This is a photograph that I took at the A1 Savannahs farm near Ponca City in Oklahoma, USA.
I was taken in the early hours of the morning on 25th May 2010. A distant storm had awoken me at about 4 am.
The morning before the weather had been glorious with a warm light that grazed the gentle landscape and bathed it in a glowing light.
This time the storm had created billowing clouds of grey and pink luminescence.
The cloud formation changed all the time and the colour changed too. The whole scene rapidly changed and faded. It was all over in 20 minutes.
The calm of the goats, sheep and bison grazing contrasted beautifully with the angry sky to create a biblical scene.
All it needed was Moses to walk out from behind the tree in the distance!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Daria an F2 Savannah kitten from A1 Savannahs
This is a fine F2 Savannah kitten that I photographed at the home of A1 Savannahs yesterday, 18th May 2010.
He already has a new human companion and the photo was taken to provide the new owner with a photo before the cat was shipped out.
Daria was very inquisitive and found this cat toy tunnel. It was dark outside the house and tungsten light inside. So I used an on-camera flash which is not usually a good source of light but the walls of the tunnel, I think, helped a lot to create an interesting photo.
It always difficult to create something a bit different. Adult F2 Savannah cats are smart and active. They are very loyal to their human companion. They like the human companion to be around so it is only fair that the owner is around.
On that basis new F2 Savannah cat owners should not, ideally, be working full-time or away from home. Perhaps the best human companion would be a person who is retired and able to devote a large part of the day their gorgeous Savannah cat.
He already has a new human companion and the photo was taken to provide the new owner with a photo before the cat was shipped out.
Daria was very inquisitive and found this cat toy tunnel. It was dark outside the house and tungsten light inside. So I used an on-camera flash which is not usually a good source of light but the walls of the tunnel, I think, helped a lot to create an interesting photo.
It always difficult to create something a bit different. Adult F2 Savannah cats are smart and active. They are very loyal to their human companion. They like the human companion to be around so it is only fair that the owner is around.
On that basis new F2 Savannah cat owners should not, ideally, be working full-time or away from home. Perhaps the best human companion would be a person who is retired and able to devote a large part of the day their gorgeous Savannah cat.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Three Legged Black Cat and Feet
Er...what can I say about this photograph. Well, they are my feet. British feet. White feet and a black cat.Yes, that sounds nice. And this black cat is talking to me as near as he can get to face to face, which makes me listen.
When I am in bed he does the same thing, stands up on his hind legs and talks to me face to face. This certainly gets my attention. What does he want?
The usual..food. In this instance it is breakfast. I had just got up and he started to perform so I thought that I had better get the camera and he kept on doing his tricks.
Eventually his insistence was such that I had to stop and feed him. Standing up like that for a good 20 seconds or more sometimes is an effective way to see and be seen. He can make a statement.
His name is Charlie and he has three legs which gave him his strong back which in turn allows him and encourages him to use it to position himself in the "meerkat position".
Most cats do this but for a very short time (say 1-2 seconds). Dwarf cats are known for it. But big black cats are not, unless you lost your right foreleg and are Charlie.
When I am in bed he does the same thing, stands up on his hind legs and talks to me face to face. This certainly gets my attention. What does he want?
The usual..food. In this instance it is breakfast. I had just got up and he started to perform so I thought that I had better get the camera and he kept on doing his tricks.
Eventually his insistence was such that I had to stop and feed him. Standing up like that for a good 20 seconds or more sometimes is an effective way to see and be seen. He can make a statement.
His name is Charlie and he has three legs which gave him his strong back which in turn allows him and encourages him to use it to position himself in the "meerkat position".
Most cats do this but for a very short time (say 1-2 seconds). Dwarf cats are known for it. But big black cats are not, unless you lost your right foreleg and are Charlie.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Mysterious Cat Behind A Curtain
This is an unusual photograph of a cat behind a semi-transparent curtain. It is a simple picture but it captures the mysteriousness of the cat. We don't know what is going on the head of a cat. We usually communicate on our terms. It would nice and very usual for cat owners if some science was introduced to the debate and we began to really understand what is in the mind of a cat.
