Cat Town: How did you pick your first cat? How did you know they were the right one for you?
Kareem: He chose me. I went to a shelter in Florida thinking I was going to pick out a female cat, sat down on the floor, crossed my legs, and this orange cat just walked up to me. He meowed, jumped in my lap, and just looked at me. I adopted him and named him Cloud.
When I first got him home, I worried that it wouldn’t work out. I wasn’t used to having a cat, so I actually took him back to the shelter. Looking back, he was just acting like a cat. Then I started dreaming about him. So I went back and brought him back. From that point on, he was the best cat I ever had. Everyone who met him loved him too.
Cat Town: What made Cloud so special as your first ever cat?
Kareem: He always wanted my attention, but Cloud would put on this show for people that he didn’t know, and make his eyes look big and pitiful so people would give him treats. And then as soon as he got the treat, he would run off! But once he got to know you, he would let you touch him and play with him. Cats get a bad rep for being aloof, like they don’t get attached to people. Cloud taught me that’s not true. He had this green plush toy, and every so often he would just bring it to me. No matter where I was — on the couch, in bed, anywhere — he’d bring it to me. I later learned that’s one way cats show affection.
I actually got him a playmate a few years later named Yuna. A Maryland shelter was giving her away. Nobody wanted to adopt her. The shelter was waiving fees. That really shaped how I think about older cats, because everybody wants kittens, but they don’t realize all kittens grow up to become cats. Cloud and Yuna bonded deeply. They groomed each other, ate together, slept together. If one couldn’t find the other, they would cry and call out.
Watch a mother cat with her litter long enough, and you’ll notice something remarkable: she’s not just feeding them. She’s running a survival school. Every interaction teaches her kittens something they’ll need when she eventually leaves, whether that’s in a few weeks or several months.
For house cats, this departure timeline is mostly academic. But for feral and stray kittens? Understanding when and how mother cats leave can mean the difference between a kitten who survives and one who doesn’t.
The Early Weeks
Image credit: Alberto CB, Shutterstock
Cat gestation lasts about 63 days. The first 2 to 4 weeks after birth are entirely about milk. Kittens are blind, deaf, and completely dependent. Their mother rarely leaves during this period.
Around 4 weeks, something shifts. Kittens start sampling solid food. Between 6 and 8 weeks, they become noticeably more active, jumping, running, and developing coordination. Weaning typically happens now. They’re still with mom, but they’re eating on their own.
By 12 weeks, kittens are on the edge of independence. They can survive without their mother’s milk. But survival and thriving are different things, and mother cats know this.
What “Independence” Actually Means
At 12 weeks old, a kitten can physically survive without constant maternal care. The mother cat may start leaving for longer periods, sometimes hours at a time. But she’s not abandoning them. She’s teaching them the final, crucial skills.
In the wild, feral cats often live in matrilineal colonies. Female cats and their offspring coexist as long as food sources can support the group. The “independence” timeline isn’t about the mother kicking kittens out at a specific age. It’s about kittens gradually acquiring the skills they need to survive on their own if they must.
The Skills That Keep Them Alive
A kitten needs specific abilities to survive in the wild, and acquiring them takes months of practice.
Mother cats bring live prey starting around 4 weeks. First, kittens just watch. Then they practice pouncing. Eventually, they learn to hunt on their own. They also learn predator avoidance, knowing when to hide, when to run, and when to stay absolutely still. This isn’t instinct. It’s learned.
Other critical skills include competing for territory and resources, grooming themselves properly, finding shelter, and understanding cat communication through body language and vocalizations.
Without these skills, mortality rates skyrocket. Feral and stray kittens face dramatically higher death rates than house cats, particularly before 6 months. Traffic, predators, disease, starvation. The dangers are real and constant.
Image Credit: OlegD, Shutterstock
The Adoption Timeline vs. The Wild Timeline
For house cats, the adoption timeline is straightforward: 8 weeks minimum, though 10 to 12 weeks is better. This extra time lets kittens gain confidence, learn litter box habits, and develop better socialization skills before the stress of moving to a new home.
