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Green vs. red laser toys
Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys
(spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? -- T.E.D. ) |
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Green vs. red laser toys
"Ted Davis" wrote in message news Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys (spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? If they can't see those red dots, they sure react to them anyway. I got in trouble playing with my dog with the red laser dot too. She became convinced it was hiding behind the TV and decided to go in after it. Do not mess with a Border Collie's mind. It might be sharp but it isn't all that large. Jo |
#3
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Green vs. red laser toys
Ted Davis wrote:
Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys (spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. Cats don't see the color red, but that doesn't mean they don't see objects that we see as red - I think they see them as black or dark gray. It might make the "red bug" more attractive to them if they see it as a black bug. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? I don't, but I'm interested in hearing what you find out. -- Joyce ^..^ To email me, remove the XXX from my user name. |
#4
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Green vs. red laser toys
"Ted Davis" wrote in message
news Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys (spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? -- T.E.D. ) We have a green laser, but it's a sight for a gun, and way more powerful than the generic office-pointer red laser, therefore we very rarely used it for any pet related toy type play, and if we do, it's pointed on the walls or ceiling to ensure that we don't accidentally get it in their eyes. And yes, they do see it, and react to it very well. Even the dogs respond to it moreso than the red laser. -- ^..^ This is Kitty. Copy and paste Kitty into your signature to help her wipe out Bunny's world domination. -- The ONE and ONLY lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)© email me at nalee1964 (at) comcast (dot) net http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep |
#5
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Green vs. red laser toys
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:50:18 +0000, bastXXXette wrote:
Ted Davis wrote: Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys (spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. Cats don't see the color red, but that doesn't mean they don't see objects that we see as red - I think they see them as black or dark gray. It might make the "red bug" more attractive to them if they see it as a black bug. And my kitchen floor is gray. I do seem to get more response from the red laser when it shines on the front of the (white) washer or dryer. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? I don't, but I'm interested in hearing what you find out. I plan to attach both to a stick so they point near each other and see which, if either, various cats attack more. There might even be some relationship with the color their eyes reflect. I'll take notes. -- T.E.D. ) |
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Green vs. red laser toys
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#7
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Green vs. red laser toys
"Magic Mood Jeep" wrote in message
"Ted Davis" wrote in message news Has anyone compared the way cats respond to green lasers used a toys (spots on the floor/wall) to the way they respond to the more common red lasers? The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. A few days ago I did find an on-line sale on green laser pointers at $19.95 + S&H (marked down from $69.95). I ordered one, but due to back orders, I won't get it for a couple of weeks at the soonest, but my curiosity is killing me - I want to *know*. Anyone have any data or anecdotes? -- T.E.D. ) We have a green laser, but it's a sight for a gun, and way more powerful than the generic office-pointer red laser, therefore we very rarely used it for any pet related toy type play, and if we do, it's pointed on the walls or ceiling to ensure that we don't accidentally get it in their eyes. And yes, they do see it, and react to it very well. Even the dogs respond to it moreso than the red laser. Just by definition a red laser is far less energetic than a green laser, and thereby a red laser dot is far safer, eye wise, than a green one of input power. As to the ability to see said dot, whilst perhaps cats don't register the colour 'red', they would see a very bright spot of light. Suki also chases the light spot from a regular everyday torch so its probably not the 'red' that they chase so much as the fact that its an area that is of high contrast from the background, and it moves around in an intriguing-to-cats sort of way. I'd be wary of using a green laser for cat greebling games, but thats just me - lasers are one of the things I have to work with and I"m forever filling out risk assessments and having to put danger signs and extra guarding in - perhaps this makes me hyper aware and therefore a little paranoid about them. I am not aware of any studies regarding the dangers of the laser pointer and cats eyes, but there's probably a few articles in veterinary journals if one cares to do the research. Yowie |
#8
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Green vs. red laser toys
In article ,
Ted Davis wrote: snip The fact that most cats eyes reflect greenish light led me to question whether they can actually see the red spots all that well. However, green lasers are normally so expensive that I don't have one to use for testing. Actually, the greenish light reflected by cats' eyes is the light that bounces off the back of the eye and doesn't get into the receptor cells. On the other hand, our eyes reflect red (as evidenced in any flash picture not Photoshopped) and we can see red stoplights with no difficulty. At least, those of us who don't suffer from color blindness can. snip Baird -- In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. -Yogi Berra |
#9
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Green vs. red laser toys
On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:52:03 +1000, Yowie wrote:
Just by definition a red laser is far less energetic than a green laser, and thereby a red laser dot is far safer, eye wise, than a green one of input power. However, green lasers aren't the same technology and are far less effecient. The common red (and less common, blue) lasers are just a power source and a laser diode - green ones use a near infrared laser diode to excite some other kind of laser in the far infrared, and that is then run through a frequency doubler to get green. This one is in the 5mw or less class, as are most of the red ones. I am very familiar with lasers (up to the 10 kilowatt level) and make sure *never* to point the beam anywhere near an eye, anybody's eye, regardless of the power class. As to the ability to see said dot, whilst perhaps cats don't register the colour 'red', they would see a very bright spot of light. Suki also chases the light spot from a regular everyday torch so its probably not the 'red' that they chase so much as the fact that its an area that is of high contrast from the background, and it moves around in an intriguing-to-cats sort of way. I'd be wary of using a green laser for cat greebling games, but thats just me - lasers are one of the things I have to work with and I"m forever filling out risk assessments and having to put danger signs and extra guarding in - perhaps this makes me hyper aware and therefore a little paranoid about them. I am not aware of any studies regarding the dangers of the laser pointer and cats eyes, but there's probably a few articles in veterinary journals if one cares to do the research. As I implied, I too, work around lasers, but I'm not afraid of them as long as strict safety rules are adhered to (something some of our faculty and students often ignore, as chips in concrete block walls, holes through wallboard walls, and burned paint spots in various places indicate). -- T.E.D. ) |
#10
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Green vs. red laser toys
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:47:18 -0400, Takayuki wrote:
wrote: Cats don't see the color red, but that doesn't mean they don't see objects that we see as red - I think they see them as black or dark gray. It might make the "red bug" more attractive to them if they see it as a black bug. But, that doesn't make intuitive sense to me. If your laser is creating a black spot on your wall, I think you need to turn down its settings. Black isn't a color, and can't be carried by light - you can paint an object black, but can't illuminate an object with a "black" colored light or a laser. To take a hoomin example, we can't see infrared, so we see an infrared object (which does not reflect or emit other colors) as merely being black. But if we turn on an infrared lamp, we don't see any change - turning on light won't suddenly make the room go dark! Light sensitivity and color discrimination are handled with different types of light sensitive cells in the eyes. We have three color sensors (red, green, and blue) other mammals have only two: one for blue and/or near UV, and one for either red or green. Most other types of animals have four color sensors, often extending well into the UV range, and many of them also sense polarization. It is widely held that all mammals are descended from the few survivors of the KT extension - all of them nocturnal and/or burrowing. Color vision requires brighter light than just seeing, and also is metabolically expensive. Being relatively unneeded and expensive, half of the ancestral four color sensors were lost long before the extension event. Some primates got one back by duplicating and slightly modifying their blue sensitive system, but it's not as useful for discriminating colors as the original four, or even three of the four. -- T.E.D. ) |
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