That said if we get close to our cat and our cat's routines we begin to understand him or her. Being retired and working on the Pictures of cats org website I am with my cats all the time, which means a close bond is bound to be created at which point a pretty clear understanding about what goes on can be achieved.
Despite being behind a curtain you can still tell a lot about this cat. This cat is a tabby cat. Now that does not say much because tabby cats are pretty common. Some purebred cats are tabby cats. An example is the American shorthair. Another is the Abyssinian but this is a special kind of tabby coat where the is ticking rather than banding on the individual hair strands. You can see the banded hairs on this page about agouti ticked cat coats.
This cat has some partial "spectacles" - I am referring to the white fur around the eyes. Bengal cats have this as does the Asian Leopard cat. So is this a Bengal cat? Well I think not but at a pinch it could be.
However, Bengal cats are more lithe or foreign in appearance and this cat looks substantial and quite cobby, which is not the conformation demanded under the breed standard as far as I am aware.
OK, a mysterious cat behind a curtain and I have been trying to figure out what kind of cat it is. My guess: a good looking male, brown, mackerel tabby cat of good size who is well loved and quite active.
That said if we get close to our cat and our cat's routines we begin to understand him or her. Being retired and working on the Pictures of cats org website I am with my cats all the time, which means a close bond is bound to be created at which point a pretty clear understanding about what goes on can be achieved.
Despite being behind a curtain you can still tell a lot about this cat. This cat is a tabby cat. Now that does not say much because tabby cats are pretty common. Some purebred cats are tabby cats. An example is the American shorthair. Another is the Abyssinian but this is a special kind of tabby coat where the is ticking rather than banding on the individual hair strands. You can see the banded hairs on this page about agouti ticked cat coats.
This cat has some partial "spectacles" - I am referring to the white fur around the eyes. Bengal cats have this as does the Asian Leopard cat. So is this a Bengal cat? Well I think not but at a pinch it could be.
However, Bengal cats are more lithe or foreign in appearance and this cat looks substantial and quite cobby, which is not the conformation demanded under the breed standard as far as I am aware.
OK, a mysterious cat behind a curtain and I have been trying to figure out what kind of cat it is. My guess: a good looking male, brown, mackerel tabby cat of good size who is well loved and quite active.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Siamese Cat in a Sanctuary
This is a Siamese sanctuary cat, meaning a Siamese rescue cat. And how did that come about? There are a lot of questions surrounding this cat for me anyway. The sanctuary in question is in Brazil at Foz do Iguacu. That is where the magnificent waterfalls are.
The first question is, is this a purebred Siamese cat? I have no idea but he (I would say that this cat is a male - I am certain of that in fact) is good looking enough to be purebred. In fact he looks gorgeous but I am not saying that in reference to the breed standard as I am sure there are things that are wrong in a technical way.
The first noticeable point in respect of the breed standard is that this cat is a traditional Siamese cat or a classic Siamese cat. Now, the classic is half way between the traditional and the modern and the modern Siamese is the only type of Siamese that is accepted by the major cat associations. The modern Siamese, in case you were not sure, is very slender (called foreign type in the cat fancy) with a long delicate head and a refined body and overall appearance. Well, that is the intention, to create a refined looking cat. More refined than the more normal looking traditional Siamese.
So, technically this is not (by USA standards) a Siamese cat! Weird that as he definitely is to everyone who sees him. I think his pointing is great. It is seal (dark brown) pointing. This is the original classic pointing of the Siamese cat. The same type of pointing that was in existence in Siam originally (now Thailand). These days Siamese cats can have all kinds of pointing if the cat is registered other than with the CFA.
What about those eyes? Deep gorgeous blue. That is correct for the Siamese. But is there a hint of a squint? I think that there is and Siamese are known to be predisposed to a squint. In which case it is a no, no for the show ring. That said who cares. This is a beautiful cat, who is well cared for in a wonderful sanctuary in Brazil. That is all that matters. Why is he is a sanctuary though?
