse scurrying along a tree trunk has a much better chance than one trying to escape on the ground.
3. The ability to distinguish objects at a distance. Cats see in a certain range of 0.75-6m. In this regard, they experience difficulty in finding a tasty morsel up close, relying solely on the tactile senses. The same is true for distant objects. Their pet is able to detect only in the presence of movement, while the picture will still remain blurry.
4. Color gamut, contrast and night vision. The vision of cats is less saturated and contrasting, but significantly superior to that of a human in the dark.

The distrust of the cat family in mirrors is due to the inability to match the reflection with their own image.

How a cat reacts to a mirror depends on its age and experience

Some cats' interest in television is due to movement and flickering on the screen. At the same time, the peculiarities of the perception of television images are still poorly understood and leave more questions than answers.

In conclusion, I note that the perception of the world around cats is not much different from the human world. They also see color and three-dimensional images, and by some criteria they are significantly superior to human vision.

Even taking into account the peculiarities of the perception of distance, which interferes with close contact, a cat easily recognizes its beloved owner with the help of smell, hearing and touch.

From time immemorial, the bewitching feline look has been surrounded by numerous beliefs and mystical conjectures. Cats are even credited with the ability to see the other world and its inhabitants. To date, not all features of cat vision have been studied by scientists. But some information about how cats see has already been obtained and confirmed by experts.

Features of cat vision

The organ of vision of a cat differs sharply from the human one in structure and ability to perceive space. They have large, round eyes with a convex lens. The viewing angle of space is 270 degrees.

A feature of cats is stereoscopic vision. Each of their eyes receives its own image of the object, which is then added by the brain into one three-dimensional picture. As a result, the predator receives accurate information about the location of the prey and the distance to it.

Everything that the left eye sees goes to the right side of the brain and, conversely, the right eye transmits the image to the left half.

The genetic memory of a predator causes animals to react to moving objects. The motionless ones are practically of no interest to them. Watching a moving object, the animal begins to actively move its head up and down: this is how the cat changes the viewing angle and focuses on the prey. This natural ability helps the predator calculate the distance to the prey down to the millimeter, which is why the cat's jump is so accurate.

The special sensitivity of the cat's eyes is directly related to the structure of the pupil. It is located vertically and has increased elasticity. In bright light, it narrows, limiting the amount of light reaching the retina. Lack of light causes a strong pupil dilation, which allows more light to enter.

The cat's eye is 6-8 times more sensitive than the human eye. The reason for this is a special layer behind the retina called the tapetum. It is a shell of vessels that look like mother-of-pearl.

How many colors do cats see

Until recently, there was an opinion that the colors of the cat do not distinguish. It was assumed that all objects for them looked gray, similar in shades to mice. The main argument for this was that the cat simply does not need color vision, because they hunt at night.

Recent studies by scientists have refuted this assertion. It has been proven that cats do not distinguish only some shades: orange, brown, red, green. Their eyes are available in blue, purple, gray, yellow. This perception is based on an increased number of cones in the eye, which decode blue and green colors. There are practically no cones sensitive to shades of red in the eyes of these animals. Therefore, red colors are not available to cats.

Basically, the world from the point of view of a cat looks bluish-gray, because they capture purple and yellow colors worse.

There is no bright picture before the eyes of the cat, but her world is by no means gray

How far can see

The maximum distance at which the cat clearly sees objects is 60 meters, but the image of such a distance looks like a solid spot for him. The range of vision is limited to 20 meters. Scientists explain this feature by the fact that a predator hunts from an ambush, and there is no need to distinguish between distant objects.

At too close a distance, cats also do not perceive what is in front of their eyes. An object brought to the muzzle closer than 50 cm, the animal recognizes the organs of touch. This feature should be kept in mind when playing with a pet.

Most clearly, domestic predators see objects located at a distance of 75 cm to 6 m. This value is necessary for them to calculate the height and length of the jump for prey.

How they see in the dark

The opinion that cats navigate in pitch darkness is a myth. The animal sees in minimal light. A cat needs 10% of the lighting that a person needs. People with such illumination cannot see anything. But this animal is a predator, so its eyes are equipped with additional receptors that have an increased sensitivity to light. The tapetum on the back wall of the retina reflects light twice, like a mirror, which is why the eyes of cats glow in the dark. In fact, the eyes do not glow, but reflect the rays that have fallen into them.

Cats look at us with different colored eyes. Colors are similar to yellow amber, blue sea, blue sky, green grass or bright gold.

Good orientation in the space of a dark room is explained by the fact that vision is not the only organ with which cats perceive the world. The secret of the animal is in the especially sensitive organs of touch - the vibrissae.

Vibrissae (whiskers) are a kind of sensors that send information about surrounding objects to the cat's brain.

What is the connection with the other world

Cats often watch visible to man items. They suddenly jump up, start running around the room, knocking them over. The pupils of the animal at such moments are dilated, the hair is reared. This behavior makes you believe that the cat sees the other world and its inhabitants. His eyes can see what a person is not able to see.

