Cat and Human Doppelgangers Documented By Famed Photographer Are Scarily Accurate
Some cat photos are cute, and some are so accurate they make you do a double take. Gerrard Gethings turned that feeling into a viral project by pairing people with cats that look eerily similar, and the results are hard to unsee.
The photographer behind Do You Look Like Your Cat? spent a lot of time finding the right matches, then even more time trying to get the cats to cooperate. The series has since spread far beyond social media, helped along by the fact that cat lovers cannot resist a good doppelganger moment.
There is even a memory card game based on the photo series, which feels very on-brand for a project this charmingly strange. Read on.
Dominic And Merlin
Merlin, a Blue Tabby Maine Coon Cat, is stunning.
Gunther And Albert
Albert is an Exotic Longhair, in case you were curious about this fluffy kitty cat.
Gethings' advice to prospective animal photographers bears repeating:
“I would say that it is necessary to be extremely patient to photograph animals. It is always tricky, and the animals themselves will never show any interest in your work.”
Gethings said he had previously made a series of work based on people who look like dogs. It was received really well, and he needed another project that he thought would be equally, if not even more, engaging. Cats seemed the most accessible choice, but they are infinitely more difficult to photograph than dogs.
Tobias And Hero
Hero is a Moggy. A Moggy (or Moggie) is a British slang term endearingly bestowed upon non-pedigree cats.
Speaking on his success, Gethings said what we all know to be true: “Cats needed to be tricked into taking part.”
Nancy And Buttons
Buttons is a Scottish Fold, so cute!
"Do You Look Like Your Cat?"
BIG stretchums edition.
"Do You Look Like Your Cat"
"Do You Look Like Your Cat"
While you may be wondering how likely it is to find humans and cats who look so similar, you may find it comforting to know that these dynamic duos are not wild coincidences. There was actually an extensive casting process, and the models were hand-picked for the series.
And if you want more of the “catographer” magic, check out 60 adorable, funny cat portraits taken by a professional.
"Do You Look Like Your Cat"
That casting process clearly did not make things easy.
Gethings said it was also something that people would never have seen. It was really important for him to create something new.
He said finding cats with enough variation to keep the series interesting was difficult, and he covered most of England to shoot them. Unlike the dogs, simply finding the cats wasn't enough; he then had to convince them to take part.
On more than one occasion, he drove for hours, set up his equipment, and then the cat refused to play ball. He simply had to pack up and go home feeling very deflated.
Elisabeth And Angelique
Angelique is a Khao Manee, a rare breed of cat sometimes known as the "diamond eye cat."
He also said the cats had a knack for making the shoot harder than it looked.
He said the cats would often sit beautifully on the posing table as he set up the lights, and then, as soon as the camera came out, they were off, never to be seen again.
Another huge challenge was that cats don't have the same amount of facial expressions as dogs. They tend to look either startled, suspicious, or angry. They also don't react to food like dogs, who will do absolutely anything for a piece of cheese.
He also added to his advice:
“You need the right equipment, and you need to know where to put it. Animals lose interest very quickly during a shoot, so there is no time to keep readjusting. Practice on the family pet. This is the best way to get started.”
"Do You Look Like Your Cat"
Arlo And Buttercup
Buttercup is a Cream Persian, but she's putting on her best wet and disgruntled look for the photo shoot.
"Do You Look Like Your Cat"
He said he had to use more physical clues in this series. Many of the cats would enjoy playing with toys, which led to some great body shapes: the boxing cat and the dancing cat, for example. The main difference between cats and dogs seems to be that dogs are very willing to please you.
They are also greedy, which helps immensely. Cats, on the other hand, are quite suspicious of new things. They also have constant access to food, so they are not driven by it in the same way dogs are.
Marielle And Jacques
Jacques is a gorgeous Silver Maine Coon.
Matthew And Hubert
Hubert is an Abyssinian, a gorgeous cat often known for its striking fur patterns, but for this series? Quite the stink eye.
For more look-alike chaos, see pets and owners who could pass as twins.
Share this article:
