Beginner Cat Photo Skills

You will remember our boy Taz from our adoption post and several successful portraits, including this one taken with a smartphone using simple ‘Portrait’ mode. This is a really effective and successful tool that takes fantastic cat photos. Find it and use it on your ‘phone!

I wanted to showcase Taz in a series of portraits I took using the iPhone Portrait mode ‘Stage Light‘ option which frames your portrait with a dramatic dark frame similar to the recent cat vignette portraits I took. I have created these over a period of time and wanted to add them together as we near the end of the year.

Black Cat Squares!

These are all square format as one or two have been shared on Instagram but, never seen all together here on the blog.

The stage light effect can be very dramatic if you are close up to your cat and I am not sure the first one (above) is too successful. But, when you step into the more creative and, almost, abstract look using a tool like Stage Light, things can change dramatically.

Add Filter Drama

You have the choice of keeping the drama focused on your cat by just using the tool or, to add a touch of interest you can experiment with some of the extra lighting effects in Photoshop Camera and Snapseed.

Sadly Photoshop Camera has been withdrawn from the market which is a pity as it is the perfect user friendly solution for a simple effect like the sunbeam you can see above.

This dramatic and shady version of Taz, is a black and white adjustment that throws lots of the darker fur into the background. It highlights the fur touched by sunlight giving you a cat shaped ‘idea’ your mind fills in.

Combining Photos in a Montage

For a portrait with added interest, I have used the ‘Layout’ app on my smartphone to make a couple of images to show you how your cat portraits ca be combined. You ca, of couse, add more than one cat into your portrait mix!

Here you can see a couple of options. A montage and (below) a dramatic triptych that, if it was a greetings card, might fold into three separate leaves.

The effect is not one I use often, but it shows that if you explore your smartphone you will find it allows you to do so many things. My best ever smartphone tip is: explore yours. Even a simple, older ‘phone might surprise you with added filters on both iOS and Android.

Remember Lego® from when you were small? Maybe you had a set or a friend had a box and you would be absorbed for hours with the blocks? Well, Lego has grown up, in spectacular style with jaw-dropping results!

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Meet the model causing a delighted stir in 2024 in the cat community. A Tuxedo Cat model that captures the ‘who me?’ look of a cheeky but cute (almost life-size) tuxedo cat. Could you make the kit? Yes you can, so let me share this fun project in a bit more detail.

Meet Tuxedo Cat

The model is part of the Lego® ‘Ideas’ range and this particular ‘meowdel’, the Tuxedo Cat, is spectacular. Cat lovers will have so much fun, and be totally absorbed assembling this kit.

Let me give you an idea of the features:

• Highly detailed, easy to follow instruction book
• Stands 30 cms/1 foot tall (which is huge!)
• For 18+ age group
• 1,710 pieces
• Cat’s head rotates, ears, paws and
• Posable tail
• Customisable eye colour (Blue/Brown)
• BONUS: An add on set of lights (available separately)

The step-by-step guide includes an illustrated booklet featuring an interview with the set’s Lego® designer, plus very clear instructions to guide you through every step of this creative activity.

Amazon

Just like their Notre-Dame popular due to its historic reopening) or Harry Potter Hogwart’s Castle this is a model of substance packed with creative playability.

Lego® Cat Looks Complicated

I can hear the questions piling up:

• 1,710 pieces?
• Where do you start?
• The box is huge!
• What do I do first?

Don’t worry, because this is where the quality and preparation of Lego as a company really ‘owns’ a kit of this quality. A Lego® kit this size is not cheap and you are paying for something that justifies the price tag.

What’s in the Tuxedo Cat Box?

When you take the lid off the box, you would expect to find dozens of bricks and shapes and be prepared to be a bit overwhelmed…

But no! As the lid slips off you see the kit is carefully packed into smaller packets of Lego parts. Each recyclable packet is carefully numbered from 1 – 20 and yes, you DO start with number one. Each packet links to a section in the instruction manual and you open one packet at a time and assemble one section at a time.

A clearly organised kit with instructions that you can follow, and beautifully organised components.

