Puede ver al

[BobRitter]

El gato puede ver al pez. In the picture the cat is eyeing the goldfish.

Why "al"? Is it the personal "a"? This is from Rosetta Stone.

StudySpanish.com has:

The personal "a" may also be used if the direct object is a domesticated animal, especially a pet, provided that the speaker attaches some sort of personal feelings towards the animal.

La mujer acaricia a su perro. (acariciar)
The woman pets her dog.

El perro persigue a la gata. (perseguir)
The dog chases the cat.

In the original sentence and in these who is the "speaker"?

[wrholt]

In your first sentence, yes, it's a case of "personal a".

It's true that usually "personal a" is NOT used with a direct object that is not a person or personalized being.

However, "usually" is not "never".

"El gato" is a non-personalized animal that is capable of seeing "el pez".
"El pez" is a non-personalized animal that is capable of seeing "el gato".

So which one is the subject and which one is the direct object? Leave out the "personal a", and one cannot be sure; Spanish word order is too flexible.

In all of these sentences the speaker is a third-person narrator: that is, someone who is neither the subject nor the direct object.