OK, now that I've gotten your attention, it isn't as bad as it sounds.
Mickey & Daisy, 14 month old Snowshoe Siamese brother and sister love to play
with one special toy. I bought a bag of 4 small colored glittery rolled up
aluminum or mylar balls. They love for me to throw them around, and they bat
them all over the house all day and night. Sometimes Mickey carries one in his
mouth and brings it to me in the morning, while I'm still sleeping, wakes me up
and has me throw them. He actually plays fetch. Sometimes they lose them, and
I look all over the house in every conceivable corner or crack, and they
disappear for two or three days. Then, as if by magic, I'll see three or all
four of them together in the middle of the floor. They also have a crunchy
sound so I'll crunch them in my hand and when I do, Mickey & Daisy run to the
top of the cat tree. Mickey practically gets up there in one leap. Once
there, I toss the ball to them and they catch it or bat it away in mid flight.
We can play this game for an hour.
Here's where the hitting in the face comes in. Sometimes they do nothing as I
toss it to them. They anxiously await it, but they let it hit them square in
the face. It cracks me up, but it has gotten me to wondering about their
eyesight, and the eyesight of cats in general. I know cats have weird
eyesight. For example, I'll put a treat right in front of them, by their feet,
and they don't see it. I put it in my hand and they don't see it. However, if
I hold it away and come closer with it they follow it and can take it from my
hand. Perhaps it is by smell that they find small objects close to them. Yet,
they can see me make the smallest movement of my hand underneath the covers,
and they leap at the movement. They also have a weird thing in which they try
to grab at something, and thrust out their front legs and paws, and miss the
object by several inches. Almost spastic like, like they weren't coordinated.
It is as if they have a problem with depth perception, but more on things close
to them.
I know they see well at distances, and they can follow a laser spot all over
the house. They also follow a hair or piece of dust as it drifts threw air
currents. But, they let the mylar ball hit them in the face. Very unusual.
Is this a Mickey & Daisy brother and sister phenomena, or a feline thing.
If you follow this link, it will take you to a photo of Mickey sitting on the
top of the cat tree, and locked in on the mylar ball as it sails above his
head.
http://hometown.aol.com/razdindabx/myhomepage/index.html
~*Connie*~ - 20 Mar 2004 12:38 GMT
Yup.. Ive run into the same things you have.. this is a pretty good website
on cat vision..
http://videoforcats.com/catvision.htm
> Here's where the hitting in the face comes in. Sometimes they do nothing as I
> toss it to them. They anxiously await it, but they let it hit them square in
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/razdindabx/myhomepage/index.html
Orchid - 20 Mar 2004 15:21 GMT
>I know they see well at distances, and they can follow a laser spot all over
>the house. They also follow a hair or piece of dust as it drifts threw air
>currents. But, they let the mylar ball hit them in the face. Very unusual.
>Is this a Mickey & Daisy brother and sister phenomena, or a feline thing.
It's a feline thing. Cats see very very poorly at distances
of 50 cm or less. This is why they close their eyes when they bite
something -- the whiskers are doing all the work so they can protect
their eyes.
Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid
Marek Williams - 21 Mar 2004 06:12 GMT
>I know they see well at distances, and they can follow a laser spot all over
>the house. They also follow a hair or piece of dust as it drifts threw air
>currents. But, they let the mylar ball hit them in the face. Very unusual.
>Is this a Mickey & Daisy brother and sister phenomena, or a feline thing.
I've had a number of cats over the years. None of them could see up
close as well as I could. It's like their focal distance is further
out than mine, sort of like a 40+ human who needs bifocals focus up
close. I should add that this situation gets worse as they age, just
as it does for humans. I recently had a very old cat and his close
vision was terrible. But he could see and recognize me a block down
the street.
At the same time, I've observed that cats' eye-brain connection seems
to be much more wired for movement than mine. If there is a bird
hopping across the lawn my cat sees it before I do. Once I know it is
there it is just as sharp to me, but I just don't react to the motion
as quickly as the cat.
--
Bogus e-mail address, but I read this newsgroup regularly, so reply here.
Steve Piper - 21 Mar 2004 13:40 GMT
They are wired for motion, you may notice when playing with your cat using a
piece of string or something, it's pupils will dilate massively as it locks
on to the string movement, improving the clarity of their vision right when
they need it the most; just before pouncing!
Steve
> >I know they see well at distances, and they can follow a laser spot all over
> >the house. They also follow a hair or piece of dust as it drifts threw air
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> --
> Bogus e-mail address, but I read this newsgroup regularly, so reply here.
Not so quick - 23 Mar 2004 09:59 GMT
Where can I get some mylar balls, as you
describe? Sounds like just what we need : -)
> OK, now that I've gotten your attention, it isn't as bad as it sounds.
>
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/razdindabx/myhomepage/index.html
GovtLawyer - 24 Mar 2004 00:28 GMT
>Where can I get some mylar balls, as you
>describe? Sounds like just what we need : -)
I got mine in a local Petco. A package of four was $2. They come in larger
sizes as well. I would check any well stocked pet shop or perhaps the
internet.
Cheryl - 24 Mar 2004 03:51 GMT
>>Where can I get some mylar balls, as you
>>describe? Sounds like just what we need : -)
>
> I got mine in a local Petco. A package of four was $2. They come in
> larger sizes as well. I would check any well stocked pet shop or
> perhaps the internet.
I got a package of 4 or so, but I can't find them anymore. My cats have
effectively hidden them.

Signature
Cheryl
GovtLawyer - 24 Mar 2004 04:59 GMT
>I got a package of 4 or so, but I can't find them anymore. My cats have
>effectively hidden them.
If I were a betting man, and I am! I'd be willing to bet that one day they
will all show up at once.
Sherry - 24 Mar 2004 05:43 GMT
>I got a package of 4 or so, but I can't find them anymore. My cats have
>effectively hidden them.
Oh, man. Get a stick and rake under the stove and refrigerator. We found a
mountain of cat toys there when we moved.
Sherry
Cheryl - 25 Mar 2004 02:59 GMT
> Oh, man. Get a stick and rake under the stove and refrigerator. We
> found a mountain of cat toys there when we moved.
Under the couch and loveseat often produce a large yeild of toys here, too.
Downstairs there is the washer/dryer. :) Shamrock has a habit of moving
toys around the house by carrying them in his mouth. I think I'm going toy
hunting this weekend.

Signature
Cheryl