• In addition, each element of the packaging is recyclable, from the clearly labelled component bags to the splendid presentation box.

Putting Your Cat Model Together

I have a few suggestions about how to start your kit based on my own experience.

Your guide and most important tool with any Lego is the assembly book. For the Tuxedo Cat this is a full-sized paperback; not a brochure, or a foldable instruction sheet. Each assembly instruction has a clearly drawn illustration, and each assembly piece is clearly shown. Every single block, and every single step.

Take a look at this page from near the start of the model:

• A picture of the numbered packet from the box
• A clear image of the pieces you need
• Easy assembly instructions

Every page is like this. You see the pieces you need, and how you put them together. It’s just like the joke about eating an elephant (one piece at a time), you assemble a complex model in lots of small steps.

How do I know this works? Because it’s what I did with my first model, the smaller Halloween Cat and Mouse. I thought I would get anxious about the assembly, but the instructions are the best I have ever seen for a model and I feel any of you can tackle the bigger project with confidence.

Lego® Cat Summary

There are a lot of pieces and a lot of steps involved in the kit, and you want to enjoy the creative process as much as the end result. Work patiently through the manual, step by step and between stages store all of your pieces and packets in the large box your cat kit arrives in.

You will really enjoy yourself and get lost is a world of Lego® creating something thrilling and spectacular that ill make a superb display piece you can be really proud of and display for your friends to see. Hmm where will I put mine? The living room? My desk…….

Tuxedo Cat Out Take

This was too cute not to include!

You have been so busy with birthday or holiday preparations you forgot a favourite cat and you need a gift fast! What do you do? You have a few options even if time is very sort so relax a little. Let me give you a few quick ideas for quick cat (and human) gift success.

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Don’t look at the clock ticking and panic-buy a terrible gift! Take a breath for just – one – moment…

Speedy Gift Planning

WHO? This might sound crazy but who is your gift for? Is it for the cat(s) or their parent(s)? This will let you focus on what kind of gift you should be looking for.

BUDGET? How much do you have to spend? Don’t let guilt bump up the amount of money you spend on your gift. These are tough times and sensible, small, practical and helpful gifts will make a bigger impact.

WHERE? Buying your gift depends on where you are, your online access and the availability of local shops and retail centres. Local shops will carry gift cards, not just Amazon although for a friend further away they are a great resource.

Remember that shopping local means you support a small business close to home, and there may be some last minute gift fairs too. These can be a great place to support handmade crafters and artists.

Here in New Zealand Animates carries a huge range of pet gifts and foods.

What Do I Buy My Cat Friend?

Don’t buy useless stuff. Don’t buy impractical things. Think useful. Think helpful. Let people know how grateful you are to have them in your life, for real or online.

Buying for a Cat? A gift card or voucher for a cat’s favourite food would be perfect. For local friends a jar of Inaba Churu’s would go down a storm with 99.9% of all cats, or half a dozen tins of Fancy Feast can be stacked and wrapped up as a fun gift. Premium catnip works too.

Further away? Have a small delivery of their favourites sent. A cat needing specialist food will always welcome a bag of kidney kibble, or box of essential Purina Urinary Special sachets. Not the cheapest gift but (once you know which one they need), one they will love.

What Do I Gift My Human Friend?

Buying for a Human? Libro.fm (an alternative to Audible) offer vouchers for bundles of audio books and allows you to nominate a local book store to receive a small amount of each sale.

If your friends love ‘real’ books or an ebook check out my selection of offbeat but fun reads here.

You can also support your author blogging friends with Chumley & Hudson Investigate by Erin the Cat Princess & dad Mark; and Pirates and Pussycats by Angel Valentine’s Mom Kerry and Mark Watson.

My own first ever story, about our cat Harvey, appears in Purrseverance both as printed and instant ePub at BookBaby and Amazon.

Not into books? Etsy has plenty of gifts and printables. One of the hottest gifts this year is a personalised neon sign.

Handmade Gifts Are Perfect Too

Good with your hands? Creative on the computer? Make a gift yourself. I know I would be totally thrilled to receive a gift someone had spent time making one just for me.

