Be honest, do you check your phone almost immediately after you wake up? I think the answer is yes. Most of us do this. Some like to check everything they missed during the night, while others only reply to messages. And then your cat joins you in bed and you can’t help but think, “Can cats see phone screens?”
Can they read our messages, and do they secretly Google things while we’re asleep? Imagine how embarrassing it would be if your cat opened your gallery and saw 300 pictures of themselves. They already think we’re obsessed with them; imagine what a big head they’d get if they had evidence!
Jokes aside, this question is, oddly enough, a common one cat owners like to think about. It’s so fun to know how our pet sees things and how big or small the difference between us is. And it’s even more interesting to learn those things about your fluffy roommate.
So, here’s everything you need to know about cats and phones, plus some cool extra tidbits. Enjoy!
What colors can cats see?
Cats can see blue better than other colors. Apart from blue, they can also see some shades of purple. And that helps them see the things we do on our smartphones or the movies we like to watch on our TVs.
When it comes to colors like red, green, yellow, and all of their spectrums, your kitty is colorblind. However, you can be happy because she can still see the spectrum of blue color, and she can see it very well! Probably even better than you!
The screens we use daily emit blue or purple light, so cats can mostly see the colors that emanate from them. If you want to gossip about your fluffy friend, you better hide your phone from her, as she might spy over your shoulder!
Also, cats have better eyesight than dogs when it comes to light, as they can look at brighter things more easily. But keep in mind that it’s still not perfect. Your fluffball will be able to see that you’re doing something on your smartphone, but not everything will be clear to her.
Is it possible for cats to see up close?
Of course, our eyes and the eyes of our pets are not the same. And it’s especially evident in our abilities to see distance.
Humans can clearly see everything between 100 and 200 feet away, but our kitties can’t. They can only see things up to 20 feet away. Which means they are much more nearsighted than us.
However, they also can’t see objects that are positioned too close to them. It’s because they have huge eyes and big pupils that don’t let them focus on things that are only a foot away. That’s why their whiskers are very helpful when feeling their prey or anything else.
So, yes, our cats can see up close, but not if they are standing really close to the thing they’re looking at. The best spot for them is a few feet away from their object of interest.
I know that you’ve probably seen many videos of cats getting very close to the screens, but it’s actually not to help them see better! It’s their natural hunting move that they like to practice from time to time. And your TV always has something new on, so it feels like an adventure every day.
Can cats see phone screens?
Now it’s time to answer your main question, “Can cats see phone screens?” As you might have concluded from the above info, cats have trouble seeing things that are too far from them. However, they are not able to see too close to them either.
A phone screen is much smaller than a TV screen, but your kitto will still be able to see it. Thankfully (or not thankfully, if you’re hiding something from them), your cat can see what’s going on on your phone because of the blue and purple light it emits.
If you want, you can even test your cat to see how far you need to place the object to make it visible to her. Play something on your phone (don’t turn on the sound) and put it far away from her. She probably won’t react as she won’t be able to see anything.
Then start slowly moving the phone closer to her. And when she looks at it and slightly tilts her head, you’ll know that she’s trying to focus to see the phone more clearly. That’s how you’ll find the perfect distance for your cat’s eyesight.
Will your cat recognize you on the phone screen?
Except for whether cats can see phone screens, the second most asked question that people like to ask is, “Can my cat recognize me if she sees me on the phone?”
Studies showed that cats were able to recognize their owners 54% of the time, however, they could recognize their cat friends 91% of the time.
Even though 54% seems like a low number, it still means that your kitty will be able to recognize you – if the picture or video has the type of light she’s able to see.
The remaining 46% were most likely some pictures and videos with lots of colors that your cat is sadly not able to see and, therefore, not able to detect either.
However, if you want to video chat with your fluffball, she’ll definitely recognize you by your voice. So you don’t need to stress about whether or not she’ll react to you if you call. I’m pretty sure she’d be happy to answer.
Since a cat can recognize you by your movements and even body language, if the light on the video call is good, she might realize it’s you because of your behavior. Isn’t that sweet?
Can your cat see computer and TV screens?
Cats are one of the most playful and curious animals in the world. They are interested in literally everything going on around them. And they’ll try to be a part of it as hard as they can, even if it means sitting near the computer or TV screen and spying on you.
