1. Set up before the cat arrives

Cats lose patience quickly, so prepare the space first. Pick a spot they already like: a sunny windowsill, a favourite chair, a sofa arm.

• Clear the background. A plain wall, blanket or curtain keeps attention on the cat.

• Charge your phone or camera and clean the lens. Smudges cause a soft, hazy look.

• Keep treats, a feather toy and a crinkly wrapper within reach. These are your focusing tools.

• Choose a calm time. After a meal or a play session, cats are relaxed and often settle into the loaf or sphinx pose.

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2. Light is the most important thing

Good light shows form. Flat or harsh light hides it, and you need to see where the fur turns away from the light to paint volume convincingly.

• Use soft daylight

• Place the cat near a window, not in direct sun. Bright overcast days are ideal. The light wraps around the body and gives gentle shadows under the chin, along the ribs and beneath the ears.

• Light from the side

• Side or three-quarter light (about 45 degrees from the front) gives the clearest sense of form and makes fur texture readable. Front light from a flash flattens everything and turns eyes into green or red discs.

• Skip the flash

• If it is dim, move closer to the window or turn on a lamp rather than using flash. Flash may startle the cat and distorts colour.

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3. Get down to their level

Photos shot from above can make a cat look small and stubby, with a foreshortened body and a big head. Crouch or lie on the floor so your lens is at the cat's eye height.

• Eye level feels intimate and is best for portraits.

• Slightly below makes the cat look regal and strong.

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4. Getting the cat to cooperate

• Let them come to you. Sit still and shoot while they explore, rather than chasing them.

• Get attention without moving their head around. Hold a treat or toy just beside and slightly above your lens so the eyes look toward the camera.

• Use a sound for the ears. A soft click or rustle makes ears swing forward and alert, which gives a livelier face.

• Shoot in short bursts. Ten calm minutes beat an hour of a fed-up cat. Reward them and stop while they still enjoy it.

• Use burst mode during movement (stretching, yawning, pouncing) and pick the best frame afterwards.

5. Shots to take

Take many more than you think you need, you can't take too many.

• Three-quarter portrait-The most natural composition for a head-and-shoulders painting.

• Straight-on face-Symmetry, nose and muzzle shape, facial markings.

• Natural candids-Personality: a stretch, a stare, a sleepy blink.

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6. Capture the eyes properly

In a cat portrait, the eyes carry the whole painting. Make sure at least one shot has both eyes sharp.

• Focus on the nearest eye. Tap it on your screen. Keep the whole face in the same plane if you want both eyes in focus.

• Look for a catchlight, the small bright reflection of the window. It brings the eye to life and tells you where the light source is.

• Note the pupil. In bright light it narrows to a slit and shows more colour. In dim light it is round and dark. Decide which mood you want.

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7. Camera settings

You do not need fancy gear. Most phones can do everything here.

• Turn on burst or live mode to catch fleeting expressions.

• Tap to focus on the eyes, then lower exposure slightly if the fur is pale, so highlights are not blown out.

• Shoot at full resolution and avoid filters or heavy beauty processing, which smooth out the fur.

• On a camera, use a fast shutter (1/250s or quicker for moving cats), a moderate aperture around f/2.8 to f/5.6 to keep the face sharp, and raise ISO rather than accept blur.

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