• If you sew, make a small cat quilt from themed fabrics. Think smaller and make a mug mat for a computer desk.
• Crochet a cat toy. Derpy Monster has selection to choose from.
• Create a fantastical sled project like Bionic Basil
• Create Cat Art on your computer then let a bureau print it out.
• Check our celebration portrait post for a how-to video…

For the Cat Who Has Everything

Honest, honourable and totally justified – DONATIONS.

Maybe donate to a shelter which has a cat which needs specialised food. Food is a big drain on rescues of all sizes and it is always welcome.

Not sure which rescue to choose? First, look local for shelter pets in need. Second, focus on senior shelter pets, disabled shelter pets and the less photogenic (and often ignored) pets.

• For UK friends I suggest WLF Rescue and Sanctuary (FB) or Stray Cat Team West Midlands
• For US friends I suggest Place for Cats (NYC Foster network FB) or PAWS Norwalk
• For NZ Friends I suggest Kitty Cat Rescue (FB) Feral Nation NZ (FB) Both local small gold dust rescues.

Lilies. They are beautiful, fragrant, colourful and really dangerous to the cats you love.

Many people are unaware that beautiful lilies can be deadly to cats. Even the smallest amount of pollen or leaf ingestion can be fatal. What do you need to know to protect your feline friend? Let me tell you.

If you think your cat has licked (ingested) lily pollen.

Get to the Emergency Vet NOW!

Why are Lilies Toxic?

Although the exact toxin that kills cat has not been identified, every lily is considered lethal. In particular, three species of garden lilies are considered dangerous and I list them here.

NOTE: The flowers known as Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum wallisii) are not members of the Lilium family and are considered safe.

Dangerous Lilies (Top 3)

1. Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum),
2. ‘Stargazer‘ lilies (Lilium Stargazer hybrid),
3. Asiatic lilies (Lilium asiaticum) – are all considered highly dangerous.

Nibbling a leaf, drinking the water from a vase, licking (stamen) pollen from a paw or fur, of any lily, can endanger your cat.

SUSPECT LILY POISONING?

GET TO THE VET!

According to UC Davis “A cat that has consumed the lily toxin can experience kidney failure, which can lead to death, within 36 to 72 hours unless he or she receives appropriate treatment.” Bluntly, your cat will die if it does not get immediate treatment.

‘Immediate’ as in stop reading this post and telephone your veterinarian or emergency vet service NOW!

Early treatment is absolutely critical if you are to have any chance of saving your cat from lily toxicity.

TIP: If you can identify the plant cat has has touched or nibbled, take a photo, or take the whole flower with you (safely wrapped in a plastic bag) to the vet’s office.

Lilies are lethally toxic to cats. In fact, they are so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase containing cut lilies. The lily toxin, which only affects cats, has not been identified.

UC Davis

Symptoms of Lily Poisoning

The clinical signs of lily poisoning you need to look for in cats include the following:

• Vomiting,
• Lethargy,
• Drooling,
• Loss of appetite.
• Increased urination and dehydration may be seen 12 to 24 hours after ingestion and are signs of kidney damage.

How To Prevent Lily Poisoning

Avoid bringing lilies into your home and garden in any way.

If you are given the flowers (or plants) as a gift, thank the person and then put the flowers out of reach until the person has gone, then dump them in the bin. Sorry but do it, we are talking about a cat’s life here. Blame a black thumb for killing the gift and look apologetic!

“Most cat owners don’t know it, but lilies are lethally toxic to cats.. In fact, they’re so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase with cut lilies in it.”

Dr. Larry Cowgill, DVM, PhD, DACVIM.

Cat Safe Flowers

If you are gifting a bouquet to a friend or relative who owns cats, emphasise to the florist that you want only cat safe flowers. If they don’t know what you mean, be prepared and insist on no lilies (no matter how pretty and fragrant they are) and suggest these:

• Sunflowers
• Zinnias
• Roses
• Orchids
• Gerbera Daisies

Conclusion

I cannot emphasise this message enough

For the love of everything you hold dear; family, friends, your Faith, and your cat’s life, if you are in any doubt, telephone your vet or emergency veterinary service immediately. Every minute counts. The clock is ticking and the longer you worry or hop from foot to foot wondering if you budget can take the strain, your cat’s life is literally slipping away.

