I'm torn between upvote for funny and downvote for (probably) wrong. :) The gene is present in all (most?) other mammals except cats. One can reasonably assume

I'm torn between upvote for funny and downvote for (probably) wrong. :) The gene is present in all (most?) other mammals except cats. One can reasonably assume that there was some evolutionary pressure to it. A whole family/species most likely does not lose a gene without some major outside pressure. Either the population shrinks suddenly and is recovered from individuals missing the gene, or that gene is eliminated presumably for good reason. This is not evidence but it's the more likely explanation. Of course laser eyes are great only for the first individual that evolves them. Then basically every other population tends to start dying off because you can't just not use them.