Cats love the night but don’t have superhero-like night vision.
They’re crepuscular, which means they’re mostly active at dawn or dusk. However, felines still need a minimum of light at night for orientation purposes.
Below, you will learn more about your cat’s vision and if your cat prefers the dark, so let’s dive right in.
Why Do Cats Like the Dark?
Cats like darkness, but they’re not nocturnal.
They’re actually crepuscular, which means they’re active at dusk and dawn, as they prefer a little light. They like dark places or low light because of the structure of their retina.
The concentration of rod receptors in felines is high, while the concentration of cone receptors is low. Humans have the opposite, which is why we can’t see good at night but detect colors better. (*)
Can Cats See in the Dark?
If you’re a cat owner, you’ve probably looked at your cat’s eyes many times and saw they’re very different from yours. (*)
For instance, cats have smaller pupils, so they can limit the amount of light that gets into their sensitive eyes during the day.
Once night falls, their pupils dilate and become round, which adds to their cuteness.
Cats can see better at night thanks to their dilated pupils, curved corneas, and wide field of vision. That’s why they’re excellent night hunters.
Interestingly, cats’ pupils can enlarge up to 300 times in size, while people’s pupils increase only 15 times. (*)
However, once cats’ pupils dilate, their visual acuity decreases. Simply put, felines see less clearly at night.
Can Cats See Without Light?
Cat parents think their pets have supernatural powers like seeing in the dark.
Unfortunately, they’re not equipped with night vision. Cats can’t see without light, as their eyes work in the same way as those of other mammals and need some light for proper function. (*)
However, they still see much better in low-light conditions than people because their eyes require only 1/6 of the ambient light that peoples’ eyes need.
So, while felines don’t share the awesome night vision of owls, they still have better night vision than people. Furthermore, they can rely on their other enhanced senses when their eyesight fails.
Do Cats Need Light in the Dark?
Felines aren’t nocturnal. They’re mostly active at dawn and dusk, so they’re actually crepuscular.
Stray cats and domestic cats sleep during the day, then run frantically around the home when night falls, but most cats can adapt to their owners’ schedules. In simpler words, they can sleep at night and stay awake during the day.
If your feline hasn’t adapted a humane routine yet, you can leave a dim light on for safety purposes.
Do Cats Need a Night Light?
Cats need a small amount of light at night for orientation purposes.
Therefore, you can leave a dim light source at night for your kitten when they roam around your home in the dark.
For instance, you can buy a good motion-activated light that will provide your feline with enough light for moving, even when you’re asleep or away.
Remember that cats don’t like bright light during the night. So, you shouldn’t leave a super bright source. Otherwise, you can damage your cat’s eyesight.
Like humans, felines also have a pineal gland for lightness or darkness information. (*) It’s also responsible for producing melatonin, a hormone that manages wakefulness and can help your cat or dog have a good night’s sleep. (*)
Cat owners might believe they’re helping their cats by keeping bright lights on in the living room or other home areas at night, but they’re wrong.
Instead of helping your feline, the bright lights will disrupt the melatonin production, disturbing their sleeping schedule.
Pull down the shutters, so your furry friend can sleep if you reside in a central area with lots of streetlights casting their cold light into your home.
However, ensure you leave a small portion of your shutters open because cats tend to get up in the middle of the night.
If you reside in rural areas where darkness prevails, have a very low light source in your rooms for your feline that won’t disrupt your deep sleep.
Should I Leave a Light on for My Kitten?
Cats love the dark. However, they can’t see in total darkness. Cats prefer minimal light for orientation purposes. If your cat gets up in the middle of the night, you should leave a dim light. That way, your feline won’t trip and fall.
If you’re worried your kitten will get lost in the dark, don’t because residual light from doors and windows is usually enough for felines in the dark.
Moreover, your furry friend uses other senses for orientation.
Like most night hunters, cats can’t always trust their eyes in the dark, so they must use their other extremely sensitive senses for extra support and a complete picture of their nocturnal environment.
Here’s a short breakdown of cats’ other senses:
Smell
Impressively, cats have about 14 times more olfactory receptors than people.
Therefore, they have a strong smell for locating small prey and finding ways through dark spaces.
Hearing
The ears of cats can pick up a broad selection of frequencies between 48 Hz and 85 kHz that human ears can’t. (*)
Moreover, they can quickly detect more distant and quieter sounds. Cats determine the source of sounds, so they can track their prey and imagine their surroundings in pitch-black areas.
Touch
Your cat’s whiskers act as a radar system. They help your feline estimate distances and detect objects and prey in their surroundings.
Do Cats Have Good Vision?
Visual acuity of 20/20 is considered “perfect human vision.” Cats, on the other hand, have something between 20/100 and 20/200 vision.
In simpler words, humans can see clearly from about 100 feet, while felines can see clearly from only 20 feet. So, they don’t have as good vision as people because they lack muscles surrounding their eyeballs for changing lens shape.
However, while people have better color vision, cats have better night vision. I’m not saying they’re color blind. It’s just that people can detect more vibrant colors.
That’s because people’s eyes have more cones (cells in charge of detecting colors). Felines, however, feature more rods as compensation for those cones, and rod cells create low-light vision.
Moreover, cats can detect fast-motion objects better than people.
As you can clearly see, a good vision has a different meaning for different species. Cats have better night vision, so they can hunt in low-light areas and survive, while people can better detect colors and enjoy the world’s many beauties.
Which Light Spectrums Can Cats See?
A study in London in 2014 discovered that cats could see a much different spectrum of light than people, including ultraviolet light. (*)
The electromagnetic spectrum has all wavelengths of light in existence.
The light humans can see ranges between 400 and 750 nm wavelengths. Anything below 400 nm is labeled ultraviolet light.
Humans absorb these wavelengths with their eyes, so they’re not “seen.”
Cats, on the other hand, like many other animals, have UV vision. Simply put, their eye lenses allow small amounts of UV light, so their brain can recognize it.
That’s another reason why cats have superior vision.
Are Cats Afraid of the Dark?
Cats have better night vision than people. However, they’re not big fans of complete darkness.
Generally, cats aren’t afraid of the dark. They prefer some light at night, so they can better move in dark areas.
Unless your feline associates the dark with a past traumatic experience (being hurt, captured, hunted, abused, or injured), they won’t have a problem with the darkness at night.
However, if they’re known for getting up in the middle of the night, you should have a dim light for better orientation.
Final Tips
A dim light at night can help your kitty feel much safer and enable better movement around your home. However, if you have a new kitten, here’s a list of tips to make your house cats feel better at night.
1. Have a Fixed Sleeping Schedule
Establish a sleeping routine to teach your kitty to fall asleep at a certain time, but remember that you too much follow this routine for results.
If possible, go to bed at the same time every night and make sure your feline follows your steps. That way, you both will get used to the new routine. Moreover, turn off the lights at night so your cat can learn when it’s time for bed.
However, just because you turn off the lights at night, don’t expect your kitty to stay in bed all night. As you probably know, our feline friends love night hunting and sprinting around the home, and you can’t change their nature.
2. Establish New Eating Habits
Your cat’s meals can disrupt both your and their sleeping routine. So, if your cat prefers eating before going to bed, meet their needs.
3. Invest in a Calming Cat Diffuser
Buying a calming cat diffuser or spray can help soothe your anxious cat and reduce their hyperactivity.
These products release synthetical chemicals that mimic different pheromones that calm cats. They’re especially helpful for new cats who still haven’t adapted to a new environment.
*image YAY_Images/depositphotos