5 Ways to Snap the Purrfect Cat Photos

If you’re like every cat owner in this century, your camera roll is full of cat photos. And not all of them are good. There’s the unfocused pictures, the “in-action” blurry shots, and shots that just missed the adorable little pose they were doing by seconds. But that’s alright. Not everyone can be a National Geographic photographer in their own home. That’s why we came up with 5 tips and tricks to nab perfect cat photos. 

The Almighty Treat

Perhaps the most obvious way to get your cat’s attention, and keep their attention, is to dangle their favourite treat in front of their face. Moving the treat around or using the treat as bait to get your cat running towards you for a cool action shot, or a slow-motion video are the most effective uses of a treat. Obviously, it is better to give the treat to your cat after you’ve taken the photo. This is a good investment for the future, as well. You can train your cat to associate treats with the camera and you’ll be sure to have great shots. 

If you don’t want to fiddle around with treats and baiting gestures, you can simply put the treat on the floor. This will give you the “crunching shot.” You know, where their little faces are all scrunched up as they crunch away. 

While treats are maybe the most effective tool to snap a wide array of good photos, you shouldn’t use the method very often. Too many treats can cause an upset stomach or excessive weight gain in your feline buddy. WebMD’s Pet Health site has a great guide in case you are concerned.

Patience, Patience, Patience

You can’t get through a discussion about house cat photography without mentioning patience. Cats are finicky animals. They are prone to jumps and jolts that could ruin that perfect shot. Every cat owner has walked in on their cat doing something hilarious or adorable only to have the shot ruined by a sudden movement.

While the moment feels terrible, it isn’t the end. Cats are creatures of habit. So there’s a good chance that they will do that little performance again.

But patience also means time. If you continuously shoot photos of your cat, you will probably get the shot you want. One whole second could mean the difference between an adorable pose or a blurry action shot.

The Power of Portrait Mode

Basically every smartphone these days comes equipped with a portrait mode feature. This feature makes it very easy to capture gorgeous cat photos . But portrait mode also works great for taking photos of cats. Since portrait mode blurs out the background in the photos, the little fuzzies and stray hairs poking around your cat are smoothed out. When your kitty sits on her favourite blanket, she will be in focus, not the hair covering the blanket.

Portrait mode works best when taking a photo from a high angle. The high angle means a sharper focus on your kitty’s face. The contrast between the sharp focus and blurry background makes your cat’s unique eyes and features pop.

Not-So-Candid Camera

Many cat-owners act like a spy to catch that perfect photo. Sneaking around, tiptoeing cautiously, all in order to not wake or disturb the cat. But this doesn’t always work. Even the slightest movement can disturb the cat, causing them to leave their position or even hide, if they are very skittish.

A good strategy, though it may ruin your shot initially, is to scare them off the get go. You can do this by snapping your fingers, or making kissing noises. Once you’ve scared them, you have their attention. With their eyes locked on you, you can begin snapping away. Of course, they will likely get annoyed or bored with you and go back to their previous pose without a chance of you disturbing them again.

Grab a Partner

Sometimes, though, taking a picture of your loveable baby seems downright impossible. And some of the most iconic cat photos couldn’t be done alone. That’s why you should grab a partner. With a partner involved, you’re sure to snag the perfect cat photo. A partner can take a photo of you snuggling with your furry friend. Or you can have a partner play around with your kitty to capture those great, playful moments.

Of course, there’s always posing. Holding a cat, or gently adjusting their body opens up a variety of funny poses. Just make sure to be gentle, and never hold a cat that does not want to be held.

Naturally, what would cat photos be without anyone to see them? Having a partner around will help you decide which photo will be perfect for Instagram, and which photo will be perfect to hang up on your wall.

Check out our other blog posts on cellphone photography and dog photography!