Cats are nearsighted, meaning they can see better close up than far away. Interestingly enough, cats are also unable to see directly underneath their nose, which is why if you set a treat down directly underneath them they may have trouble finding it right away. While cat eyesight is excellent for detecting motion and seeing in the dark, it is not as good for seeing detail. A cat’s eyesight has developed to assist them in the hunting process. Your feline companion’s vision is less acute than that of a human’s and colors are also less vivid for him or her.
One of the most remarkable things about a cat’s eyesight, however, is their ability to see at night. Since cat’s are nocturnal predators, their eyesight makes them efficient hunters. While cat’s are unable to see in total darkness, they require only one sixth the amount of light than humans do to see. Their pupils can dilate three times larger than the human eye allowing in more light. Cat’s also have reflective cells behind their retina that amplify the light that comes into their eyes. If you have ever taken a flash picture of a cat and noticed their eyes glowing, these reflective cells were the reason behind it.
K Bosiljevac says
My sons rescued cat(under a yr old) has a weird behavior when eating. If a morsel of food is on the floor, he has trouble locating it and when he does, he opens his mouth very wide and digs into the carpet to retrieve it. It’s as if he can’t see it or figure out how to eat it without the wide mouth. Is there something else that may cause this eating behavior? He’s eats like a starving animal when he is fed from the bowl ( he was starving when found). Also his bottom row of front teeth , between the canines, seem abnormally small. and he’d eat all day if he could. Is this something that can be remedied? How can I curb his constant hunger, he is getting a bit better, but I can not leave out any human food, he will try to eat it, especially bread. I am feeding him a food high in protein and low in grain. (Rachel Rays)