Thoughts on Cat Photography

Part of making a really cool cat blog is taking (and sharing) great pictures of cats. I am by no means a professional photographer; I have hand tremors and  I use an out-of-date little point-and-shoot camera that is in desperate need of replacing. However,  I have found some things that really work for me and some things that don’t.  Perhaps some of the pawsome photographers out there can add to this conversation (by all means do), but here are some of my discoveries:

Lighting makes all the difference in the world.

Digitally brightened photo of Manna with fixed “red-eye”.

I find that if I can take a photo of the cats with natural light, that  photo will turn out better than one taken with the the lamps in my apartment doing the lighting.  If natural light isn’t available, the lights have to be as bright as possible (without being blinding).  Photo editing programs can help to brighten a photo, but there is definitely a difference between a well-lit photo and a photo brightened by editing.  Good lighting also helps because  then you don’t need to use the flash.  Whenever I have to use the flash I spend tons of time editing “red eye” and/or sorting through photos to find one with the cats’ eyes open.

Naturally lit photo of Manna, no lighting or eye corrections.

Try to see the cat’s point of view.

Cinco not realizing that I had placed a milk ring and a fuzzy ball on his head.

When I’m taking photos, I’m usually on my knees or crawling around on the ground to get as close to their eye-level as possible. Not too many interesting photos happen when I’m hovering over their heads. Photos that are taken straight on at the cats are a lot easier to use with an article if you ask me.

Get in the action.

Manna playing with a catnip candy cane.

Action shots are adorable! They make the cats look alive and playful – it gives them personality. Many times when I do a photo shoot with my cats, I am playing with them with one hand and taking photos with the other hand. Lucky for me, my little camera has a setting for taking action photos so they don’t look too blurry. I use this setting all the time because of my hand tremors (if I don’t it will look like a took my photos during an earthquake).

Take lots of photos.

A Manna selfie fail. Try, try, again.

It is rare that I get the photos I want in the first few shots. I just keep taking photos until either the cats have had enough or I’m just sick of taking photos. For my Wordless Wednesday shoots it is not unusual for me to take 100 photos. Then I just choose around 5 of them that turned out well to use. The more photos you take, the more likely you will get a few really good ones.

Add your own interpretation.

I knew I’d seen that expression somewhere before…

Cats don’t pose. No matter what great idea you have for your photo shoot, expect it to go awry. I just add a few elements to my “scene” and I see what the cats decide to do with them. I don’t force anything. The cats will do whatever the cats want to do. If some scene elements are not getting a good response, I replace them and try again. Adding catnip is helpful, but then they may just get busy licking the cat nip and refuse to look at the camera.

After the photo shoot, I add my own interpretation to the photos. This is a creative process. I look at what I’ve got and I say something like  “hey, Cinco and Manna look like crime-fighting super heros” or ” This is like  one of those slow, dark film noir scenes” or “hey! Manna looks just like Jack Nicholson in this photo.” Some interpretations are more creative and some are more reality based.

Cinco starring in Niptoon Noir.

Super Cinco attacks the Red Dot with his Super Raspberry.

A question for you: What qualities do you think make a great pet photo?

Animal Hoarding Part 1: Identifying An Animal Hoarder

There are 900 – 2,000 new cases of animal hoarding every year in the U.S. with a startling estimate of 250,000 animals falling victim.  Contrary to popular belief, animal hoarding is not confined to the neighborhood cat lady. Men and women of all ages, races, and walks of life can be animal hoarders. While cats are a frequently hoarded animal, they aren’t the only species to be hoarded. Animal hoarders will collect cats, dogs, ferrets, rats, and many other species including farm animals.

Photo Courtesy of the Examiner

What is Animal Hoarding?

According the the Hoarding Research Consortium (HORC), the following are the criteria for hoarding:

Chart courtesy of the HORC

• “Having more than the typical number of companion animals
• Failing to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in illness and death from starvation, spread of infectious disease, and untreated injury or medical condition
• Denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household, and human occupants of the dwelling
• Persistence, despite this failure, in accumulating and controlling animals”

In a nutshell, animal hoarding is having more animals in your care than you can reasonably care for financially, emotionally, or physically. Animal hoarders are not able to provide proper nutrition, shelter (with enough room for each animal), and veterinary care for all of their animals. Typically the home that the hoarders live in is not suitable for the animals or themselves and their family. Animal hoarders don’t see the harm that they are doing.

