Shooting & Moderation Rules
What you can and cannot shoot, which limits apply and why a photo may be rejected.
A cat in the frame. No people, no inappropriate content.
Each next photo β at least 5 meters from the previous one.
First 10 photos β no pauses, then limits kick in.
These rules apply to all CatOnMap users on every plan β Free, Plus and Pro. They keep the galleries full of real street cats with genuine geo positions.
1What is allowed and prohibited
Allowed:
- photographing cats β street cats, pets, in any setting;
- shooting the same cat in different places and at different times;
- adding captions and sharing published photos by link.
Prohibited:
- photos with people in the frame (fully or partially, including hands and faces) β rejected automatically;
- photos without a cat: landscapes, objects, screenshots, drawings, photos of screens;
- inappropriate (NSFW) content β rejected automatically;
- uploading other people's photos or photos with a faked geo position;
- series of identical shots from one spot β the geo check applies (see section 5).
2Moderation approval conditions
Every photo is checked by a neural network within seconds. A photo is approved and published automatically when all of the following hold:
- the neural network confidently sees a cat in the frame;
- there are no people in the frame;
- the content contains nothing inappropriate.
Borderline cases (when the AI is unsure) go to human moderation β until a decision is made, the photo is visible only to you. A moderator may also unpublish an already approved photo if it violates the rules.
3Photo rejection reasons
- "Rule violation: person in the frame" β a person was detected in the photo. Reshoot so only the cat is in the frame.
- "No cat found" β the neural network could not find a cat. Get closer or shoot in better light.
- "Too close to the previous photo" β the new photo was taken less than 5 meters from your previous one (see section 5).
- Inappropriate content β the photo violates the service rules.
Rejected photos are not published but still occupy storage slots until you delete them.
4Upload speed limits
Freedom for newcomers, rhythm for seasoned hunters. The limit depends on how many photos you have taken in total:
- Photos 1β10 β no speed or geo restrictions: shoot as much as you like;
- Photos 11β15 β a 30-second pause between shots;
- Photos 16β20 β a 60-second pause between shots;
- From photo 21 β your plan's limit applies: Free β 1 shot per 10 minutes, Plus β 1 shot per 3 minutes, Pro β no pauses.
5Geo position check
Starting from your 11th photo, every new photo must be taken at least 5 meters away from your previous photo. The rule applies on every plan β Free, Plus and Pro β and protects the map from series of identical shots from a single spot. Met another cat at the same place? Just take a couple of steps aside.
6Storage limits
20 collection slots are free. One-time storage packs expand your collection forever: 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000 photos β packs unlock sequentially and never expire. See the pricing page for details.
Questions about rules and moderation β [email protected].