A Tale of Two Cats

[botspur]

We found this large male lion early in the morning, this was the only time he looked at us before lying down again. We drove around all day to return about eight hours later to find that he had moved ten metres into the shade and was sleeping again, this time he didn't even look at us.

We spotted this very elusive African Wild Cat sleeping in the fork of a tree, as we stopped it woke up, looked at us (click) and climbed out of the tree and disappeared into the grass - gone in 10 seconds.

[ucci]

Two very good captures. Can't pick between them. Like them both very much. Hang, the more i go back and look at them, the more I swing towards #2. To me there seems to be an establishing of contact between the cat and the viewer. The K of the B's looks as if it is beneath his dignity to acknowledge an insignificant camera person....maybe if he were hungry?...

[botspur]

Hi Ken, thank you for the feedback and time taken to comment.

[gregj1763]

The eye contact in the second photo wins it for me Clive.
How does the wild cat compare size wise to a domestic cat ?

[botspur]

Hi Greg, thanks for the comment.
The Wild Cat is very similar in size to the domestic cat and will interbreed if given the opportunity.

[terrib]

Clive, I'm so glad that you share your wonderful photos with us. Some day I would love to go there and see some of these animals for myself. I think, though, I would be too much in awe and have too much adrenaline to actually get a good photo.

Both of these are beautiful. The second appeals to me more only because of the additional color and contrast. And what a beautiful cat! I thought you were kidding about the cat being wild, until I saw your response to Greg, because it looks so much like a domestic cat.

[Donald]

I think both these images are wonderful. That of the lion beautifully conveys the sense of a creature that 'knows' it is top of the chain around there parts, 'and don't mess with me'. One question - Would it benefit from being rotated so that the edge of that dipped area behind it (roadway? dried river bed?) was horizontal rather than sloping, or would that put the lion at totally the wrong angle?

[Aforns]

Excellent images Clive, like the strong eye contact and composition. Could only imagine the lion with soft light !!

[davidedric]

Nice picture of the lion, but great picture of the wild cat. Both for the image, and also because I'll bet you drive miles and miles (of bloody Africa) before you get that chance again.

[botspur]

Hi Terri, thank you very much for the reply, save your pennies and make a trip, at times Africa can be frustrating but ultimately very rewarding for any photographer.

Hi Donald, many thanks for the comments. The dry patch is a bit of bare ground that sloped down towards a shallow depression, I think straightening it would put the cat at a funny angle.

Hi Alfred, thank you. When we returned later in the afternoon the light was much more favourable but he just didn't move, any renditions of "What's new pussycat" and scores from the "Lion King" were totally ignored.

Hi David, thank you. The Wild Cat has proved very elusive for me and in the past only catching frustrating glimpses as it moved away from the vehicle. This opportunity was so unexpected I couldn't beleive my luck; make hay while the sunshines.