Cat behavior is fascinating and sometimes enigmatic. There are times when these little felines seem to observe or react to things that their owners cannot see. This has long been a matter of speculation, but now a new study has been carried out to find out what the cat is doing. study published by the magazine Proceedings of the Royal Society B It has been suggested that cats, like other mammals such as dogs and hedgehogs, have the ability to see in ultraviolet (UV), a type of light invisible to humans.
This surprising discovery may explain why cats sometimes behave in such strange ways, playing or chasing things that don't seem to be there for us.
What is ultraviolet light?
Humans can only see what is inside the visible light spectrum, which spans from red to violet. Outside this range, in the electromagnetic spectrum, is ultraviolet light, which has a shorter wavelength than visible light and is invisible to humansHowever, cats and other animals, such as dogs, ferrets and rodents, have evolved in such a way that their eyes allow this UV light to reach their retina.
The process is fascinating: their eyes are adapted in a way that allows UV rays to enter, which produces a electrical impulse which travels to the brain and is processed as part of their vision. This means they might be seeing special details in objects, patterns of light invisible to us, or even traces of urine that glow under ultraviolet light.
The usefulness of UV vision in cats
For a born predator like the cat, being able to see in ultraviolet has obvious advantagesCats can follow urine trails from other animals or even other cats to find or mark territory. They may also be able to identify details in their environment that humans miss, such as the light-absorbing patterns of certain materials, leaves, or even camouflaged animals.
This is probably why cats behave in a curious way when faced with common objects, such as a sheet of paper or textiles, which can interact with UV light in ways that are surprising to them.
Strange Behavior: What Are Cats Watching?
If you've ever seen your cat staring into space, moving its paws as if hunting something or chasing "nothing," it was probably looking at something you couldn't see. This behavior can be explained by its ability to detect UV rays. Researchers like Ronald Douglas and Glen Jeffrey point out that what for us is a simple inanimate object, such as a piece of clothing or a wall, for them could be emitting light patterns or energies that are only visible under ultraviolet light.
In addition to urine trails or territorial markings, cats may be seeing tiny insects or suspended particles that are not visible to the human eye. This behavior initially seems meaningless, but knowing that these felines have enhanced vision, we can better understand their surprising visual world.
Comparison with human vision
Cats have significantly different vision than humans. While humans have three types of cone cells Cats lack one of these cones, which means they have a more limited vision when it comes to colors. However, this limitation is compensated for by their ability to see in the dark and, as mentioned, their ability to detect ultraviolet light.
Furthermore, the field of view Cats' eyesight is larger than that of humans, reaching 200 degrees compared to humans' 180. This allows them to be more aware of their surroundings, which is crucial to their hunting abilities.
It is important to note that although humans have better visual resolution during the day, cats have a greater number of cells in their retina called Canes, which allows them to see in low-light conditions. Combining this fact with their ultraviolet vision, it can be said that cats see in a completely different spectrum than we do.
Without a doubt, the study of feline vision and its ability to see what is invisible to us makes us reconsider what our cats might be experiencing in their daily lives, broadening our understanding of the world around them.
It's fascinating to think that these tiny predators have access to a completely different visual world than our own. Maybe next time you see your cat staring into space, it won't be as empty as it seems.