A Cat's Five Senses
Posted January 17, 2019
In the animal kingdom, big cats have developed several
adaptations that allow them to be top predators in a variety of
ecosystems. While modern house cats may not need to hunt to the
same extent as wild cats, our pets have still kept several
interesting abilities that enhance their senses.
Dr. Carly Patterson, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas
A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences,
shares some interesting facts about cats’ senses and unique
abilities.
Cats are often seen playing and wandering around at night,
leading many to believe cats can see in the dark. While this is not
strictly true, Patterson said cats can see in near darkness much
better than people and many other animals.
“Cats can dilate their pupils in low-light situations and they
have a special reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum that
allows them to reflect more light to the back of the eye,” she
explained.
In addition, cats, like many other animals, have an extra fold
on their ears, called Henry’s Pocket. According to Patterson, the
exact function of this feature is not known, but many believe it
helps to enhance high-frequency sounds. Sounds that may be
inaudible to people, such as the squeak of a mouse, are easily
heard by cats.
“Cats hear sounds of varying frequencies and they are especially
adept at hearing high-frequency sounds,” Patterson said. “Sounds
that humans may perceive as normal background noise could be
stressful to the cat.”
For example, high-pitched noises that are barely audible to
human ears, such as the buzz from an LCD computer screen, can be
loud and annoying to cats. This problem can be greatly reduced by
turning electronics off when not in use.
While cats have above average vision and hearing, their ability
to taste is comparably weaker than the human sense of taste.
Patterson explained that cats lack the sweet taste receptor, so
even if they seem attracted to some sweet foods, they are likely
detecting only the fat and texture.
On the other hand, cats are able to smell much better than
people, but not as well as dogs. While cats have far fewer scent
receptors than dogs, recent research has shown that cats may be
better at discerning between different smells.
Finally, cats use their whiskers to enhance their senses of
touch and balance. Patterson said whiskers are located in several
places on a cat’s body, though the pattern changes with different
cat breeds.
“Whiskers are strategically located on a cat’s face to transmit
critical sensory information, such as the ability to fit through
passageways, potential obstacles, and even a sense of overall
balance,” she explained.
Although house cats tend to spend more time napping than
hunting, their senses give them abilities that are shared with many
of the world’s top predators. Next time you watch your cat play,
you’ll know that their dilating pupils, rotating ears, and other
characteristics are signs that they are using their keen
senses.
Pet Talk is a service of the Texas A&M College of
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Stories can be
viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for
future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.
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