Admit it – you’ve spent at least part of this week watching really cute cat videos. Maybe you sought them out intentionally because you know how amazing they are.  Perhaps you got sucked in when someone posted it to your social feed.

Whatever the reason, it reminded you of a question you’ve had in the back of your mind for a while now: can you make really cute cat videos with your feline best friend?

The short answer: yes!  There are some helpful tips and tricks you’re going to want to follow. Let’s dive in to help you make your best possible cat video.

Keep Your Camera Handy

Unlike dogs, cats typically aren’t what you would call “trainable.” They don’t usually do things on command, and you can’t really “make” them do anything.

Because of this, your best bet in capturing a great cat video is to be ready for the moment when it happens. Luckily, we all have mini recording studios in our pockets these days!

Don’t Be Afraid to Get Up Close and Personal

Many people are scared to get too close when they catch their cat doing something adorable because they don’t want them to stop. Often, however, these fears are unfounded.

Whereas dogs are nearly impossible to film in a candid way if they notice you, cats have an amazing ability to pretend you don’t exist unless you’re actively bothering them, or if they want something from you!

You can use this to your advantage to make really cute cat videos, though, because it enables you to record them from really close – and on their level – without interrupting their activity.

Shorter Is Better

If your video is over a minute, it’s probably too long. Even the cutest pet tricks and scenarios lose their luster eventually. 

And most of the cat videos that go viral? They last somewhere between 5 and 15 seconds. If your video runs longer, learn how to edit your footage to save just the highlights.

Let There Be Light

While you don’t need to have a professional lighting setup like you’re making a movie, it should go without saying that viewers need to be able to see the action.

If what you’re recording is looking a bit dim, consider turning on more lights, opening windows, or finding other ways to make sure people can tell what’s going on.

Remember the Importance of Sound

Sound matters in two ways.

  1. Any sound you have going in the room is likely to be picked up by your microphone and show up on the video, which can
    1. Be annoying and
    2. Drown out any cute cat noises
  2. This brings us to point two, which is capturing all of those great cat sounds! Our recommendation is to
    1. Turn off all devices making sounds – even things like air conditioners if they are audible
    2. Get as close as possible to your subject so you can hear them

A bonus point about sound – a great soundtrack can make your video if you know how to choose the right music or sound effects and edit them. Oh, and of course, you need to make sure you legally download any music you use.

Planning Can Work If Your Cat Has the Right Temperament

We started this by talking about how you can’t really make cats do anything. While that’s true, some cats are more willing to “play ball” than others.

If you have a kitty who’s willing to let you dress them up or put them in amusing (but safe!) situations, these can make for hilarious videos. Think: the cat in a shark costume riding a robot vacuum.

The big point with these kinds of videos is not to force it. If your cat isn’t into what you’re trying to do, it’s not going to happen… and you’re most likely going to get scratched.

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