After a random interval (~ 1–2 s), a high-contrast (black) high-incentive stimulus associated with a wet food reward was presented at a target location (0, 15,

30, 45, 60, 75 or 90°) to the left or right of the initial fixation point. The location of the second stimulus was determined based on a pseudorandom sequence of targets that was balanced for hemifield and for location. Each eccentricity was presented twice per column, and catch trials (in which the primary but not secondary stimulus was presented) were interleaved to make sure animals were not exhibiting non-stimulus cued orienting responses. For the laser perimetry task, a small diameter laser point was used as the peripheral stimulus. The lighting in the room was brought from 85 to 1.3 cd/m2. After fixation, a laser was projected onto one of the 13 target eccentricities at the bottom of the arena and was moved (Afifi et al., 2013). If the cat redirected its Ion Channel Ligand Library mouse attention to the laser

they would receive a Nutlin-3a mouse high-incentive food reward and the trial was scored as correct. If the cat did not approach the laser or did not orient correctly, the trial was scored as incorrect. In the aforementioned tasks, the visual stimulus was presented when the animal was stationary. The runway perimetry task presented the visual stimuli when the animal was in motion. This task was based on the work of Hardy & Stein (1988). The background lighting was set at 85 cd/m2. The fixation stimulus was introduced through the 0° hole, and the cat began 140 cm from the 0° position. After

fixation, the animal was released and made its way towards the fixation stimulus. When the cat was 45 cm away from the 0° position the peripheral target was then presented. Trials in which cats were able to disengage from the fixation stimulus and reorient to the peripheral target were scored as correct. Trials in which cats were unable to register the presentation of the peripheral target or oriented to the peripheral target but continued toward the central stimulus were scored as incorrect. All animals were trained to plateau performance levels prior to surgery. All animals underwent unilateral resection of the posterior parietal regions and contiguous visual areas of the right hemisphere, as performed previously (Lomber et al., 2002; Rushmore et al., 2006). On the day prior to undergoing surgery, all cats were sedated with Astemizole a ketamine and acepromazine mixture (10 mg/kg ketamine and 0.1 mg/kg acepromazine). Once the animal was sedated, catheters were implanted in the cephalic veins of the front legs and bound with surgical tape to prevent irritation and tampering with by the cats. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, i.v.) was administered to minimise brain edema, and antibiotics (30 mg/kg cefazolin, i.v.) were given to guard against infection. Ringer’s solution was administered (50–100 ml, s.c.). Animals were then placed on a warming pad in individual housing and monitored until they completely recovered.