No. I. Am. Not. Joking.

Your cat’s life is at stake. Please call your vet.

If it turns out to be a false alarm breath a really big sigh of relief. Yes, you have a vet bill. But. You have peace of mind and a living cat, happy and sitting on your lap.

Lily Toxicity References

I am grateful to the information linked to in these articles from UC Davis Veterinary Medicine. They are essential reading to broaden your knowledge on the danger of lilies.

• Veterinarians Warn of Lethal Lily Toxicity – Rob Warren
• Lily Toxicity in Cats – Amy Young

BE ALERT. Please, share this post so more people know exactly how dangerous lilies are.

I don’t talk about Silver much on the blog. He is a complex character and spends a lot of time outside. His life turned upside down when he lost his best friend and neighbour Riley and I am not sure he ever recovered from the grief, even though it was eleven years ago.

Riley was a CH cat (cerebellar hypoplasia) and Silver visited his family every day. Remembering the day still upsets me, heaven knows what it did to Silver.

These pictures have a darker feeling and tone. I did not lighten the images because that would not have reflected his solemn personality or his strong streak of independence. He doesn’t always look so solemn, he can look more relaxed.

I have not seen him scamper or play for a long time but he is 12 now, like his littermate Miranda and maybe he stays closer to home and sleeps indoors sometimes because he wants to be nearer us as he gets older.

“My heart is broken, I can’t find my friend. Please, join me in wishing Riley a safe passage across the Rainbow Bridge to wait for his Mum and Dad.  Please, you don’t need to respond, you are not obliged – I wanted to record just how important Riley was to me and to my family.”

Silver 2013

He is still a much-loved member of our cat family and I wish Riley was still here. They would have been life long friends.

Thanksgiving Thursday, and I am here to spread some cheer with a paws-itively heartwarming cat photo roundup! Forget your frantic Black Friday shopping for five minutes. Sit down and put your feet up, grab a mug of coffee or a glass of wine (with extra catnip for your model), and cuddle up for a purrfectly delightful dose of cat photo and video fun. [Revised November 2024].

Browse these cat photo and video tips. Pick your project! Ready, Set, Go!

How To Film Your Cat Like a Pro

I have been making videos for over eight years and discovered what works, and what doesn’t on a smartphone. I make videos with confidence and that confidence comes from practice. If I can do it, you can too!

This post is full of fun tips you can use to make any movie, not just cats. Allow your self to play, have fun and laugh at the wobbly outtakes for your b-roll, as you build your skills and get ready to share your video on Twitter (X), YouTube, Vimeo or Tik-Tok.

A Fun Cat Photo Collage Project

This is a splash of lighthearted fun with the potential to create a lovely online holiday greeting to send to your friends, or a poster sized printable. You use the free version of design app Canva, although the Pro version works as well if you have it. Give Canva a try.

You choose the colours, the photos, the decorations, everything! This post helps you take your first steps to create your own design using the simple user friendly drag and drop interface Canva is famous for.

Explore Black and White With Cats

If you have been enjoying cat photography then you might want to step outside your comfort zone with an expedition into black and white country. This post goes into the kind of things you want to look for, and has a quick photo tutorial that will give you an idea of how to adjust your colour photographs to black and white.

Find Your Photographer’s Voice

A slightly more thoughtful post, one that encourages you to find your own way beyond taking simple cat photos. You can move towards creating a stronger focus and a message.

Your photograph can speak as strongly as the written word, if it has two things focus and intention which are discussed in the post.

Dusty’s Travels

If you remember the movie travels of our oldster Angel Dusty, they are all gathered on this page.

This page introduces you to his short fun and utterly sweet memories. They are a reminder that not every video has to be perfect, but a good video does tell a story. These were happy times, recording stories of joy and genuine happiness.

Have some low stress and casual fun with your cat during the run up to the Holiday season. It is lots of fun and oh so easy! What are you waiting for?