The photo is by the great Giane Portal, forfurasfelinas is her Flickr name.
The first question is, is this a purebred Siamese cat? I have no idea but he (I would say that this cat is a male - I am certain of that in fact) is good looking enough to be purebred. In fact he looks gorgeous but I am not saying that in reference to the breed standard as I am sure there are things that are wrong in a technical way.
The first noticeable point in respect of the breed standard is that this cat is a traditional Siamese cat or a classic Siamese cat. Now, the classic is half way between the traditional and the modern and the modern Siamese is the only type of Siamese that is accepted by the major cat associations. The modern Siamese, in case you were not sure, is very slender (called foreign type in the cat fancy) with a long delicate head and a refined body and overall appearance. Well, that is the intention, to create a refined looking cat. More refined than the more normal looking traditional Siamese.
So, technically this is not (by USA standards) a Siamese cat! Weird that as he definitely is to everyone who sees him. I think his pointing is great. It is seal (dark brown) pointing. This is the original classic pointing of the Siamese cat. The same type of pointing that was in existence in Siam originally (now Thailand). These days Siamese cats can have all kinds of pointing if the cat is registered other than with the CFA.
What about those eyes? Deep gorgeous blue. That is correct for the Siamese. But is there a hint of a squint? I think that there is and Siamese are known to be predisposed to a squint. In which case it is a no, no for the show ring. That said who cares. This is a beautiful cat, who is well cared for in a wonderful sanctuary in Brazil. That is all that matters. Why is he is a sanctuary though?
The photo is by the great Giane Portal, forfurasfelinas is her Flickr name.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Cat is missing a leg
Charlie, a 3 legged cat, likes to take the meerkat position
Originally uploaded by broadsurf
This came about because he has to use his lower back to lift his entire body to lift his remaining foreleg of the ground when he is walking or running. His style of walking and running in peculiar but pretty fast nonetheless.
The meerkat position gives him an edge. it gets him noticed and he notices things when he stands tall like this.
What cuts him out is that he does it so often and so naturally. Sometimes he will do it right in front of me so that we are almost face to face having a cosy conversation, which is always about food and where it is going to come from and when it is going to be delivered.
One of the keys to keeping a cat that is missing a leg is to keep him or her slim or at least not overweight as this aids mobility. That is if you want him or her to be mobile. Charlie is too bloody mobile. I am worried about him getting into trouble as I let him out. That is the norm in the UK. Only I am scared and the only solution for me is to move home!
I love Charlie. He is a great talker and he accepts his disability without complaint. I have no idea how he lost his leg. He lived with my mother until she died and she adopted him from a RSPCA shelter. He was her first non-purebred cat for many years.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Interpreting a Cat's Appearance
Yes, another fine picture of Sebastian this time, by the renown cat photographer, fofurasfelinas (Flickr - Giane Portal is her real name). This is one where I can see people who do not understand cats making derogatory or misleading comments.
Some people might say things like, "he's a mean son-of-a-bitch" (yes it would be an American teenager from mid-America I am afraid). That would be totally misreading Sebastian's expression.
That said there is a great opportunity to make up some funny cheeseburger type titles or comments for this cat as he is winking at the camera and talking out loud! Well, of course he is not doing that but you could pretend that he was.
"How ya doin darling.." is one such comment that comes to mind. It is the sort of thing a cockney bloke in the east end of London, England, says to a girl when he picks her up!
What probably happened was simply that Sebastian just happened to close one eye as he began to yawn or something like that.
I love those whiskers and he has great looking teeth - very healthy. Everything looks healthy about him and he is at a cat sanctuary at Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, which tells you how so very good this sanctuary is.
Sebastian is a red tabby cat. Sometimes red is described as yellow or orange. It means the same thing and the cause is the same - the presence of the O gene that turns eumelanin (black pigment in the hair strands) into a different colour. His eyes are a pale green making a nice counterpoint to the coat colour and the wall behind is a perfect off blue to contrast with the ginger coat. Nice photo Giane. Well done.
