Do cats really see in the dark? Can they see things as clearly as we do? Here’s a fascinating article that not only explains how a cat’s vision differs from ours, it show pictures of the difference. http://www.businessinsider.com/pictures-of-how-cats-see-the-world-2013-10
The general scientific consensus is that cats cannot see in total darkness, but their eyes are created to see better in dim light. However, they don’t see with the same clarity that we do. Their range of sight is larger—more panoramic, but they don’t see the vibrancy of colors and their view is kind of opaque in comparison to what we see.
In this article, we learn that we can actually see objects from greater distances than cats 
can. While we might be able to identify an item from 100 to 200 feet, for example, a cat might need to be as close as 20 feet to make out see the same object. https://www.livescience.com/40459-what-do-cats-see.html
What makes the difference? All sorts of things—the way the eyes are set on the cat’s head, the way the eyes are designed. And here are some interesting facts. For cats, understanding their environment isn’t all about vision. They also use their whiskers, their excellent hearing, and scents. https://www.thoughtco.com/cat-night-vision-4159281
