Can Cats See in the Dark? 🌑 🐕

Cats have long been subjects of curiosity and myth, especially when it comes to their sensory abilities. Their vision, particularly in low light conditions, is a topic of interest and common questions include whether cats can truly see in the dark. Cats possess certain adaptations in their eyes giving them a remarkable ability to see in lower light levels than humans. Among these adaptations are their large corneas and pupils, which can expand to let in more light, and a high number of rods in the retina which are sensitive to low light situations.

While cats cannot see in absolute darkness, their eyes are equipped with structures such as the tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer behind the retina that reflects light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors. This adaptation not only enhances cat night vision but is also responsible for the characteristic shine or glow of cats eyes when light hits them at night.