Some people might say things like, "he's a mean son-of-a-bitch" (yes it would be an American teenager from mid-America I am afraid). That would be totally misreading Sebastian's expression.
That said there is a great opportunity to make up some funny cheeseburger type titles or comments for this cat as he is winking at the camera and talking out loud! Well, of course he is not doing that but you could pretend that he was.
"How ya doin darling.." is one such comment that comes to mind. It is the sort of thing a cockney bloke in the east end of London, England, says to a girl when he picks her up!
What probably happened was simply that Sebastian just happened to close one eye as he began to yawn or something like that.
I love those whiskers and he has great looking teeth - very healthy. Everything looks healthy about him and he is at a cat sanctuary at Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, which tells you how so very good this sanctuary is.
Sebastian is a red tabby cat. Sometimes red is described as yellow or orange. It means the same thing and the cause is the same - the presence of the O gene that turns eumelanin (black pigment in the hair strands) into a different colour. His eyes are a pale green making a nice counterpoint to the coat colour and the wall behind is a perfect off blue to contrast with the ginger coat. Nice photo Giane. Well done.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Green eyed cat among the leaves
This is an exquisite photograph of a random bred (I presume) cat at a cat sanctuary in Brazil by the talented photographer, fofurasfelinas, here Flickr username. Here real name is Giane Portal.
I love the way the way the colour of the eyes match the colour of the leaves. And the way the cat is inquisitively looking at Giane as she takes the photograph.
This cat is a tabby cat. In fact on first glance this cat appears to be a special sort of tabby cat where there is little or no tabby pattern but a heavily ticked coat.
A ticked coat is one where the strands of hair are banded with yellow, black and clear fur. The black part of the fur appears to be at the top of the hair strands producing the dark colour down the spine.
The forehead has the classic "M" tabby mark. There are a lot of legends about how that mark was produced but they are just that legends and myths.
This cat looks quite like an Abyssinian cat in fact. I would doubt that there would be an Abyssinian cat in a cat sanctuary but it is possible.
The leaves look fresh green indicating that the photo was taken in Spring. But is this true? I have no idea.
This sanctuary is one that houses about 300 cats that have been rescued. The intention is not to rehome them but to look after them. Foz do Iguacu is right on the Argentinian border as far as I remember. And the place is named after a magnificent tourist attraction waterfall.
Nice place for a cat sanctuary.
I love the way the way the colour of the eyes match the colour of the leaves. And the way the cat is inquisitively looking at Giane as she takes the photograph.
This cat is a tabby cat. In fact on first glance this cat appears to be a special sort of tabby cat where there is little or no tabby pattern but a heavily ticked coat.
A ticked coat is one where the strands of hair are banded with yellow, black and clear fur. The black part of the fur appears to be at the top of the hair strands producing the dark colour down the spine.
The forehead has the classic "M" tabby mark. There are a lot of legends about how that mark was produced but they are just that legends and myths.
This cat looks quite like an Abyssinian cat in fact. I would doubt that there would be an Abyssinian cat in a cat sanctuary but it is possible.
The leaves look fresh green indicating that the photo was taken in Spring. But is this true? I have no idea.
This sanctuary is one that houses about 300 cats that have been rescued. The intention is not to rehome them but to look after them. Foz do Iguacu is right on the Argentinian border as far as I remember. And the place is named after a magnificent tourist attraction waterfall.
Nice place for a cat sanctuary.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Wild Cat in a Domestic Cat
In this photo by the talented fofurafelinas (Giane Portal) you can see the wild cat in a domestic cat. Toji, the tabby cat that is the subject matter of the photograph, actually looks quite wild in this photo. He looks like a European wild cat or a Scottish wild cat (a species of European wild cat). I think he has that wild look that breeders of wildcat cat hybrids love so much. The Bengal cat is a wild cat hybrid so it is considered good breeding if the cat is to type and looks wild. Toji is not a Bengal cat though. He is a random bred cat.
