How are domesticated cats so good at tracking and capturing prey (birds, mice, laser dots) when they are so near-sighted?

Question

I’ve tried looking this up and all I’ve found is ***”being near-sighted translates to an advantage while hunting prey“***. How? That sounds so counterintuitive.

In: Biology

Answer 1

Cats have other precise senses that help them with the tracking part. Smell and sound help the cat locate the general area that their prey are, and their eyesight helps them catch them when they’re already pretty close by. Cats are mainly ambush predators, so precise vision up close is better suited to their hunting style. They don’t have to waste brain power on eyes that have the ability to focus well far away.