Feline facts Picture purr-fect

CAPTURING that magic moment of your family pet to share with your family and friends or post on social media can be a tricky task, not least because many of them refuse to sit still for any length of time. Here are a few tips on how to get that perfect picture.

Pets all have their own distinct personality, whether you own a sleepy house cat or a cocker spaniel that can’t stand still, try to photograph your pet in a situation that best sums up their personality, also try and set your focus point on the pet’s eyes or head, just as you would when photographing a person.

CATS are caring and funny creatures with quirky and mysterious personalities that become a part of our family and steal a place in our hearts. But, how much do you really know about your cat? We have put together some fun facts that you may not know!

In terms of development, the first year of a cat’s life is equal to the first 15 years of a human life! After its second year, a cat is 25 in human years. And after that, each year of a cat’s life is equal to about seven human years. Domestic cats spend around 70 per cent of the day sleeping and 15 per cent of the day grooming, leaving only 15 per cent for other activities.

The hearing of the average cat is at least five times more advanced than that of a human adult and cats can rotate their ears 180 degrees and can hear much higher pitches than we can, and their range goes even above that of dogs!

A cat cannot see directly under its nose and most cats have no eyelashes. Meowing evolved in order for cats to communicate with humans ­ cats don’t meow to each other, only to humans!

Sometimes putting a person in the shot can give scale and extra meaning to a photo. Zoom in tight, so that you fill most of the frame with them, otherwise they might get lost in the background.

Because pets are generally much smaller than humans it’s a lot easier to play around with interesting angles rather than just shooting side­on or head­on.

A prop can also change the mood of a photo, maybe a large pair of sunglasses or a hat, so long as it doesn’t cause your pet discomfort, anything goes.

The most important thing is to be patient, the best shots nearly always come to those that wait.

HEALTH ISSUES: Just like us our pets have additional needs as they age.