A 12-week-old kitten ready for adoption should be confident, playful, comfortable with people, and show independent behaviors like hunting practice and exploration.
But here’s where feral kittens diverge: after 8 weeks, if they haven’t been socialized with people during the critical 2 to 7-week window, they become increasingly fearful of humans. They learn to view people as threats.
This creates a cruel timing problem. Feral kittens need to stay with their mothers longer to learn survival skills, but if you want to rescue and socialize them, you need to intervene earlier. There’s no perfect answer, which is why contacting animal rescue organizations is crucial if you find feral kittens.
If You Find a Mother Cat with Kittens
Leave them alone unless they’re in immediate danger, need medical attention, or the mother has genuinely abandoned them. “The mother hasn’t been back in a few hours” doesn’t mean abandonment. She may be hunting or moving kittens one at a time.
If you’re concerned about the kittens becoming too wild to catch before receiving care, contact your local animal rescue for guidance.
Image credit: Thomas Nord, Shutterstock
Caring for Kittens: The Essentials
Whether you’re raising house kittens or fostering rescued ones, key priorities include:
Provide warm, safe sleeping areas with fresh water and nutritious food daily. Offer toys, scratching posts, and cat trees for stimulation. Socialize kittens early with people and other animals in controlled settings. Maintain regular vet care, including vaccinations, flea treatments, and deworming (kittens almost always have intestinal parasites from their mothers).
Don’t separate kittens from their mother before 8 to 12 weeks. Spay or neuter around 5 to 6 months based on vet advice. Allow supervised exploration and monitor for any signs of illness.
Final Thoughts
Mother cats don’t abandon their kittens at a predetermined age. They gradually teach independence while remaining nearby, stepping back only as their kittens demonstrate competence. For feral cats, this process can take months as kittens perfect the complex skills needed for survival.
The 12-week mark isn’t a finish line. It’s the beginning of a transition period that, in the wild, continues until kittens are fully self-sufficient. For domestic kittens, it’s the minimum age when adoption becomes viable, though waiting a bit longer gives them an even better start.
If you’re adopting, rescuing, or caring for kittens, respect this timeline. Those extra weeks with mom aren’t just nice to have. They’re foundational to who that kitten becomes.
Feature Image Credit: Franz W., Pixabay
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The snow has now just about gone from our fields, and so has the 4 hourly waitress service, much to the horror of everyone when we threw them back out into their fields this morning.
We put the oldies’ rugs back on and led them down to their field that hasn’t been grazed for two years. They seemed pleased to be back. Freedom and food.
And yet, when they saw us putting the ducks to bed tonight, they came rushing over and assumed we would arrive with buckets of lovely food. It didn’t happen. Sorry, guys.
We put the Shetland ponies back in their old field, which started life as their winter track and they now have access to the whole place.
After a cursory glance at the grass, they spent their day in their containers grumbling, coming out only to ask for a spot of tea.
Daisy and I thought briefly about giving them some haynets and then decided no, it would set a preference, they are fat, they had a loads of hay yesterday and they can go and look for grazing in their field. So, again, no.
For now, we stand firm on this decision and it’s not easy (though I would’ve secretly given them hay if I was on my own).
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$15,000 Reward Offered For Information On Bald Eagle Killing In Louisiana – World Animal News
Photo credit: Robin Silver
The Center for Biological Diversity has increased the reward to $15,000 for information leading to a conviction for the illegal killing of a bald eagle in southern Louisiana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered a $6,000 reward and the Center is boosting the amount by $9,000.
“This cowardly killing of our national bird is unlawful, unacceptable, and utterly un-American,” said Lindsay Reeves, a Louisiana-based senior attorney at the Center. “People in our state are sickened by this senseless tragedy, and I hope someone steps forward with information.”
Agents with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were notified about an injured bald eagle in Vermilion Parish near Erath on Dec. 5, 2025. The eagle was found at the intersection of Robert Road and Wilmer Road in a rural area near Lake Peigneur.