And what’s the gadget that always seems like a new thing? It’s your TV. Because there’s something new on it every single day. And your fluffy buddy just can’t wait to see what’s next.
Is it a new type of bird or a squirrel climbing a tree that looks just like the one you have in front of your house?
That said, your kitty won’t be able to watch a movie with you. I know, it’s sad, and you really wanted to show her “Puss in Boots,” but everything on TV moves so rapidly that your feline won’t be able to really see it as a video.
She’ll most likely see millions of pictures showing one after another. But the good thing is that your cat will still be able to see some of the same things you’re watching on your screen!
Is staring at screens bad for your cat?
Do you remember when you were a kid and your grandma always used to tell you to move away from the TV, otherwise you’d get square eyes? Yeah, I think most of us heard that at least once in our lifetime.
Actually, when I think about it, some of us still do. It comes from our parents or friends when they tell us that we spend too much time on our laptops and smartphones and that every kind of pain we have is because of that. Sound familiar? Yeah, I bet it does.
Well, luckily for your cat, she doesn’t need to hear you saying that because getting too close to the screen won’t hurt your kitty’s eyes at all. The only thing that you’ll be risking is her attacking your brand-new TV if she thinks it’s her prey.
However, it’s still not a good idea to let her watch TV the whole day because she needs your attention too. She’s probably spending time in front of the screen because she doesn’t get to play with you that much. So I suggest you always put aside an hour or more to spend with your furriend.
Trust me, it will make both of you happy. You’ll save your TV from getting scratched and probably destroyed. But you’re also saving your cat from the risk of the TV falling on her.
Should you play videos for your kitty?
You’ve already seen them, but there are many videos you can find on YouTube that are made especially for cats. That’s right, you can not only find beautiful lullabies and cartoons for kids, but also videos that will pique your kitto’s interest.
They’re usually about birds, squirrels climbing trees, mice, and other animals that could grab your kitty’s attention. It’s a great way to keep your little meower entertained if you don’t have any ideas about what to do today.
There’s no one in this world who knows your cat better than you do. And you need to use that information to find the best video for her. If she adores those mice toys you bought for her, then try showing her a video featuring a mouse.
Or maybe you saw her reacting to the sounds of birds. Great, use that to grab her attention. Cats enjoy adventures and they are always ready for some playtime. Even if playtime includes looking at the screen and trying to figure out what’s going on. Trust me, cats love a good mystery.
Just a reminder that the best videos to use are those with blue and purple colors in them. High-quality sounds are also recommended because cats have great hearing, and it’ll be such an experience for them.
Is it important which monitor you have?
Is your kitty demanding, and does she secretly sing “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande, hoping that you’ll buy her everything she desires? I guess we’ll never know, but what we can learn is if monitor or screen size matters.
Now that we know that cats can see phone screens, TVs, computers, and other devices, we should know whether they have some favorites. Nowadays, most monitors use LCD technology. And you’re rarely going to see those classic old monitors in anyone’s living room.
Your cat’s favorite option is the LCD TV because it has lights she can see. The frame rate of old TVs is very low and your kitty will most likely be unable to see a thing on them, so she’s definitely not a big fan of those.
I think it’s like when you’re trying to watch TV but the reflective light from your window makes it so difficult for you to see anything that’s going on. And you miss half of the movie you were watching.
Final words
We’ve reached the end of today’s fun lesson. Now you know can cats see phone screens. But that’s not all you’ve learned today. Your friends can now call you a cat-eyesight-expert.
I hope you had fun learning something new and found everything you wanted to know. When you’re living with your fluffer, it’s sometimes difficult to understand her wants and needs because she can’t really tell you anything.
But when you’re learning about them, it becomes easier and easier to figure out what cats want. And sometimes, you’ll even be able to understand other people’s kitties, not just your own fluffball. When that happens, you’ll feel proud for being such a great owner who spent time educating himself/herself.
I know that your cat is happy to have you in her life, and the two of you have many more things to experience and learn about each other. And you don’t have to worry about going on vacation without her again!
You can just ask your catsitter to give her phone to your kitty, call her name, and she’ll recognize you and know that you didn’t leave her. That will help both of you stress less. Congrats on gaining new knowledge! See you again with the next interesting topic.