What Makes People Become Animal Hoarders?

Animal Hoarding is a complicated behavior that is not yet fully understood by psychologists. No one knows for certain exactly why an animal hoarder behaves the way that they do. Originally it was associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). However,  there appear to be some commonalities with a number of other mental illnesses such as dementia, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and more. Animal hoarding is very similar to object hoarding. It seems that cases of animal hoarding always begin with a traumatic event that happens to the hoarder. There is a growing movement to create a new disorder in the DSM-V (the diagnostic manual for mental disorders) for animal hoarders. 

Diagram courtesy of the HORC

3 Different Types of Animal Hoarders

Each case of hoarding is unique, but it seems that they can be grouped into 3 basic types. Not all cases will fit cleanly into one category. Most animal hoarders will fit into the first 2  categories.

1. Overwhelmed Caregiver. These animal hoarders are the type that started out with a reasonable amount of pets and passively assumed more pets (“the cats had kittens, and then those cats had kittens,”etc) until the population got out of control. An event or circumstance plays a part in their accumulation of animals. They are likely to be somewhat aware of the problem they’ve created and socially isolated.
2. Rescue Hoarder.  A rescue hoarder is on a mission to save as many animals as they can. These hoarders are afraid that the animals will be killed in anyone else’s care.  They feel that they are the only ones who can care for these animals. Often rescue hoarders will have a network of enablers.
3. Exploiter Hoarder. Unlike the first 2 types of hoarders who want nothing more than to care for the animals they hoard, these hoarders don’t care about the well-being of the animals. The purpose of hoarding the animals is to use them for the needs of the hoarder. Exploiter hoarders have sociopathic tendencies with little remorse for the harm they cause. Beware – they may be very charming and manipulative.

What Are the Signs That Someone Hoards Animals?

Photo Courtesy of the Examiner

It is important to notice the signs of animal hoarding. Animal hoarders are likely not “bad people” rather they are people who have an illness and need help. The more people who are educated about animal hoarding behavior, the more animal hoarders and animals who can be helped.

The first thing you might notice about an animal hoarder’s house is that it is dilapidated. Since they don’t really have the means to take care of the number of animals they have, the house is likely to look as if it is being run by the animals. The smell of ammonia can be a tip off to the fact that urine and feces are not being removed properly. In some cases urine, feces, and vomit may be caked onto floors and surfaces.  Fleas, mice and other insects may be infesting the house.

The hoarder him or herself may seem a bit unkempt. However, many hoarders live a double life, which makes it hard for people at their work or other places outside the home to believe that they could live in such squalor. They have learned to conceal their hoarding to avoid the criticism of others.

Take notice if the animals do not appear healthy. They may be lethargic, sickly, or thin. Many will be lacking socialization. Even with the most obvious signs that the animals are not healthy, the hoarder will insist that they are indeed healthy and happy. The hoarder will 100% believe what they are saying about the happiness of the animals. This disconnect from reality is a major symptom animal hoarding.

Keep checking back for Animal Hoarders Part 2: Helping a Hoarder

Reminder: Tails to the Trails

Don’t forget to join A ReJoyceful Animal Rescue for Tails to the Trails this Saturday! Proceeds from this event will go to help homeless animals get the care they need and find a forever home. The 5k walk will include food, refreshments, a DJ (Blaine and Allyson from 96.3 WDVD), vendors, prizes and more! Sign up today by visiting the Tails to the Trails website.

Can’t make it to the event? You can still help this awesome cause by visiting the Tails to the Trails website and clicking the Donate button it the upper right hand corner.

Cat Charity Event!

Looking for a way to help out some homeless or abandoned animals? Here’s a great opportunity!

You’re Invited!

Event:

The first ever “In My Shoes Women’s Expo“. This is an event from the Women’s Civic League  of St. Clair Shores that helps women to find easier ways to handle their many roles in life.  There are 40-60 vendors expected.

