How the 5 senses of cats work
How they influence their behaviour and well-being
Cats are extraordinary beings, and their ability to interact with the world through their senses is astounding. Below, we explore each of their five senses and how these influence their behaviour and well-being.
* Sight.
Cats’ eyesight is made for the night. They can see up to six times better than us in the dark thanks to their light-sensitive eyes. They detect movement with great accuracy and can see ultraviolet light, something we humans can’t see.
Although they see well in blues and greens, they have difficulty distinguishing reds and pinks. During the day, their vision is less sharp, and they are also short-sighted: they focus better up close than at a distance.
And a curious fact: they have a blind spot just under their chin. So even if they seem to see everything, a fast mouse could slip through without being seen.
* Hearing.
The sense of hearing is one of the cat’s greatest talents. They can detect sounds in a frequency range from 48 Hz to 85 kHz, which is much wider than ours. This sensitivity allows them to hear prey that is completely silent to us and to communicate with other cats through various vocalisations.
Their cone-shaped ears act like parabolic antennae: they amplify sound and help them pinpoint its source. Even the rustle of paper can trigger their curious instinct. It’s no coincidence: their hearing has evolved to be a key tool in hunting and survival.
* Smell.
The sense of smell in cats is significantly more developed than in humans; they have around 200 million olfactory receptors compared to our 5 million. This sense helps them identify food, recognise other animals and even get a sense of the emotional state of other cats. Cats use their sense of smell to explore their environment and communicate.
With cells almost 40 times more sensitive to smell than our human nose possesses, a cat’s sense of smell is a wonderfully intricate mechanism that some researchers even classify as superior to that of dogs. It is no wonder then that a cat relies more on what it can smell than what it can see to discover its environment. From mother-cat bonding to hunting (identifying prey long before it suspects danger), mating and exploring its surroundings, a cat’s sense of smell is the tool it relies on most for vital information.
* Taste.
Although cats have only about 470 taste buds (compared to our 9,000), they are very selective about what they eat. They cannot taste sweetness due to their carnivorous nature and the absence of the gene that detects that taste. They prefer salty and umami flavours, typical of protein-rich foods.
Their sense of taste is limited, but they compensate with a highly developed sense of smell. They also have a strong aversion to bitter taste, as they associate it with something toxic. For this reason, substances such as lemon or coffee repel them, and bitter sprays are often used to prevent them from biting furniture or licking wounds.
Fun fact: if your cat seems to enjoy a cake, it’s probably not because of the sugar, but because of the fat in it.
* Touch.
The sense of touch is key for cats, and their whiskers are the key players. They function as precision sensors that help them measure space, detect changes in their environment and move with agility even in tight spaces. It’s not just on their faces: there are also whiskers on their front paws, which are essential for catching prey with precision.
In addition, cats have tactile receptors on their noses, paws and even their fur. Thanks to this, they can perceive their surroundings in great detail – and that’s why they enjoy being stroked so much.
📌Understanding their five senses in general allows us to create a safer and more stimulating environment for their well-being..