When an animal looks into the void or, turning its head, inspects an empty wall, there is no reason to worry. This is explained by the fact that even the quietest sounds that are alarming are available to the cat's hearing. They don't come from underworld, and, quite possibly, from under the plinth. The assertion of grandmothers that at such moments a domestic predator communicates with a brownie is also from the realm of half-tales.

For centuries, cats, thanks to the peculiarities of their vision in the dark, turned into a source of scary stories.

But the connection of a cat with a world unknown to man still exists. If a pet begins to behave restlessly, for no apparent reason, it is advisable to bless the home. Esotericists claim that a cat, having noticed an otherworldly body on its territory, tries to protect its owner from it. First, the animal freezes, trying to assess the intentions of the "alien". If it seems to the cat that the uninvited guest is dangerous for the owner, she tries to force him out with her own energy. When the danger is too strong and the cat cannot cope with it, she may even leave the house. It is not uncommon for cats to return as unexpectedly as they left it. So the pet removes evil spirits from the dwelling, and having got rid of it outside the walls of the house, it returns.

Scientists do not see anything mystical in such behavior of cats and argue that any behavior of a cat is explained by its increased sensitivity to sounds and smells.

But there is no convincing refutation of the ability of cats to see the inhabitants of the other world, so you can still believe in the supernatural power of the cat's eyesight.

How cats see our world

To see our world through the eyes of a cat, you need to look at a faded, blurry photograph. Nature provided for the ability of predators to see moving prey well, without paying attention to small details. The eyes of a cat do not give a complete picture of the picture of the world, so their vision is complemented by other senses.

Cats see immediately with their eyes, nose and vibrissae - sensitive organs located on the muzzle and tail. It is much more important for them to touch an object and sniff it than just to see it.

Do they see the image on the TV and their reflection in the mirror

The opinions of scientists about the perception of images on the TV screen are divided. Some argue that animals see the flicker and movement of objects. In confirmation of this, many owners testify that their pets love to watch animals on the screen, and after switching the channel they immediately lose interest in the TV.

Cats love not only to watch TV, but also to sleep on it.

Others are sure that TV programs in the eyes of animals look like static pictures replacing each other. They explain this fact by the fact that cat's eyes perceive images at a speed of 40 frames per second. At the same time, the TV is tuned to the perception of a person, that is, 24 frames. In order for the animal to see movement on the screen, the frame must be updated 50 times per second.

In the mirror, the cat sees itself normally, but begins to hiss and flatten its ears. This behavior is indicative of fear. The image without smell and auditory vibrations is incomprehensible and causes fear.

How do cats see humans?

Pets see people for who they are. They adequately assess growth, recognize movements and voice. But animals see a distinct picture only at a distance of 0.5 to 5 meters. At a distance of 7-10 meters, the pet sees only a silhouette and can recognize the owner by smell and voice.

It is believed that apart from physical body human, cats can see his biofield. This ability can explain the different attitudes towards strangers. To some, the animal approaches without fear, allows itself to be stroked and even walks on hands. Some strangers are not allowed to take a single step. The animal evaluates the aura of a person and accurately determines who may be a danger to him.

The ability to see the aura is reflected in the cat's ability to determine the sore spot on the host's body. pet pulls negative energy the owner, thereby beneficially influencing his health. If the cat living in the house is constantly sick, and no treatment helps him, the owners should think about their own health.

By the way a domestic predator looks at a person, you can understand what his mood is at the moment and guess his desires:

• peace and tranquility is expressed by narrowed eyes and constricted pupils;
• fear is reflected in wide-open eyes and maximally dilated pupils;
• when the pet intends to beg the owner for a treat, the gaze becomes fixed, straight into the eyes of a person;
• if the animal, without looking up, looks at the person, periodically slowly covering its eyes, it expresses its love.

Vision problems: how to spot them

Cats suffer from various visual disorders quite often. The owner should be wary if the animal hides its eyes from bright light or often rubs its muzzle with its paws. Signs of inflammation - frequent blinking of the pet, pus in the corners of the eyes, clouding of the protein, swelling of the eyelids. Any of these signs is a reason to immediately consult a veterinarian.

In the blind early age kittens whiskers are much longer than those of their brethren. So nature compensates for the lack of visual perception of the world

Some eye diseases can cause complete blindness in a pet. It is difficult to notice vision problems in cats in order to take action in time, because they are able to navigate in space even with complete blindness. About the beginning of problems with vision, which should be checked, say the signs:

• the animal does not jump to its favorite places located at a height or misses when jumping, falls;
• when moving around the house, stumbles upon a moved or new furniture, objects standing in unusual places;
• the pupils of the pet do not narrow in bright light; stops responding to favorite toys;
• when a pet looks at its owner, its gaze does not focus on it.

All these signs indicate a deterioration in the cat's vision or the onset of blindness.

What to do if the cat began to see badly

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to restore a pet's vision, but this is not a reason to abandon a sick animal. The owner should organize the space of the dwelling in such a way that the animal feels comfortable. The pet will be able to live fully if you do the following:

• do not change the location of bowls with food and water; do not let the animal go outside unattended, take it for a walk on a leash;
• in a new room, accustom the cat to the arrangement of objects, without frightening and allowing it to find its own way;
• do not clutter the path with boxes, scattered toys and other items.

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