What Colors Do Cats Like? Why Do They Like Them? Vision Facts

Updated on Mar 19, 2024

Blue-eyed tabby cat

Cats do not see all the colors we do, but they are not completely colorblind either. At the same time, cats have better sensitivity to light and motion, resulting in enhanced sensitivities in ways that we will never understand.

Because of these two facts, cats tend to like the color blue and metallic hues. Cats will be able to distinguish most shades of blue, and metallic hues will capture cats’ attention since it reflects light to create a sort of movement.

To learn more about the colors that cats like, and which ones they don’t like, keep reading. In this article, we’ll briefly explain how cats see light and how this impacts their favorite toys.

Are Cats Colorblind?

Historically, people believed that cats were colorblind, much like dogs. Although cats cannot see as many colors as humans, studies suggest that cats can see some colors, meaning they are not completely colorblind.

When understanding what colors an animal can see, scientists look at the cones and rods in the animal’s eye. Cones are able to detect color, and rods detect motion and light. Together, cones and rods allow us to see images.

Just like us, cats have both rods and cones in the retina of their eye. By looking at the cat’s cones, you can determine what sort of colors the cat can pick up on. In comparison to humans, cats have fewer cones, which means they can see fewer colors. As a result, cats are not completely colorblind, but they do see fewer colors than a human.

That being said, cats have more rods than humans. Rods are responsible for detecting movement and light. Because cats have more rods than us, they can see movement and changes in light better than we can.

White cat with one blue and one yellow eye — Image Credit: Gaz_D, Pixabay

What Colors Can Cats See?

Cats can mainly see different shades of blue and green. They are not able to distinguish different shades of red or colors that have a lot of red in their base. Scientists are unsure if cats can distinguish yellow colors.

What this means is that cats can see most of the same colors as a colorblind person, but they see far fewer colors than the person who is not colorblind. Cats will easily be able to distinguish between shades of blue and green, but they might not be able to see the difference in red and pink colors.

In other words, different shades of blue will stand out to the cat. However, placing a red and pink item next to one another will be confusing to the cat since the shades will likely be indistinguishable.

What Colors Do Cats Love?

Because cats are best able to see shades of blue and green, they tend to love items with these colors. Blue is especially a favorite among cats because it is the easiest for cats to detect. Especially if you pair something blue with something shiny, you are guaranteed to get your cat’s attention!

Metallic colors reflect light in a way that almost mimics movement. These metallic colors can easily capture your cat’s attention because of how sensitive your cat’s rods are. Consequently, cats tend to love items with both blue and metallic colorations since it is the easiest for them to see.

Balinese,Cat,,Kitten,With,Blue,Eyes,Is,Lying,On,The — Image Credit: 8H, Shutterstock

How to Apply This for Your Cat

What does this mean for you as the cat’s owner? You can use this information to your advantage when picking out toys and items for your cat. Anytime you are looking for a toy, look for toys that have shades of blue and metallic features. These colors will make the toy easy for your cat to spot, which will encourage them to play with the toy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cats love different shades of blue and green because they are the easiest colors for cats to spot. Additionally, cats like metallic finishes and hues since light dances off the finish, activating the cat’s sensitive eye rods.

You can use this information next time you go to pick out a toy for your cat. Select a toy with various shades of blue and metallic finishes to keep your cat captivated.

Related Reads:

Featured Image Credit: cocoparisienne, Pixabay