After all the purpose of the wildcat hybrids is to allow people to keep a little bit of the wild in their homes and to remind themselves of the small wild cats that are endangered. It doesn't work like that though, in my opinion.
Of course, in this photograph Giane has used the background nicely to give us the sense of being in the wild. The background is "soft" (out of focus) by the use of a wide aperture and or a long focal length lens (or longer than standard).
This allows us to focus on the cat. I like Toji's brown nose too. I always think this makes a cat look more wild because the F1 Savannahs have brown or dark brown noses and they always look wild. I am not sure whether breeders think that way though.
When I look a Toji, I think of the Scottish wildcat, which is a mackerel tabby cat that similar in proportions to a classic domestic cat but perhaps a bit more stocky and a bit bigger.
After all the purpose of the wildcat hybrids is to allow people to keep a little bit of the wild in their homes and to remind themselves of the small wild cats that are endangered. It doesn't work like that though, in my opinion.
Of course, in this photograph Giane has used the background nicely to give us the sense of being in the wild. The background is "soft" (out of focus) by the use of a wide aperture and or a long focal length lens (or longer than standard).
This allows us to focus on the cat. I like Toji's brown nose too. I always think this makes a cat look more wild because the F1 Savannahs have brown or dark brown noses and they always look wild. I am not sure whether breeders think that way though.
When I look a Toji, I think of the Scottish wildcat, which is a mackerel tabby cat that similar in proportions to a classic domestic cat but perhaps a bit more stocky and a bit bigger.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tabby Theatre Cat
This photograph looks as though it is of a tabby theatre cat but it is not. It's Giane Portal being very clever in her photography. The cat though is a beautiful mackerel tabby cat looking confidently into the camera. The depth of focus is very narrow which throws the background out of focus producing the very simple geometric shapes and the impression that Chihiro (the name of this adorable cat) is behind a curtain about to come on stage.
When I think of theatre cats I think of the Moscow Cat Theatre. This is a well known show in which cats do acrobatic stunts. But, and I will be honest, I don't like it. It looks a bit cheap and Russian, a bit tacky. Plus the cats look as though they are having a hard time of it.
I understand that they are well treated etc. but I don't think we should train cats to perform tricks for an audience. Maybe I am being old fashioned and a prude, I don't know.
Another theatre cat was a cat called Gus. Is he the name of a cat in the show "Cats"? Not sure but in any event that does not qualify as we are talking about cats not humans pretending to be cats.
No I may be getting confused. I am thinking of the poem by TS Eliot called Gus The Theatre Cat.
Whatever, cats used to be not uncommon in theatres as working cats to help keep the rodents down. You can see rodents including rats being very possible and troublesome in large old theatre buildings.
Chihiro is a rescue cat as far as I am aware. He has a perfect face and body shape I feel for a domestic cat - absolutely classic in appearance.
When I think of theatre cats I think of the Moscow Cat Theatre. This is a well known show in which cats do acrobatic stunts. But, and I will be honest, I don't like it. It looks a bit cheap and Russian, a bit tacky. Plus the cats look as though they are having a hard time of it.
I understand that they are well treated etc. but I don't think we should train cats to perform tricks for an audience. Maybe I am being old fashioned and a prude, I don't know.
Another theatre cat was a cat called Gus. Is he the name of a cat in the show "Cats"? Not sure but in any event that does not qualify as we are talking about cats not humans pretending to be cats.
No I may be getting confused. I am thinking of the poem by TS Eliot called Gus The Theatre Cat.
Whatever, cats used to be not uncommon in theatres as working cats to help keep the rodents down. You can see rodents including rats being very possible and troublesome in large old theatre buildings.
Chihiro is a rescue cat as far as I am aware. He has a perfect face and body shape I feel for a domestic cat - absolutely classic in appearance.
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About Me
- Michael Broad
- I am retired and work on my website. I need to be active both in mind and body to be healthy. And I want to help cats throughout the world. See more here, Michael.
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