Rats contain a substance called taurine, which brightens the cat’s eyes, makes them shine and improves night vision. Taurine has a role in regulating the body’s osmotic pressure and antioxidants and accounts for 50% of the total displaced amino acids in the retina, while cats deficient in taurine have extensive degeneration of the optic rod and cone cells. Feeding cats taurine-free cat food for a long period of time may also lead to retinal lesions and even blindness.
