Cat owners, like most pet owners, love to take photos of their cats. Unfortunately, most animal photography poses some challenges as the animals don't understand our detailed instructions on how to pose and cooperate. Cats, more so than dogs, intuitively know when you are preparing to photograph them and will disappear under furniture or to other obscure places. To get the best cat photos you'll need to outsmart your feline. Here are a few simple tips and tricks to help you do that and get a great photo of your much loved pet.

Every cat is different, so the most important thing to do before attempting to get a photo of your cat is to bring to mind what is unique about your cat and how best to photograph him. Is your cat tempted by treats? If so bribing him with a treat may get you the results you want. Do you have a playful cat or a lazy cat? A playful cat can be bribed with a game, but a lazy cat can be more of a challenge. Perhaps you have learned in the past that the only way to get a great photo of your kitty is to surprise him.

Once you have put a plan in place on how best to photograph your cat make sure your equipment is ready. If you plan to take a lot of photos your batteries should be fully charged and you should have plenty of room on your memory card. If you have a specific area where you plan to shoot your photos, get your tripod set up in advance of your shoot. If you have a telephotos lens to attach to your SLR camera have this handy or attach it in advance of your shoot. Zooming in on your kitty will give you more natural shots if he is camera shy. Making sure all your equipment is prepped and ready will enable you to concentrate fully on your photos during the moment.

Try to shoot your photos with natural light if you can or use a fast shutter speed. The use of a flash will startle most animals and result in creepy looking eyes that will need to be fixed in post-production. Set up your photo shoot area, if you are lucky enough to have a cooperative subject, in front of a window or in a very bright room. This should provide you with all the natural light you will need. Simple, uncluttered backgrounds will also shift the focus to your pet. Try to follow the rule of thirds and take shots with your subject slightly off center. If there is a particular thing you love about your pet, like his soft paws or striped tail, take some photos of that. Get down on your cat's level, if you can, to get the most natural shots. Remember if you made room on your memory card you can take as many shots as you like with