Arlo and Mongo in Slow Motion: Cat Tunnel Chaos Captured on the DJI Pocket 3
- gear4greatness
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 16
Arlo and Mongo in Slow Motion: Cat Tunnel Chaos Captured on the DJI Pocket 3
There’s something oddly beautiful about slowing down chaos — especially when that chaos has whiskers, claws, and a tunnel they’ve decided is the centre of their universe. 😼✨ When I set up the DJI Pocket 3 to film Arlo and Mongo in slow motion, I didn’t expect it to feel this cinematic. It’s one thing to watch them tear through the living room at full speed, but it’s another to watch the way their bodies coil like springs, how their paws reach out with tiny bursts of precision, how their eyes lock onto every little movement like they’re starring in their own National Geographic segment.
The Pocket 3 felt perfect for this tiny indoor adventure. I love how small it is — how I can hold it low to the floor and slide along with the action without feeling like I’m lugging a full rig. There’s this smoothness the gimbal gives you that almost makes you feel like you’re floating beside them. Even in our living room’s mix of overhead light and shadowed corners, the Pocket 3 kept everything bright and detailed without blowing highlights or losing those subtle little colour tones in their fur. And once I switched it into 4K slow motion, the whole scene transformed. Every pounce, every twist, every sideways hop turned into this graceful little moment you’d never catch at regular speed.
Arlo, of course, was first into the tunnel. He’s always the one to dive without thinking — tail straight up, ears forward, zero hesitation. Mongo was the opposite, crouched low, waiting for the right moment like a little feline tactician. Watching the footage back, I could see their personalities more clearly than I ever notice in real time. Arlo’s movements are explosive, unpredictable, full of that youthful, “let’s go now” energy. Mongo moves like he’s calculating three steps ahead, choosing his moment, saving the perfect pounce for dramatic effect. In slow motion, it becomes almost like storytelling — one reckless, one clever — meeting in the middle to create a tiny chaos storm inside a $12 nylon tunnel.
The Pocket 3 never struggled with any of it. Even when I dipped the camera right into the entrance of the tunnel, letting the lens catch them mid-air as they burst through the other side, everything stayed sharp and fluid. The stabilization made it feel like I was gliding, even when the cats nearly knocked into me a few times. There’s something satisfying about capturing real movement — raw, unscripted, messy, hilarious — and having the camera keep up without fighting you. I love when gear gets out of the way like that. It lets you enjoy the moment and the result at the same time.
Arlo and Mongo in Slow Motion: Cat Tunnel Chaos Captured on the DJI Pocket 3
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FINAL THOUGHTS
There was a moment, watching the playback, when I paused and just smiled. 🌄 Something about seeing Arlo’s tail whipping through the air or Mongo’s perfectly timed leap made me appreciate how little moments become meaningful when you slow them down. The camera didn’t just record them — it revealed them. Their moods, their quirks, their tiny bursts of emotion. It reminded me why I love filming these everyday scenes: it takes the ordinary and quietly turns it into something worth keeping.
The DJI Pocket 3 really showed its strengths here. Indoors is where a lot of cameras fall apart — especially with fast subjects — but this little thing handled it gracefully. The slow motion wasn’t just technically impressive; it added feeling. It made the tunnel seem bigger, the jumps braver, the landings softer. It captured the small world they build for themselves and turned it into something that feels almost poetic. Moments like that make me appreciate lightweight tools that still deliver heavy results. 🎥💭
What stuck with me afterward was how much personality you can catch when you film with intention. Arlo soaring through the air like he’s convinced he’s a superhero. Mongo crouched low in the shadows, waiting for that perfect ambush moment. In real time it’s cute and chaotic — but in slow motion, it feels like you’re seeing who they really are. Their energy. Their instincts. Their joy. Watching them in that slowed-down world reminded me how much life passes by quietly until you choose to pay attention.
It’s funny how a simple cat-tunnel moment can leave you feeling a little inspired. Maybe that’s what I love most — finding the small sparks in everyday life and turning them into something I’ll be glad I filmed years from now. Arlo and Mongo gave me a show, the Pocket 3 elevated it, and for a few minutes, everything felt a bit brighter, a bit slower, and a bit more alive.
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