If there's a slight difference, it's that you would say "I see a cat in the tree" if you have just noticed the cat, and "I can see a cat" to mean that it is near enough to see, or that it is within your field of view. – Kate Bunting. Apr 7, 2020 at 16:04. 1. @KateBunting Perhaps, but then say you're peering through branches to find a cat, it ... More @Wikipedia
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