Cats can look quite wild when they’re on a catnip high – and professional photographer Andrew Marttila has actually invested the last 6 years recording those insane minutes.
“There’s saliva and catnip everywhere,” says Marttila, a 37-year-old animal professional photographer.
About 6 years back, Marttila was experimenting with his video camera, try out flash photography. “You can capture really interesting bizarre things,” he says. On an impulse, he provided a little bit of catnip to his 13-year-old Bengal cat, Haroun, “to see what his reaction is and try to capture whatever happens.”
“I had no idea what I would get. And the result was something really, really incredible and strange and sparked the interest of a lot of people around the world,” Marttila says. The images released a series of photos about cats high up on catnip that has actually been developed into a book, and a yearly calendar and more.
Andrew Marttila @iamthecatphotographer
Marttila says he likes revealing cats’ amusing, ridiculous sides. “I think there’s a misunderstanding that cats are aloof or very stoic, and it’s only in recent years that the silliness of cats has started to become more prevalent and prominent in pop culture,” he shares. “And I love exploring that side. I love showing cats sort of just enjoying themselves. I like just showing them funny and out of the norm.”
The flash photography permits him to “freeze these little moments” that “the human eye is not able to see,” he adds. “It’s a different window into their lived experience, especially when they’re high. You’re able to get an insight into just how crazy they do get on catnip.”
The artist likes revealing individuals what their cats actually appear like in a manner they’ve never ever discovered. “Aside from it simply being so various and amusing, I enjoy seeing the expression of the guardians when they see simply how insane their cat looks,” he says.
Andrew Marttila @iamthecatphotographer
When he reaches a picture shoot, he normally brings 5 ranges of catnip with him. “I’ll put catnip on a table or on the ground and have the lighting set up to accommodate where I think they will have their little freak out moment and then sort of just let them do their thing. And as they are going wild, I snap photos.”
Marttila says about 70 percent of cats react to catnip — and every cat responds extremely in a different way. “You never ever understand what you’re going to get,” he shares. “I believe it’s the sort of the surprise element, specifically when I’m taking the pictures, even I do not understand what I’ve gotten till I return and examine the images due to the fact that it occurred so rapidly.”
Andrew Marttila @iamthecatphotographer
Never miss out on a story — register for individuals’s complimentary everyday newsletter to remain updated on the very best of what individuals needs to use, from juicy star news to engaging human interest stories.
For anybody stressed the practice might be inhumane, Marttila — who likewise runs the Orphan Kitten Club rescue in San Diego with better half Hannah Shaw — lightens those worries. “One comment that I get a lot when these pictures are on bigger publications is, ‘This is damaging to the cats. Why are we creating drug addicts in our cats?’ And it’s ignorance. It’s really not understanding what catnip does. And it is a very fast acting type of chemical. It is completely natural. There’s no chance of them becoming dependent on catnip,” he says.
Marttila likewise motivates individuals to attempt it at home. “I highly recommend giving a little bit or a lot of it to your cat just to see what their reaction is. Most of the time it will be an extremely positive experience for you and your cat. The daily life of a cat can … be just indoors in an apartment somewhere, and this can give them a little bit of a reprieve from the monotony of their daily existence.”
