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It’s no secret that every cat owner is convinced their furry ball is the most perfect little creature, born to be fed by compliments, leaving other whiskers in awe. In the world of "catfluencers," where good looks, camera-ready angles, and pawsome poses are everything, there’s an antidote to it all.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Unflattering Cat Photo Challenge on Twitter, where cat owners are sharing the weirdest and most unphotogenic cat snaps. From bratty bois hissing and baring their teeth to the bestest girls giving their awkward school photo smiles, these are some of the top entries that show the best of the worst of feline pictures.

I mean, if it was the cats’ choice, they would surely press the delete button, or simply untag themselves. But since humans are known to be mischievous, they will surely press share. And these people already did.

To find out more about taking photos of your catto that they wouldn’t like to untag, Bored Panda reached out to professional pet photographer Alessandra Sawick for advice. Alessandra, who offers pet photography services in New York City, told us that taking pictures of pets is trickier because the subjects do not understand the photographer's directions and instructions.

The bad news is that when it comes to our beloved felines, Alessandra warns that they are more difficult to photograph, for sure. “They have a mind of their own and it requires a lot of patience to try to capture their images.” On the contrary, “any dog can be photogenic” as long as you “make it fun, use many tricks, sounds, and snacks to get their attention.”

The photographer’s beloved breeds are German shepherds and some pit bulls, who are “more curious, more expressive, and more reactive to loud noises and sounds.” As a result, “they give the best head tilt ever.”

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This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to get a nice shot of your cat (if you’re not aiming for Twitter's Unflattering Cat Photo Challenge, of course.) But there are some things you should keep in mind. First: patience. Cats move around a lot, they are jumpy, and they're hard to predict; thus, you're gonna need to calm your nerves.

Alessandra also suggested getting at the pet’s eye level. “When photographing from our own point of view, the photography angle is not so interesting, but when the pet photographer lies down on the floor and tries to see the world through the eyes of their pet, this will create a more interesting perspective in the photo.”

#7

Unflattering-Cat-Photo-Challenge

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Julesoccer20
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m sorry for the kitty 🐱 hopefully they are taking the right health measures for it, so that it can have a healthier life! 😁

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WilvanderHeijden
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stupid bloody human. Instead of taking a picture they had better helped that cat. This position could kill it,.

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The photographer also said that a common mistake people make when taking pics of their pets is the wrong light. “When photographing your pet, seek positioning him near a window or a glass door. If you have a window in the house that is not directly facing the sun with harsh lighting entering in, it will definitely work best.”

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“Remember to direct the pet’s eyes towards the window to help enhance their brightness, thus generating a perfect 'catchlight' in the eyes.” She also said that no props or special setups will do magic if you don’t focus on your pet.

At the end of the day, all the improv snaps of our four-legged friends that we don’t put much effort into won’t be super flattering. And that’s okay as long as they don’t know it, or they are competing in the most unflattering feline photo challenge.

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"This is not my cat. I work at an animal shelter and this little lady went to a local pet store to be adopted. I named her Lulu and snapped this photo which became her ID photo."

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Jon S.
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never really appreciated the subtle textures of a cat's nose before

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#15

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"Muse, watching me cook and hoping for a treat because ONE TIME I dropped some bacon and she's been chasing that high ever since."

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Alex T
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

he's Badrock, the Malicious Sorcerer and he's planning his next evil scheme, but he can't resist a good petting.

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Alex T
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

me when my dad comes into my room, connects to the speakers, turns all the lights on and blasts music to wake me up for school

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"She couldn’t figure out how to get out the nonexistent headlock taking place."

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Alex T
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

looking very sexy for the ladies and gentlemen (and enby cats) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Note: this post originally had 68 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.