The Truth About Pet Vision
The Myth: Pets do not see in black and white.
The Reality: They are “dichromatic,” meaning they see a limited spectrum of colors (mostly blues and yellows).
Dogs: See blue and yellow best. Red and green look like brownish-grey.
Cats: See blue and yellowish-green. Their vision is less vibrant but superior in low light.
Shopping Tip: Blue toys are the easiest for dogs to find in the grass!
For decades, the common wisdom among pet owners was simple: our pets watch the world like an old television set—in black, white, and shades of grey. But as veterinary science has advanced, we have learned that this isn’t quite true.
So, are dogs and cats color blind?
The short answer is: sort of, but not in the way you might think. They aren’t living in a noir film, but they also don’t see the rainbow quite like we do. Understanding how your furry friend sees the world can actually help you become a better pet parent—especially when it comes to choosing the right toys and training tools.
The Science of Sight: Rods vs. Cones
To understand are dogs and cats color blind, we first have to look at the anatomy of the eye. The retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye) contains two main types of photoreceptor cells:
Rods: Responsible for detecting motion and seeing in low light.
Cones: Responsible for detecting color and details.
Humans are trichromatic, meaning we have three types of cones that allow us to see Red, Green, and Blue combinations. This gives us a vast, vibrant spectrum.
Dogs and cats, however, are dichromatic. They only have two types of cones. This means their color vision is similar to a human with red-green color blindness.
How Dogs See the World
If you could swap eyes with your Golden Retriever for a day, the world would look a bit washed out, but definitely not black and white.
The Canine Color Spectrum
Dogs see the world primarily in shades of Yellow and Blue.
What they see: Blues, yellows, and greys.
What they don’t see: Reds, greens, oranges, and purples.
To a dog, a bright red fire hydrant looks brownish-grey. A lush green lawn looks like a field of dead hay. A bright orange toy? That looks just like the “green” grass it is sitting in.
Why It Matters for Playtime
This biological fact changes how we should shop for our pets. We humans love buying bright red toys because red signals “danger” or “excitement” to our brains. But to a dog, a red ball on green grass is incredibly difficult to see—there is no contrast.
If you want to help your dog play fetch more effectively, look for blue or yellow toys. These colors pop vividly against the grey/brown background of the grass.
How Cats See the World
Cats are slightly more mysterious. While the question are dogs and cats color blind yields a similar answer for both, felines have different visual priorities than canines.
The Feline Color Spectrum
Like dogs, cats are dichromats. They see blues and yellowish-greens best. However, scientists believe cats perceive fewer colors than dogs and see them with less saturation. Their world is likely a bit blurrier and more pastel.
Motion and Night Vision
While cats sacrifice color, they gain superpowers in other areas.
Night Vision: Cats have a massive number of rods in their eyes. They can see in light levels six times lower than what a human needs.
Motion Detection: Those extra rods also make them experts at detecting slight movements—perfect for hunting a mouse (or a feather toy) in dim light.
So, while your cat might not appreciate the vibrant color of a new toy mouse, they will instantly spot the way it twitches across the floor.
Why Evolution Made Them This Way
Why did nature shortchange our pets on color? It comes down to survival.
Humans evolved as foragers. We needed to spot ripe red berries against green leaves, so distinct color vision was vital.
Dogs and cats evolved as hunters, specifically crepuscular hunters (active at dawn and dusk). They didn’t need to know if a rabbit was brown or grey; they needed to see it moving in the shadows. Evolution traded color definition for superior night vision and motion tracking.
Recap: Viewing the World Through Their Eyes
To answer the question are dogs and cats color blind:
They are not fully color blind (seeing only black and white).
They are Red-Green color blind, meaning they confuse reds and greens.
Their world is made up of blues, yellows, and greys.
They trade color vibrancy for better night vision and motion detection.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can dogs see TV screens? Yes! Old tube TVs flickered at a rate that looked like a strobe light to dogs, but modern HD and 4K screens refresh fast enough for dogs to see the image smoothly. Many dogs enjoy watching animals on TV, especially if the colors are high-contrast (like blue).
What color is a tennis ball to a dog? A tennis ball is yellow/green. To a dog, this falls into the “yellow” spectrum, which they see very well. This is why tennis balls are such popular dog toys—they are highly visible to canines!
Do cats prefer certain colors? While cats can see blues and yellows, they rely more on texture and movement than color. However, because they see blue clearly, a blue toy might stand out more visually against a neutral carpet than a red one.
Is pink a good color for dog toys? Not really. Pink is essentially a shade of red. To a dog, a pink toy looks greyish-white. If you throw a pink frisbee into the air, they can track it against the blue sky (high contrast), but once it lands in the grass, it might disappear for them.
Now that you know the truth, it is time to upgrade your toy box! Visit your local Hollywood Feed to browse our selection of high-visibility blue and yellow toys that your dog will actually be able to see. Check out the blog to keep learning interesting facts about your favorite furry friends!
