You can’t beat the mission behind Carli Davidson’s new book, ‘Shake Cats‘: Give cats an ear cleaning and get them adopted. Davidson, a 34-year-old photographer from Portland, Oregon, has focused her work on taking incredible photos of cats in the many strange poses they strike while shaking their heads.
A good ear cleaning prompts the head shaking, so Davidson can capture it on film. Davidson uses a special veterinary-formulated ear cleanser. A few drops into the ear, a gentle massage, and the action starts. Davidson stands back and is ready to capture the great poses using her Nikon D-4 camera.
Two veterinary technicians assist Davidson in her studio. Explains Davidson, “We play with the cats for half an hour and then put them in front of the modeling lights. That makes them sleepy because it’s very warm there. We then give them mini-grooming sessions where we cut their nails and clean their ears.” Davidson estimates that approximately 70 percent of the cats she photographs are in need of ear cleanings.
But there’s a greater good that comes from Davidson’s work: cat adoptions. Many of the cats that Davidson photographed were in need of homes, and her photography helped to find them homes more quickly. “Close to half the cats in the book were in rescue at the time of the shoot,” Davidson explains. “They were getting adopted more quickly because of the glamour shots.”
‘Shake Cats’ is available from Harper Collins. It is Davidson’s third pet photography book. Her other books are ‘Shake‘ and ‘Lick Cats‘.
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