Cat Walk: Entry for Shadow Contest #287

It was one of those photographic moments when you see what's coming just in time and manage to get the image without messing up the focus or leaving the lens cap on. A brief moment either side and it wouldn't have been the complete shadow. With no room for fumbling it pays to know your camera well. But still, there's always an element of faith in taking such shots and I was very pleased to get the shadow from tip-of-its-ear to tip-of-its-tail. Purrrfect!

If it had been a pet I could always have lifted it back to where it had started and tried again but this was a stray cat hanging around a temple in Bangkok and I had no intention of trying to handle it. These cats have mixed histories with some being abandoned pets but others are true feral animals with even more independent attitudes than the average feline. They also receive little, if any, healthcare so trying to be touch-friendly is a risk I'm not willing to take.

They are less obvious than the street dogs but there could be just as many stray cats around the city. Like the dogs, many of them live in temples where they know they will get a little food but still their life looks tough. This young one at least seemed healthy and was keen to investigate my shoes.