All cats are born blind, a kitten's eyes remaining closed for seven to ten days after birth. The retina is at first incompletely developed and vision very poor. The kitten has to learn to interpret the images falling on its retinas and its brain to process the signals it receives, and it is not able to see as well as an adult cat for about three months. From there on vision becomes an extremely important, perhaps the most important of the cat's senses.
A cat's sight is said to be its most extraordinary sense. Each eye can encompass a range of vision of 287 degree, which enhanced by the mobility of the head can explore a vast horizon and always be ready to defend itself. It probably cannot focus on close objects very well, but beyond two meters nothing escapes its view.
In daylight its vision is perfect. Also at night, when assisted by distant street light or a ray of moonlight, it can see quite clearly. The cats hunt more by sight than by extremely efficient eyesight that adjusts instantaneously to changing lighting conditions. In bright light the pupil will contract to a mere longitudual slit: in poor light it will dilate to take advantage of the faintest gleam.
In very bad light the cat's eyes appear to shine, giving rise to the claim that cats can see in the dark. This is not so, but in poor lighting the eyes, like the road studs named after them are able to reflect back any available light so that they appear to glow.
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