Agency personnel located the injured bird and brought it in for examination. Sadly, it was determined that the eagle had suffered a fatal gunshot wound and succumbed to its injuries shortly thereafter.
Bald eagles have made a remarkable comeback in Louisiana. In 1970, only five breeding pairs were observed. Today, more than 350 pairs of bald eagles reside year-round in Louisiana, especially along rivers, coasts, and lakes. However, they remain a state species of greatest conservation need. Threats include habitat loss from saltwater intrusion, fishing line entanglement, and poisoning from ingesting lead ammunition.
Louisiana is a vital winter nesting home for bald eagles, with around 2,900 pairs arriving in September and staying until spring. The state is second only to Florida in total bald eagle nests. Most nesting occurs in coastal parishes like Vermilion, where this bald eagle killing took place.
Anyone with information regarding the illegal killing of this bald eagle should call the Louisiana operation Game Thief hotline at 1(800) 442-2511 or text 847411. The hotline and the tip411 program are monitored 24 hours a day. Upon request, the person supplying the information can remain anonymous.
54 shelter dogs have safely landed in New Jersey and are ready to find love. They are looking for a forever valentine that will love them unconditionally.
In return, the lucky person will get the most loyal pal while experiencing a love like they have never known.
Photo: Greater Good Charities
On February 4, dogs of all ages and sizes boarded this month’s Flight to Freedom, including several heartworm positive dogs. They left overcrowded shelters with hope of finding their special someone in New Jersey.
Photo: Greater Good Charities
Staff and volunteers from the receiving shelters gave the dogs a warm welcome as they transported them back to the shelter.
We know Gingerbread Man, Magnolia, and Ringo will soon steal someone’s heart and find a loving home. For now, they are settling in at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.
Photo: Greater Good Charities
These life-saving flights are possible thanks to your continued support. Help us save more lives by donating towards next month’s flight.
Photo: Greater Good Charities
Just $10 helps fly a shelter pet 250 miles towards safety. Check out more photos from the flight below.
Andrea Powell
Andrea Powell is an animal enthusiast who resides in West Michigan. When not writing, she is exploring the great outdoors with her dogs and horses.
The rule of thirds is one of the most well-known and widely used compositional techniques in photography. But when applied with intention, it becomes more than a guideline; it becomes a tool for purposeful storytelling and emotional impact.
Let’s explore how you can use the rule of thirds in photography to frame with purpose and elevate your shots from good to unforgettable.
What Is the Rule of Thirds in Photography?
The rule of thirds in photography is a simple compositional technique that divides your frame into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines. The idea is to place your subject or key elements along these lines or at their intersections.
Why does this matter? Because our eyes naturally gravitate toward these points, creating balance and tension that feels both natural and dynamic.
Why Framing with Purpose Matters
Pro Tip: Use the rule of thirds to guide the viewer’s eye, not just to follow a rule
When you frame with purpose, you’re making conscious decisions about:
What the focal point is
How you want the viewer to feel
Where you want their attention to go
The rule of thirds in photography helps you compose scenes that are visually engaging while reinforcing the story you’re telling.
Applying the Rule of Thirds in Different Photography Styles
Here are ways you can apply the rule of thirds across genres:
1. Portraits
Instead of centering your subject, try placing their eyes along the top third line or aligning their face at an intersection point. This adds balance while allowing room for context or leading lines.
2. Landscapes
Place the horizon along the top or bottom third, depending on what you want to emphasize; sky or land. This instantly creates more depth and interest.
3. Street or Candid Photography
Use intersections to align people within busy scenes, letting the rest of the image support their story.
When to Break the Rule
Yes, you can break the rule of thirds. But when you do, do it with intention.
For example:
Centering your subject can create symmetry and power.
Off-balance framing might evoke tension or unease.
Pro Tip: Master the rule of thirds in photography first, then learn when it’s worth breaking
Knowing when to follow and when to bend the rule gives you more creative control and visual impact.
