A pole cat is a spring-loaded, adjustable crossbar that, placed between a pair of walls or structures, supports lightweight lighting or grip equipment.
A pole cat is an adjustable, spring-loaded crossbar used in film and video production to create a temporary mounting point between two opposing surfaces. By extending the bar so that it wedges firmly between a pair of walls or structures, a technician forms a secure horizontal support onto which lightweight lighting fixtures or grip equipment can be attached, without permanent rigging.
Pole cats offer flexibility for positioning equipment in locations where stands or fixed rigging are impractical. The spring tension holds the bar in place, and accessories mount to it to suspend or position lights as a scene requires.
The lighting equipment mounted on a pole cat depends on power and control wiring to function. While the pole cat provides the mechanical support, the fixtures it holds rely on dependable cable to deliver the power and control that production lighting requires.
Because the spring tension holds the bar firmly between two surfaces, a pole cat offers flexibility for positioning equipment where stands or fixed rigging are impractical, with accessories mounting to it to suspend or position lights as a scene requires.
Recognizing how a spring-loaded crossbar provides a temporary mounting point helps illustrate how lightweight fixtures and grip gear are positioned where stands or fixed rigging are impractical.
At Windy City Wire, the focus on low-voltage power and control cable supports the lighting fixtures that rigging tools like pole cats position. Supplying dependable cable helps ensure that fixtures, wherever they are mounted, receive the stable power and control they need.