The effects of time, luminance, and high contrast targets: Revisiting grating acuity in the domestic cat

Based on optical clarity and retinal cone density, the cat has a potential acuity of 20–30 cycles per degree (cpd), yet most behavioral studies estimate feline acuity between 3 and 9 cpd. Those studies, however, were limited by restrictive experimental conditions that may have inadvertently lowered the estimated grating acuity. Two domestic cats previously trained on a two-choice visual discrimination task were retrained on a grating detection/discrimination task with unlimited time, high luminance, high contrast targets, and adequate space to prevent poor accommodation from affecting the results. Initially, vertical gratings of increasing cpd were tested until failure. Then, horizontal gratings of increasing cpd were tested until failure. Finally, the finest horizontal grating resolved was confirmed with a third test requiring 24 correct out of 36 consecutive trials, yielding a binomial probability less than 0.02 of non-random occurrence. M1, a 7-year-old male gray tabby with +2.00 OU refraction, tested for a grating detection acuity of 15 cpd for both vertical and horizontal gratings (binomial probability = 0.009). F1, a 2-year-old female gray tabby with +0.25 OU refraction, tested for a grating orientation discrimination acuity of 20 cpd for both vertical and horizontal gratings (binomial probability = 0.004). These results demonstrate that a young cat with good focus is capable of discriminating 20 cpd, in close agreement with the physiologic maximum. Uncorrected focusing errors appear to degrade visual performance. Optimum experimental conditions resulted in better grating acuity measurements than previously reported, emphasizing the importance of environmental factors in feline behavioral testing.