Practice Makes Purposeful
To start using the rule of thirds in photography with greater impact:
Turn on your camera’s grid overlay
Experiment with different focal points and placements
Review your favorite photos and notice how they’re composed
Crop intentionally during editing to reinforce visual flow
Framing isn’t just about what’s in the photo, it’s about why you’re placing it there.
Conclusion: Frame to Tell, Not Just to Show
The rule of thirds in photography is more than a formula, it’s a doorway into thoughtful, expressive composition. When you use it to frame with purpose, you invite your audience to see and feel what you saw in that moment.
So next time you raise your camera, pause. Ask yourself: Where does the story live in this frame?
Then place it with purpose.
Extended reading: 14 photography composition tips that aren’t the rule of thirds
Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon has won the grand prize at Close-up Photographer of the Year 7. His Fractal Forest is an extraordinary underwater image he took inside a cauliflower soft coral in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. The image earned Gudgeon the top award and a £2,500 prize, and it’s genuinely unlike anything else in this year’s competition.
A Perspective You’ve Never Seen Before
Fractal Forest was photographed from inside a soft coral, revealing a world that most of us will never witness. Ross Gudgeon explains more about the winning photo:
“Named for its cauliflower-like form, this soft coral is made up of countless small, rounded polyps that give it a puffy texture. I wanted to explore a perspective that isn’t possible with conventional lenses, and an underwater probe lens allowed me to do that. By carefully threading the lens through the coral’s branches without disturbing them, I was able to photograph the subject from the inside looking-out, offering a different view of a common marine organism.”
The result is a photo that feels almost abstract at first glance, yet is entirely real. And the jurz was so smitten that it also won the Underwater category, not just the overall prize. Oh, and in case it looks familiar, it’s the same photo that won the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Go, Ross!
More About Close-up Photographer of the Year 7
The seventh edition of the competition attracted over 12,000 entries from 63 countries. A jury of 22 expert photographers, naturalists, and editors spent more than 20 hours on Zoom calls to select the winners and the Top 100 images.
This year’s winning images span 11 categories: Animals, Insects, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Arachnids, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art, and Young Close-up Photographer of the Year (for entrants aged 17 or under).
Speaking about the overall standard, CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder said:
“This was the toughest competition yet. The winning image embodies everything close-up photography can achieve – it shows us a perspective we’ve never seen before and reveals hidden beauty in a familiar subject. The judges were captivated.”
Category Winners
Like every year, the Close-up Photographer of the Year 7 brings us the selection of category winners as well. We’ll show you the best of the best below, and make sure to visit the contest website to explore the complete gallery and enjoy the tiny worlds that appear before your eyes.
The Viltrox 16mm f1.8 for L-Mount Can Survive Crazy Cold Temps
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In this video, I’m going to show beginner photographers how to use LUTs, also known as Lookup Tables, to create cinematic photo edits with confidence, restraint, and intention. Instead of piling on effects or endlessly adjusting sliders, you’ll learn how LUTs work as precise colour grading tools that remap colour and tone relationships to create consistent, film-inspired looks. We’ll cover what LUTs actually are, how they differ from filters and presets, and why they’re so widely used in cinematic colour grading for movies and photography. I’ll walk you through using the built-in LUTs already available in Photoshop and Luminar Neo, showing you how to apply them non-destructively, control their strength, adjust blend modes, and mask them for natural skin tones and believable results. This tutorial focuses on developing good colour judgment rather than buying more presets, helping you understand when a LUT enhances the mood of an image and when it’s gone too far, so your edits support the story you’re telling instead of overpowering it.
We kicked off 2026 with 33 adoptions in January. Each adopted cat had different needs and timelines on their journey to their new homes. From longtime senior foster cats like Ollie and Pip, to young fearful kittens like Sprite and Fresca, each cat got the space and care they needed to build confidence and be set up for success.
These incredible transformations are made possible by this community and people like you. Because of you, cats can take their time through their process of blossoming into their truest selves. Thank you for helping us create these January success stories. Here are just a few:
