As cat fanciers understand, these small creatures have learned the advantage on a cold day of a car hood still warm from a recent drive. I found my neighbor's cat Jake perched on the hood of a car as I was unloading groceries. The light was too good to pass up, so I grabbed the D700 from my trunk with the 200 f/4 AI-s attached and took a few photos. Just as I began the owner of the car and her daughter arrived on the scene to load up their car and leave. So I only had a couple of minutes and Jake was more interested in what they were doing that me. I did get his attention by making those strange sounds cat fanciers learn. I finally got the look I was waiting for...
This is a terrific shot, Curtis. It's so sharp and the blue reflection of the sky in the hood is so nice. I love that furry little foot.
Say hello to Jake, and where is Tommy lately?
passthegravy wrote:
That is one pissed-off looking cat. Very pretty, but angry looking. Excellent capture, btw.
The cat appears to be hunting and when they do that their attention is riveted on their prey.
Here is a photo of one of my neighbor's cats who loves to perch on this fence to watch for birds... one of its favorite targets for hunting. The other is rats... which often arrive on my doorstep. He likes me, as happened in this instance. I shot this through my window, making just enough noise that he turned around to see me. Fortunately, there were no birds arriving at that moment, or I wouldn't have stood a chance.
This is shot through the window with the 85 f/2 AI-s wide open.
And here is Tommy's housemate... Jake has not historically been as friendly a cat as Tommy, though that is beginning to change as I've given him more attention. Can you imagine? Cats actually respond when they are given attention?
I went out for a short while this afternoon when I noted the sun had broken through the overcast that covered our area for the whole morning. Jake came over for a few rubs and I grabbed this, not at all certain it would be in focus since I'm shooting MF. This was taken with the 50 f/1.8 AI-s.
CGrindahl wrote:
Gorgeous... looks like an ocelot!
Thanks, he's part asian leopard cat (Bengal is Asian Leopard Cat X domestic) so he's kind of related to Ocelots. At one point they tried to used Margays to make Bengals ... Margays are closer related to Ocelots and are idigenous to South and Central America. They are fun cats...
So the other day heard this interview with a guy on CBC that was talking about how many migratory birds are killed by house cats in North America every year. It was staggering numbering in the multibal millions on birds.
And got me thinking about this thread.
And I was of two minds in mentioning this in this thread.
One one hand , people come here for fun and no one likes to be made to feel bad for letting there Cat hunt outside. On the other hand I know that Nikon photographers are incredible intelligent and might want to know the truth about what there Kitty is up to when there not posing for us.
As much as I love seeing/photographing Kittys out side, I really feel that for long term survival of many of these birds many which are on the endagered list.( which are excellent photo subjects in ther own right) Keeping are Kittys inside is for the best. And if you do let them enjoy the outdoor keep an eye on them to keep the birds safe.
This is Nikon. He is an F2B Savannah Cat. A Savannah cat is a hybrid cross between an African Serval, and in his case, another Savannah cat.
He is only one month old in these pictures, and well over 1 1/2 lbs.
Full grown, he should be over 20lbs;
What you see as stripes, will eventually break up into spots.
Now the bit about the camera; Taken with a Nikon D70 in RAW, using the cheap 18-55 non-VR kit lens, shot at F3.5, flash used, processed in NX2...bla, bla, bla.
Funny thing is; I sold all my Nikon equipment to do HD video, so I had to use the breeders camera, which just happened to be a Nikon D70.
CGrindahl wrote:
Jake has not historically been as friendly a cat as Tommy, though that is beginning to change as I've given him more attention. Can you imagine? Cats actually respond when they are given attention?
As always, it is our own attitude that can make the change...
Lovely shot, very sharp and great light is his eye.
CGrindahl wrote:
Haha, be careful with insulting my cat, Curtis
He can be very sweet too, and his housemate Femmus can also be a terror, but sweet as well.
I guess they are just like human beings in that respect, quarreling simply happens from time to time.
i'll jump on board
my 15 year old baby...she's not much for playing with other cats but, living out in the country she plays with everything else, skunks, deer, foxes
a buddy and i were outside standing in my driveway when a fox showed up and was hanging with us, my cat came walking around the corner and came and laid at our feet, the fox was all curious about the cat and would slowly walk up to her sniffing her out, she would let the fox get within a foot then chase it off down the driveway, 20 feet later the chase was over and they would both turn around and come back to our feet and it wold start all over again, went on for about an hour
another time i walked outside my back door to see her come around the corner of my garage, followed right behind her by a skunk, i yelled at her to get over here, her and the skunk stopped in their tracks, looked at me then turned around and disappeared behind the corner of the garage again, this time my cat following the skunk
. Me wants , me wants. 
