The fear of night and dark phobia is common among kids and even adults. But many people have a query that does cats also afraid of the dark? Many cat owners ask if they should place some light source in the night so that their cats do not get afraid at night?
Well, there is no need for a light source at night as cats are not afraid of the dark. They are provided with eyes that can easily adjust to the darkness, and they can see well than us humans in low-light conditions.
So we can say cats, in general, are not afraid of the dark as they are having better night vision. The cats are provided with several ocular adaptations to get them acclimatized in low-light conditions.
But sometimes low light can be associated with bad memories that can make the cat feel scared. When a cat once subjected to an unpleasant condition in the dark, this can lead your cat to be afraid of darkness.
The possibilities of unpleasant memories are endless that can be attacked by big animals during the night, being abused by any human during darkness, etc.
Sometimes health problems that make the cat blind during the night can also be the reason for the cat to be afraid at night.
Like human beings, a cat can also suffer from problems that lead to blindness at night. This problem can be a reason for the cat to get scared at night.
Table of Contents
Do kitten is scared of the dark?
Most kittens are not scared of the dark because of their dark-acclimatized eyes that can see better in a low-light condition also. Kittens are sacred when leaving alone rather than because of the darkness.
What instances make the kitten scared in the dark?
In an enclosed room with complete devoid of light or complete darkness, kittens are just blind like us, and they cannot see anything.
This condition can make them afraid as they are unable to navigate without striking with an alien object.
Basically, the fear of darkness in kittens is the feeling of being lost. However, in the case when some light penetrates the room, the healthy kitten’s eyes can adjust easily to the darkness.
In case when the kitten is feeling scared in low lightroom, there are chances that the kitten is suffering from poor vision or other vision-related problem that is hindering its ability to see in dim light condition.
What instances can make the older cats afraid of the dark?
When the darkness associate with unpleasant memory, this can make the older cats scared of the darkness. Otherwise, cats have adjustable eyes that can be acclimatized easily in dim light conditions.
In case, when you know that the cat does not have any bad memories, still it is afraid of the dark, then the chances of the cat being suffered from an eye disorder or poor vision problem are more.
Poor vision can make the dim light condition extremely dark for the cats, and they can get afraid.
The symptoms of the cat afraid of the dark:
Instances like if a full-grown cat is scared of the dark, it will hide, or run away, will show aggression, or get a freeze in one place.
The signs of being afraid are difficult to diagnose in kittens as that are tiny and just fumbling about. The most prominent signs of a kitten being afraid of the dark are crying.
But there may be other reasons for crying are pain, loneliness, hunger, or sickness. So first confirm before concluding that why your kitten is crying in the dark as they can see well in low light condition.
How to keep cats comfortable with a phobia of the dark?
To keep your cat comfortable, cuddle your cat, stroke it gently, and swaddle your cat with a fine, soft micro-fleece blanket. You can keep your cat entertained with toys and can also speak with your cat to distract it. Don’t leave your cat. You can also set up a warm and cozy corner for your cat having access to all things, including food and water.
Introduce light into your cat’s room. You can introduce a dim light in the room where your cat used to sleep. Switch the dim light on during the night.
If still, your cat is facing a problem in the dark, you should consult the vet as there may be chances of impairment in your cat’s eyes. You should notice for the eye discharges or any redness in your cat’s eyes.
The bottom line:
So we can conclude that basically, cats don’t seem afraid of the dark unless it is associated with some unpleasant memory or any health impairment.