Use empty trash cans to take purrfect photos of fractious cats

Taking a fractious feline's photo doesn't need to be a blood battle to the death if you take Debbie Booker's advice and buy a white trash can. "We take pictures of the pets for the client record. Sometimes cats can be especially difficult, so one day I placed a cat in a clean, 13-gallon-size white trash can," says Booker, a veterinary assistant and hospital operations coordinator at Troutman Animal Hospital in Troutman, N.C. "It was an excellent picture. So we've used this idea more often and have liked the results."

Booker says the team takes these pictures for patient records and can also print them on client receipts. "Clients love to see the pictures of their pets, so if we have a really good picture, we print it and give it to the client," she says.

This idea works well with dogs too. Booker has used a large vertical laundry basket to take pictures of a squirmy Labradoodle puppy.

Editor's note: Congratulations to this month's Pet Picassos winner! For details on entering this contest,* visit dvm360.com/practicetips.

* DISCLOSURES: No purchase necessary—a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Promotion is limited to veterinarians, credentialed technicians, practice managers, receptionists, and assistants working in veterinary practices in the United States who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and at least 21 years of age. Void where prohibited. Eligible entries will be judged on the tip's usefulness, creativity, and timeliness. One prize of a Pet Picassos canvas portrait, approximate retail value $250. End date of sweeps: May 31, 2010. See full and complete official rules at dvm360.com/practicetips.