diff --git a/internal/app/ui.go b/internal/app/ui.go
index ac331b7..47e72a7 100644
--- a/internal/app/ui.go
+++ b/internal/app/ui.go
@@ -186,17 +186,21 @@ func (m pickerModel) View() string {
 	kitty := "(^ . .^)" // neutral gaze
 	switch {
 	case m.pending > 0:
-		// radar ears while the fleet is being scanned
-		kitty = []string{"(/ . .^)", "(^ . .\\)", "₍^. .^₎", "(^ . .^)"}[m.twitch/4%4]
+		// glancing left and right while the fleet is being scanned
+		if m.twitch/4%2 == 0 {
+			kitty = "(^•  .^)"
+		} else {
+			kitty = "(^.  •^)"
+		}
 	case m.filter.Value() == "":
 		kitty = "(^ - -^)" // dozing until you start typing
 	default:
-		// pupils follow the cursor across three buckets
-		pos, end := m.filter.Position(), max(1, len(m.filter.Value()))
+		// pupils follow the cursor's column within the input field
+		pos, fieldW := m.filter.Position(), max(1, m.filter.Width)
 		switch {
-		case pos*3 < end:
-			kitty = "(^•  •^)"
-		case pos*3 < 2*end:
+		case pos*3 < fieldW:
+			kitty = "(^•  .^)"
+		case pos*3 < 2*fieldW:
 			kitty = "(^ . .^)"
 		default:
 			kitty = "(^  ••^)"