Research overview: retinal ganglion cell distribution in the cat eye

Retinal ganglion cells are the output neurons of the eye, and their density sets an upper limit on visual acuity. In cats, ganglion cell counts peak in the area centralis and along a horizontal visual streak, then fall off steeply toward the periphery. This overview surveys mapping studies that quantified that distribution and related it to the cat's behavioral acuity, which is far lower than a human's. The relatively modest peak density, combined with strong rod convergence, yields an eye tuned for sensitivity and motion rather than fine detail. The horizontal streak is thought to aid scanning of the ground-level horizon where prey appears. These anatomical maps have made the cat a classic model for linking retinal architecture to perceptual performance, informing decades of work on how eyes are organized for an animal's ecological niche.