Date & Time:

Click Here For A Map

How does this help animals?

The In My Shoes Women’s Expo is hosting 4 Paws 1 Heart, a local non-profit organization that helps abandoned help animals and rescue organizations that place homeless animals in forever homes.  4 Paws 1 Heart will be hosting a silent auction throughout the event. 100% of the proceeds from the auction will go straight to helping the animals.

Price:

$5 per person to get in.

More Information & Advance Admission:

Learn more about In My Shoes Women’s Expo at www.inmyshoesexpo.com

Learn more about 4 Paws 1 Heart at www.4Paws1Heart.org 

Cat Rescue Groups: Unspoken Heros

You’ve seen them on the street. Their glowing eyes peer out to you from dark corners of your neighborhood. You’ve wondered where they belong.

The United States has a stray animal population that is estimated to be higher than the populations of California and Texas combined.

We have a crisis going on. Cats and other domestic animals are being left to fend for themselves on the street. Some once were someone’s pet, but have been abandoned. Others have become stray because no one took the time to have their parents spayed or neutered.

What is being done?

Animal rescue groups have been formed by compassionate people all across the country – about 5,000 nationwide. These groups advocate for the animals by caring for them, ensuring the are adopted out to good people, and educating the public.

Why Cat Rescue Groups?

Why choose to adopt from a cat rescue group rather than purchasing a pet from a pet store or breeder? Here’s a few facts. Since this is Playful Kitty, I will focus on cat rescue groups, but do note that most rescue groups care for more than one type of animal. Most of the points below apply equally to rescues that service animals other than cats.

• You can be a kitty’s hero!
  Cat Rescue Groups offer you the opportunity to put on your superhero cape and save the life of an animal in danger. It is estimated that up to 4 million animals are put down every year just because they are homeless.
• You’re supporting a good cause.
  Most cat rescue groups are no-kill, which means they don’t euthanize any animals simply because they have had them too long. Cat rescue groups make sure that their animals have care by qualified veterinarians – care that they wouldn’t receive from local animal control or the streets. When you adopt from a cat rescue group you are supporting a group that has the true welfare of the animals in mind.
• Cat rescue groups do all the work for you.
  When you adopt a pet from a cat rescue group it will most likely be spayed/neutered, up to date on it’s shots, and receiving/having already received veterinary care for any illness or injuries that it might have had. A full list of the cats physical issues (if any) and personality traits will be furnished for you. The people running the cat rescue groups can even guide you in choosing the right pet for you.
• Adopting helps to prevent animal cruelty.
  A lot of pet stores use breeders that are more concerned with the quantity of their animals than the quality of life of their animals. Adult animals are bred to exhaustion and young animals are packed away into small, confined, unsanitary spaces. Taking business away from breeders who use this practice defunds their cruelty. Also, stray animals left in the street are subject to being taken in by people who wish to do cruel things to them such as conduct experiments on them and use them in fighting rings. Adopting an animal takes it off the street into a safe home where it will be loved and cared for.
• People who have cats are healthier.
  Who knew? Studies have shown that people who own cats have lower blood pressure, a lowered risk for cadio vascular disease, reduced anxiety and more! Watch for later posts on this subject!
• Cat rescue groups can save you money.
  Animals purchased from pet stores or breeders are expensive! You’re looking at a couple hundred dollars per animal. Cat rescue groups are non-profit and charge you low fees to adopt an animal. Many cat rescue groups I’ve seen only charge around $100 for a cat that is spay/neutered and has all its shots!

Choose adoption!

Next time you are considering getting a cat (or other pet) check out your local cat rescue groups. You can find your local cat rescue groups through a google search, petfinder.com, your local Humane Society or ASPCA, the phone book, a pet supply store, asking people you know, or checking the Cat Rescue page here at Playful Kitty. Both of my cats are adopted and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world! Save a life, you won’t regret it.

* Statistics and facts in this post are from the ASPCA, The Humane Society of the United States, and http://mritechnicianschools.net/2010/17-health-benefits-of-owning-a-cat/.