British animal photographer Tim Flach has released a stunning new photography book featuring cats in all their incredible diversity, from various domestic cat breeds to wild big cats. The collection showcases extraordinary portraits of felines with unique characteristics, many of which have become social media celebrities. Cats named Zorro, Domino, and Narnia are among the remarkable subjects featured in Flach's latest work, each displaying distinctive traits that make them stand out from typical house cats.
Many of the cats in Flach's collection possess unusual features that capture viewers' attention immediately. Some sport flowing curly manes that would be more expected on a poodle than a tomcat, while others display extraordinary coat colorations. One particularly striking example is a cat named Boy, also known as Zorro, whose unique fur pattern creates the appearance of wearing a black mask around his eyes. These distinctive markings have helped make him a social media star from Indonesia, where fans can follow him on TikTok under the handle "iwhy."
To find his photographic subjects, Flach traveled extensively around the globe, visiting his protagonists in countries including Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, and France. Many of his subjects are well-known social media personalities in their own right, bringing their own followings to the project. The photographer's dedication to finding unique specimens led him to seek out some of the most extraordinary examples of feline diversity available.
Flach's distinctive approach centers on individual portraits rather than showing animals in their natural environments. He photographs his subjects in studio settings against monochrome backgrounds, creating portraits that emphasize each animal's individual characteristics and personality. While he is not the first photographer to capture animals in studio settings, and some of his portraits recall the work of other animal photographers like Walter Chandoha, Flach's detailed close-up shots of fur, tongues, and paws succeed in conveying a complete impression of each individual animal that seems to transcend purely visual perception.
Despite having photographed a wide variety of wild animals throughout his career, Flach found cats to be more demanding subjects than he had anticipated. "Of all my animal subjects, the house cat has undoubtedly challenged me the most. They are notoriously difficult models. And if I can be sure of one thing, it's that they do exactly what they want," he explained in one of the making-of videos produced for the book. Nine video clips, accessible through QR codes in the book, show Flach at work and document how difficult it was to keep the cats engaged and cooperative during photo shoots.
The included video footage serves an additional purpose beyond entertainment value. As trust in photography continues to decline in the digital age, Flach intended the video recordings to serve as evidence of authenticity. "The cats in this book are so extraordinary. They don't look real, but they are real. And that's exactly why we had to make recordings, just to show that they really exist," Flach explained. This documentation becomes particularly important given how unusual many of his subjects appear.
The book features detailed information about various breeds and their characteristics. Yogi, a Selkirk Rex tomcat, represents a relatively new cat breed distinguished by its curly coat. The first kitten with lamb-like fur was born in 1987 at an animal shelter alongside five normal-looking littermates. Meadow, a ten-week-old Sphinx cat, demonstrates how hairlessness is a recessive trait requiring two copies of the mutation. Offspring of Sphinx cats crossed with other breeds inherit only a single copy and develop normal fur.
Some cats showcase fascinating anatomical features that reveal evolutionary adaptations. The pointed, thread-like papillae on cats' tongues are crucial for grooming, and recent discoveries show these structures are actually hollow and curved at the tips rather than solid as previously believed. When cats groom themselves, these ladle-shaped hollow spaces fill with saliva that penetrates deep into areas of fur the tongue cannot directly reach.
Narnia, a British Shorthair tomcat, demonstrates remarkable genetics through his offspring. In 2019, he fathered two kittens, each inheriting a color from a different side of his face: Phoenix's head is entirely gray, while Prada's is completely black. This intergenerational symmetry is striking but not unexpected, as gray coloration results from a recessive mutation that lightens pigment in otherwise black cats.
While the portraits of various domestic cats undoubtedly serve as the book's main attraction, readers can discover many different cat breeds, including wild cat species and big cats. Mulan, a Savannah cat, resembles the serval, especially first-generation offspring resulting from crossing a serval with a domestic cat. These cats demand significant attention and can cause considerable damage when left alone. The breed represents one of several hybrid varieties featured in the collection.
The spectacular photographs are accompanied by informative texts from evolutionary biologist Jonathan Losos and neuroscientist Morten Kringelbach, who explore the history, behavior, and anatomical peculiarities of cats. Their contributions explain factors that influence fur structure and coloration, and why so many people find cats appealing. Topics covered include the evolutionary development of various traits and the scientific basis for human attraction to feline features.
Several cats in the book demonstrate specific regional adaptations. Neville, a Siberian tomcat, represents the famous Russian longhair breed described as sturdy with dense fur, short legs, a strong mane, and large, bushy-haired ears. These characteristics likely developed in Russian cats through natural selection due to the extremely cold climate conditions they faced. FatBoy, a Kurilian Bobtail, represents short-tailed beauties that have allegedly lived on islands between northern Japan and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula for at least 200 years.
Some featured cats have gained internet fame due to unusual medical conditions. Atchoum, a Persian cat, has hypertrichosis, causing her fur to grow exceptionally long. She has become an internet star with her own Instagram account under "atchoumthe-cat." These social media personalities demonstrate how unique physical traits can capture public attention and create devoted followings online.
The photography book serves not only cat photo enthusiasts but also anyone interested in learning more about felines. The combination of stunning visual portraits and scientific explanations creates a comprehensive resource that appeals to both casual admirers and serious students of animal behavior and genetics. Tiki and Kiwi, nine-week-old American Longhair kittens, illustrate how wild fighting and romping games among young cats are important for developing all the skills necessary for adult life.
The photo book "Cats" was published by Knesebeck on October 16, comprising 336 pages with 170 color illustrations. The extensive collection represents years of work traveling internationally to capture some of the most extraordinary examples of feline diversity available anywhere in the world, combining artistic vision with scientific documentation to create a definitive visual celebration of cats in all their remarkable forms.
