If you are a cat parent, you might have noticed them fixated at the wall looking at something you are not able to see. It is perhaps stands proof to the perception that cats and dogs can see the things that we humans cannot understand. So can cats see ghosts? Let us check the mystery behind it.
There is no scientific proof to indicate that cats can see ghosts. For that matter, there is no proof that any animal can see the ghosts or supernatural. The belief in ghosts and supernatural powers is rooted in the cultural heritage and many of the cultures view cats are divine beings.
Can Cats See Ghosts?
Cats have a keen sense – more so with their ability for night vision and an acute sense of hearing. It makes them perceive the sound and noises that humans cannot. It is this felinne behavior that has given rise to a belief that cats are looking at something supernatural, such as ghost.
Even when there is no evidence to indicate that cats can see ghosts, many cat owners believe that cats can see ghosts and even angels. it might have more to do with the cats communicate with the outside world. While they may be vocal with their human partners, their communication between the other animals and the outside world is mostly unspoken. The sudden mood swings and an abrupt change in behaviour are a few factor that have led people to believe that cats can see ghosts.
Understand the Unique Sensory Capabilities of the Cats?
Cats are known to have a very heightened sensory capabilities. Their eyes, ears and even their whiskers are known to have an exceptional sensory ability. They also have a great night vision which lets them see in even starrk dark night.
Ears – Cat has a tissue called tapetum lucidum in its eyes. This tissue lets the cats see things clearly even in the low light. The typical “glow in the eyes” that you witness in a cat’s eyes is also a result of this tissue.
Ears – Cats are capable of hearing three times better than the humans. They can also hear the low frequency voices.
Whiskers – The cat whiskers in a cat are not just ornamental. They are highly sensory in nature. They help the cats in their proper vision, help them sense vibrations around and also help you in navigating around easily.
These heightened sensory organs have been helpful for the cats in letting the cat prey and hunt. This same reason has made people believe that cats can see ghosts.
How do Cats see?
Cats haas a fifth of the cone cells when compared to humans, they can see things in black and white. Thye can also see bloue and yellow, but they are unable to see the saturated colors like we humans do. Thye make use of contrast and movement to understand and detect the objects. Reds, to be more specific is seen as Black by your kitty.
Cats can see only two primary colors – yellow and blue. They cannot see red. Moreover, their perception of light during the day is very poor compared to us. Any object from five centimetres to eight meters for them appears blurry. That is why they focus on two other senses when preying – hearing and smell. Thie hearing and smell senses are far more superior to those of humans.
How do Cats Hear?
The hearing sense of the cats is far superior. Cats can hear high frequency sounds. The cat is capable of hearing higher frequencies that are four to five times higher than we do. When you notice that your cat is frantically looking somewhere, and in several directions, it is simply trying to find which direction that sound is coming from. It is not looking at something, but trying to find where the thing is and what it is.
Cats move their heads and ears to perceive the origin of sound. The size of their ears (compared to their brain) and the high mobility of the ears, cats can easily identify where the sound is coming from. This is one of the reasons why we come to think that cats can see ghosts or spirits.
Can Cats Sense Evil in a Person?
There are a few stories and anecdotes that claim that cats can see paranormal things, but these claims have no evidence. It is also stated that they can see and differentiate between good and evil. However, it has been stated that cats can see an impending death and try providing comfort during their last moments.
Different cultures associate cats with witches, ghosts, supernatural things and yes, Halloween. A renowned expert in cat behavior Jackson Galaxy indicated that cats generally can see spirits in one of his interviews.
He indicated that ““Cats have evolved to sense things that we, as humans, can’t. Their eyes can see perfectly with the smallest bit of light, they can hear six to eight times better than we can, and their whiskers are designed to detect everything from temperature changes to air current changes.”
Can Cats See Things We Can’t?
Cats are observed to behave strangely when they sense an unusual presence around them. It is also believed that cats do not live in an area that has any psychic presence. People also believe that cats can sense the evil aura around a human being.
Cats have a “psychedelic vision”. This means that they can see several things that we, humans can see. A few good examples can be stripes on the flower petals, tiny patterns on the wings of a bird, or even the colors and patterns on the bugs. The cats can see the ultraviolet (UV) light and other light rays that we humans cannot see.
Cats in Mythology
There are several cultures that consider the cats as supernatural beings. For one, the Egyptian culture is known for its fondness for cats. They worshipped the cats and it is believed that it was in Egypt that the practice of keeping cats as pets originated. They believed that cats are full of divine energy.
Egyptians believed that the cats were a medium for communicating with the spirits. Egyptian mythology believes that cats can not only see the spirits and communicate with them, but can also identify them. Egyptians in ancient times believed that cats help you stay protected from the evil spirits.
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Buddhists on other hand is a faith that hates cats. They believe that the dead would live in the body of the cats before they can get new birth or new body.
Cats are believed to sense the presence of any unusual energy around them. It is said that they do not live in a place where they sense any sort of psychic presence. Some cultures also believe that cats can sense the evil or positive aur around humans.
A popular belief has it that cats can sense an impending danger and warn you about it. They are said to sense things about their owner as they begin to get close to them.
There are several folklores doing rounds which gradually gave rise to the thoughts of cats being able to see spirits.
- Cats were worshipped in Egypt. Family members treated the death of a cat in the home as a tragedy and shaved their eye brows as a mark of respect.
- Egyptians also believed that cats can communicate with the world of spirits and can see ghosts and spirits.
- Buddhism believed that the souls of the people who died gets reborn as animals, which includes cats.
- Sailors never left a ship without leaving behind a polydactyl (extra-toed) pussycat
- In Old England, black cats were gifted as the mascot of good luck.
- In India, a black cat crossing your way is considered to bring bad luck
- Scottish and Irish folklore shivers at the mention of cat called cat sith which looks for thee souls and steals them.
So, Can Cats Really See Spirits and Ghosts?
There have been indicators where cats are seen as the omens of bad luck. In India, if you see a cat – especially, a black cat – crossing the road in front of you, it is seen as a sign of bad luck. There are several people who believe cats are associated with the supernatural world.
On the other hand, there are people who adore cats a lot for the wonderful animals they have been. They do not believe in the stories of cats being associated with anything related to the word of supernatural.
In any case, the cat behaviour remains to be strange and you tend to believe that they are trying to see someone around. So, believing if the felines can see ghosts or not is entirely up to you. Whether cats are able to see spirits is quite difficult to conclude on.
FAQs
Can cats see ghosts or spirits?
There’s really no way to know for sure if cats see ghosts or spirits. While some people claim that a cat’s heightened senses enable them to see things we can’t, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this belief. But, yes, they do have a powerful sense of smell and hearing that exceed human capabilities.
Do cats have the ability to see in low light?
Yes, cats have heightened senses which allow them to see in low light conditions. Their eyesight is much more effective in low light than humans, and their eye structure is designed to maximize their night vision capabilities. But, their day time vision is a little poor.
Have there been any stories of cats reacting to ghosts or spirits?
There have been anecdotal stories of cats behaving strangely or appearing to react to something we can’t perceive. However, these stories are typically based on personal experiences and cannot be scientifically proven. However, a few cats experts do believe that cats can have a good rapport with things supernatural.
Do ancient Egyptians believe that cats can see ghosts?
Ancient Egyptians revered cats and believed that they had a special connection to the spiritual world. They associated cats with their goddess Bastet, who was believed to have powers to see and protect against supernatural entities.
Can cats detect ultraviolet light?
While cats can see better in low light than humans, they do not have the ability to see ultraviolet light. Their vision is mainly adapted for hunting in a dark environment and does not extend to the ultraviolet spectrum. But cats can detect the sound and its origin easily.
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