Pictures of Cats Really Close Up, a Cat Close-up Photo Gallery

If entertainment is your goal, then turn off the TV, put down the GameBoy® and find your cat. The hunter inside your ordinary house cat can be triggered by the flick of a string or the rustle of a feather, causing feline acrobatics at there best can ensue. But, if you have never taken a close look at your cat, I mean a really close look, then you may just enjoy this collection of feline close up photographs. A close look at taste buds, eyes, fangs and faces brings with them amazing awareness and a sense of wonder.

Each close up shot of Cats has been captured using a Fuji Pro Grade Digital Camera, and a Nikkor Macro lens; or a Nikkor 28mm to 105mm zoom lens. In some cases the images have been cropped closer to define the subject by using editing software.

I would never venture to call "Shanks" a mutant to her face, however when she is not in the room this is an applicable term. A Polydactyl Cat (also called hyperdactyly) is one that has extra toes on one or more of its paws. Found in the South West England and Wales, but most commonly found on the East Coast of the United States and as far North as Canada, the Polydactyl is a true mutation. A normal cat that has no mutation has 18 toes; five toes on each front paw and four toes on its rear paws. Our rescue cat, Shanks, is one of these cute and loving Extra Toed Cat creatures, having extra toes on each of her front feet.

These delightfully personable Polydactyl cats offer some outstanding hunting and climbing skills, far better than the usual agility of most house cats. In playing with Shanks, it is very apparent that her grabbing skills and capture swipes are extremely timely and accurate. With those big "Boxing Glove" Cat paws, it would seem she never misses her prey. She has the personality of a gentle, friendly, and loving tabby, but the wits and stealth of a tiger. She is wonderful to cuddle with and a joy to watch during playtime.

You will find here a few images of her unusual cat mutation up close personal.

Only a person who has never seen a cat tongue close up before would ask, "Why is a Cat Tongue so special?" When a cat graciously offers to clean or lick our skin, it is like having a rough textured piece of sandpaper pulled across the skin. Some people find it a pleasant enough gesture, while others find it truly an unwanted offering. If you could see a cats tongue really up close, you might fall into the latter category without a second thought!

It may surprise you to learn that humans have 9000 taste buds, and dogs have around 1700, while cats only have 479 on their tiny tongues. A cat is a strict carnivore, therefore these taste buds are designed to dial in on the meatier side of life, as they need amino acids only found in meat (Taurine in particular) to survive. A close look reveals that a Cats Tongue has these rows of spike-like features across the surface of the tongue, we call taste buds. But, up close, they are nothing like any taste bud I have ever viewed! When I say "spike-like" I mean curved hooks that taper from a broad base to a fine sharp appearing point, not unlike the claws you find on their paws. Personally, I found it a fascinating visual discovery, and I hope you do as well.

In this series of shots I try to get you as close as my cats would allow. The images can be a bit intense if you have not seen Pictures of a Cat Tongue this Close before.

I am thoroughly overjoyed when my cats locks eyes with me, only to share a gentle double-eyed slow motion blink. This is a wonderful friendly facial gesture a cat rarely gives that says, "I really love you." This facial expression is generally followed by a soft and short trilling feline vocalization. For me anyway, the facial expressions a cat makes can reveal all she has on her mind; the hunt, the prey, and even the calm moments of serenity she finds in the warm glow of a stream of light.

This series of Cat Pictures shares the faces of the cats I adore. Fuzzy, intense, mesmerizing, and just plain cute. For a dog lover like me, these cat faces bring a very wide K9 smile!

No matter the size of a cat, they are avid hunters and are in constant search of prey, whether hungry or simply board. Cats are among the few creatures on earth that hunt for the simple pleasure of the chase and then the kill; humans also fall into this category. Big Cats have the power of Mother Nature built into their huge muscles, claws, and sharp destructive fangs. They are the most perfect killing machine found on soil. Look into a Big Cats eyes and you can feel the danger they present. At times, their captivity can expand their primal nature to such a degree that the captivity itself turns a hunter into a heart-hardened beast. These beautiful creations are designed for the wild, and no enclosure can serve their predatory desires.

With the series of BIG CAT PICTURES below, I show you the faces of powerful cat machines up close and personal as found in these few Captive Big Cats.