# can cats see colors **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348 "2000-10-18T01:15:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/1 "2000-10-18T01:15:30Z")
I just got into a mild argument with my office mate as to whether cats are color-blind or not. He says they see in colors of grey. I truly believe my cat knows the difference in colors. She will play with a pink and yellow cage ball (with a bell in the center), before she plays with the others. She also watches alot of TV. She enjoys hockey and baseball, I know alot of action, but I know she roots for the Angels. My office mate is color-blind himself and I say he’s just jealous. ---
**Author:** ![Cyndar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cyndar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyndar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/2 "2000-10-18T01:24:59Z")
According to one of my textbooks, “…it is very difficult to teach cats to discriminate between colors, although they learn other visual discriminations with ease and have two types of cones that absorb green and blue.” So I suppose the answer is yes, they can see (some) colors. The book goes on to say that more studies have been done on dogs, who seem to view the world in shades of violet, blue, and yellow. ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/3 "2000-10-18T01:33:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cyndar \* > \*\*So I suppose the answer is yes, they can see (some) colors. > > The book goes on to say that more studies have been done on dogs, who seem to view the world in shades of violet, blue, and yellow. \*\* Thanks for the reply, it is nice to know what the scientific comunity says. I think though that by watching my cat (I know it was a non-scientific environment), I find she can discriminate yellow from purple and red from blue. I would like to hear from some cat owners who have observed the color responses from their cats. I want to be able to print this out and go nah nah nah to the office mate as well as get that answer for my own knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Cyndar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cyndar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyndar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/4 "2000-10-18T01:39:59Z")
From observing my five (yes, five) cats, I would say that none of them make any choices based on color. They are much more scent, shape, and texture oriented. I have seen my cats walk up to a pile of cat toys and sniff around for the one they want. Once cat prefers soft toys, another prefers hard plastic ones, and a third ignores all toys for a piece of crumpled paper. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/5 "2000-10-18T01:59:41Z")
I just saw something about this on TV not too long ago. I think it was a PBS show about animal perception and language - I’m not quite sure that’s where I saw it - but the conclusion it offered is that earlier research about color vision in pets was flawed. Now they say dogs can see some colors, like a person who is red/green color blind - and cats DO see in color, but it’s just “not very important” to them. Typical. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/6 "2000-10-18T02:11:56Z")
My dearly beloved cat Fluffy would go into my Barbie things when she was younger and steal the little hangers. For some reason, she ALWAYS went after the pink ones! Lord, do I MISS that cat! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/7 "2000-10-18T02:20:27Z")
\*\* [How do we know what colors animals see? Are any creatures able to see more colors?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=38714)\*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*Many animals are dichromats, as are people who have red-green colorblindness. They can distinguish some colors that trichromats can, but not all. > > It has been determined that cats can see into the infrared, and that bees can see into the ultraviolet. > > Cecil’s column is [Are cats and dogs really color-blind? How do they know?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_004.html) > > A related thread can be seen here: [Colorblind animals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33318) \*\* ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-cats-see-colors/37348/8 "2000-10-18T02:26:49Z")
**Cyndar** , I know what you mean. Petite is very picky about her toys. She likes sounds like a bell as well as something she can carry in her mouth. **aseymayo** , I would have liked to have seen that documentary it sounds interesting. That is what I get for working long hours, but will keep a look out for it. Yes, it is just like a cat. I think it is cute when Petite ignores me and walks away. Ah, **Guinastasia** that is what I am talking about. Something that is identical and the only reason they pick it is color difference.