1.  Cats can’t see in complete darkness, but they can see well in very dim light. Cats are able to see in about one sixth the amount of light required for us to see, in part because of a reflective layer on the inside of their eyes called the tapetum lucidum. This layer reflects the light that enters the eye which gives the retina a second chance to “see” it. The tapetum is also what makes a cat’s eyes appear to shine in the dark.

2. Cats are not color blind, but they don’t see colors as vividly as humans. Cats appear to distinguish blues and yellows well but not reds and greens.This doesn’t mean that a cat sees a red or green object as gray. To a cat, a red ball sitting on a green rug would appear to be the same color.

3. The vertical slit pupils of cats allows them to adapt to changes in light much faster. This shape allows the pupil to open and close much faster than a round pupil shape, so cats are much less likely to be temporarily blinded by a sudden change in light intensity.

4. The lenses in a cat’s eyes don’t change shape to focus on items at close range so they don’t see as much detail as we do. They see best at a distance of about 2-3 feet. This is why some cats use a paw to discover where the water level is in their bowl and why your cat may have to sniff a little to find the treat you just gave her.