Hi Barbra,

I think the mixed results that you are getting probably has to do with your camera settings as much as anything. It looks as though you have put most of the camera in 'automatic'. Correct me if I'm wrong.

If you would like to try a few experiments and post the results maybe we could help you come up with a recipe to get consistent good photos and hopefully save the kitties.

Here are a few suggestions just to try to see what is going on. Get out the camera manual, if you don't have it then download one at http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0900001482/S230IXUSV3CUG-EN.pdf

Change a few settings:

Set your shooting mode to MANUAL (p 42)

Turn off digital zoom

Try Switching to spot metering (p 63)- your camera has a light meter built in, when you prefocus be sure to focus on cat fur not the background...the prefocus is also locking exposure.

Switch the White balance to TUNGSTEN (pg 67), if that doesn't work you can do a CUSTOM white balance

Switch Photo Effects OFF (p 70)

Set the ISO speed to 50 (p 71) (makes for a cleaner picture assuming you have enough light)

Turn the flash off (p 47)

Draw the blinds over your windows and turn off any bright lights. Position your two lights, umbrellas on either side of your shooting position and slightly higher than your photo subject, point the light directly at the subject.

Take a shot or two and evaluate the exposure. Adjust accordingly ( p 64)

Tell us what works and doesn't work. The color of the cat should not matter.