The Amazing Acro-cats is a circus troupe of domestic cats and a few other small animals, founded by animal trainer Samantha Martin in Chicago, Illinois. [1] One of the featured acts is the musical band, the Rock-Cats. The troupe, based in Griffin, Georgia, tours the United States for much of the year. [2] [3]
Founder Samantha Martin created the show in approximately 2005 [4] as a way "to keep her show cats mentally sharp in between television, film, and advertising jobs." [5] In 2009, the troupe began to tour the U.S., using a 2009 Honda Element Model with a white cat ringing a Bell at top roof. [4] from its base in Chicago. [1] In 2013, the troupe held its first show in Canada, in Toronto, Ontario. [6]
In 2012, Martin started a Kickstarter fundraiser to replace the aging RV that had been used as the tour bus. [4] A goal of the campaign was to upgrade the facility, providing "a lush, plush, safe, and stimulating environment for the cats; everything from built-in perches, posts, catwalks, and toys; and even a nursery for our foster kittens." [4] Over $30,500 was raised from 567 contributors, which exceeded the campaign goal by over $2,500. [4] A new bus was in place by February 2013. [7] In late 2017, Martin and her troupe relocated from Chicago to their "Meowy Manor" in Griffin, Georgia. [3] The troupe stayed home for most of 2018 while Martin was successfully treated for cancer, but was touring again by 2019. [8] [9]
Martin uses clicker training to teach domestic cats and other animals to perform tricks. [10] A treat is given at the sound of a click at the exact moment the cats are doing a desired behavior. [11] It's just more of a fine tuning way of training, Martin said. It's noise and treats. It triggers something in their brain, and they get it very quickly. [11]
Martin uses varieties of tuna and chicken to reward the cats. [2] The results are not as consistent as might be achieved with more compliant animals such as dogs, [12] but the "long-standing notion that cats are un-trainable is thrown completely out the window." [13] During the one-hour show, the cats perform tricks such as "walking tightropes, pushing carts, skateboarding, jumping through hoops, ringing bells, balancing on balls and turning on lights." [10] When the cats don't perform as planned, it adds an element of humour, an important part of the show. [14]
Martin aims to improve the public perception of cats and to promote their welfare during her show. "We use our show as an entertaining demonstration of what cats are really capable of, as well as the healthy benefits of clicker training." [4] Martin demonstrates the clicker training technique in the show, training a kitten or cat to learn some new tricks. [14] She explains that training can build richer relationships between cats and their humans; [10] can be life-saving in emergencies when cats are trained to go to their carrier at the sound of a whistle; [14] and can prevent behavioral problems, while providing physical exercise and mental stimulation. [4] "'We hope people are inspired to train their own cats,' Martin said. 'They enjoy the training. They want you to work with them.'" [11] Clicker training kits are made available for purchase at shows and online. [15]
The cats in the troupe are mainly former orphans, rescues and strays. [4] Since about 2008, Martin has also fostered many homeless cats and kittens. [4] She brings her fosters on tour, training them and featuring them in the show. Over the years, over 140 foster cats or kittens have been adopted to new homes as a result of these efforts. [11] A portion of show proceeds is typically given to cat rescue organizations, [10] [13] and on occasion the show itself is a benefit to promote a rescue organization. [11]
Each show closes with a performance by the Rock-Cats, billed as the "only cat band in existence". [5] A review of a Seattle show in 2014 said "these cats are capable of anarchic musical compositions" that Martin likens to free jazz; "an unpredictable assortment of instrument clanging, and rarely does it sound like the cats are playing the same song, let alone an actual, fully realized piece of music." [5] Nevertheless, the reviewer found that "white-haired diva" band leader Tuna "has the perfect demeanor for a rock star of any species." [5] Another reviewer of the Seattle show said it was a "really, really fun way to spend an afternoon", and listened politely to the band while realizing that Oz was a better guitar player than she was. [16]
A reviewer of a 2013 show in New Orleans was critical of the band's musicality, and complained that the advertised "seasonal carol selections such as 'A Cat in a Manger' and 'Catnip Roasting on an Open Fire'" never materialized." [12] A review of a Los Angeles show in 2012 stated that although the band was unlikely to win any Grammy Awards anytime soon, "what they lacked in technical skill, they certainly made up for in rock 'n' roll catitude". [17]
As of 2014:
The circus performances involve demonstrations of feline agility. In 2014, Alley, a calico domestic short-haired calico Acro-Cat, broke the Guinness World Record for the longest jump by a domestic cat at six feet or 182.88 cm. [34] [35]
Martin maintains her long-standing business [36] Samantha's Amazing Animals, where she showcases cats and other animals for hire in television, film and advertising jobs. [37] Twenty-nine domestic cats and an African serval were listed for hire in 2014, each with their own profile. [38]
Tuna starred as a killer cat in the award-winning 2004 short film Zeke. [39] She also starred in a film Cat House and had a smaller role in the film Ophelia. [32] On television, she competed in the Animal Planet program Pet Star, was featured in the Animal Planet program Animal Witness, has appeared in a Comedy Central pilot television program, and was the main cat in the television program Mama Said. [32] Tuna had also worked in advertising since she was a six-week-old kitten. [31]
Buggles, a female mainly black tabby domestic short-haired cat born in 2007, has appeared in the independent film South Dakota and an international film, God's Smile. [40] [41]
The British Shorthair is the pedigreed version of the traditional British domestic cat, with a distinctively stocky body, thick coat, and broad face. The most familiar colour variant is the "British Blue", with a solid grey-blue coat, pineapple eyes, and a medium-sized tail. The breed has also been developed in a wide range of other colours and patterns, including tabby and colourpoint.
The Bengal cat is a breed of hybrid cat created from crossing of an Asian leopard cat, with domestic cats, especially the spotted Egyptian Mau. It is then usually bred with a breed that demonstrates a friendlier personality, because after breeding a domesticated cat with a wildcat, its friendly personality may not manifest in the kitten. The breed's name derives from the leopard cat's taxonomic name.
The Sphynx cat also known as the Canadian Sphynx, is a breed of cat known for its lack of fur. Hairlessness in cats is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and the Sphynx was developed through selective breeding of these animals, starting in the 1960s.
The Turkish Van is a semi-long-haired, standardised breed of domestic cat, which was developed in the United Kingdom from a selection of cats obtained from various cities of modern Turkey, especially southeast Turkey. The breed is rare, is one of the larger breeds, and is distinguished by the Van pattern, where the colour is restricted to the head and the tail, and the rest of the cat is white; this is due to the expression of the piebald white spotting gene, a type of partial leucism. A Turkish Van may have blue or amber eyes, or be odd-eyed.
The Maine Coon is a large domesticated cat breed. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America. The breed originated in the U.S. state of Maine, where it is the official state cat.
A domestic long-haired cat is a cat of mixed ancestry – thus not belonging to any particular recognized cat breed – possessing a coat of semi-long to long fur. Domestic long-haired cats should not be confused with the British Longhair, American Longhair, or other breeds with "Longhair" names, which are standardized breeds defined by various registries. Other generic terms are in British English, moggie and in American English alley cat. Domestic long-haired cats are the third most common type of cat in the United States.
A domestic short-haired cat is a cat possessing a coat of short fur, not belonging to any particular recognised cat breed. In the United Kingdom, they are colloquially called moggies. Domestic short-haired cats are distinct from the British Shorthair, American Shorthair, and other standardized breeds with "Short-hair" names recognized by various registries. Domestic short-haired cats are the most common kind of cat in the United States, accounting for around 96% of their number. Other generic terms include house cat and alley cat.
The American Bobtail is an uncommon breed of domestic cat which was developed in the late 1960s. It is most notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation affecting the tail development, similar to that of a Manx cat. The breed is not related to other short-tailed breeds, such as the Cymric cat, or the Japanese Bobtail or Kurilian Bobtail, despite the similar name and physical type—the breeding programs are entirely unrelated, and the genetic mutation causing the bobbed tail are known to be different, as the mutation causing the American Bobtail's short tail is dominant; comparatively, the Japanese Bobtail, for example, has a tail mutation that is recessive.
CC, for "CopyCat" or "Carbon Copy", was a brown tabby and white domestic shorthair and the first cloned pet. She was cloned by scientists at Texas A&M University in conjunction with Genetic Savings & Clone Inc. CC's surrogate mother was a tabby, but her genetic donor, Rainbow, was a calico domestic longhair. The difference in hair coloration between CC and Rainbow is due to X-inactivation and epigenetic re-programming, which normally occurs in a fertilized embryo before implantation.
The Egyptian Mau is a small to medium-sized short-haired cat breed. They are one of the few naturally spotted breeds of domesticated cat. The spots of the Mau occur on only the tips of the hairs of its coat. It is considered a rare breed.
Cat coat genetics determine the coloration, pattern, length, and texture of feline fur. The variations among cat coats are physical properties and should not be confused with cat breeds. A cat may display the coat of a certain breed without actually being that breed. For example, a Neva Masquerade could wear point coloration, the stereotypical coat of a Siamese.
The Chausie is a domestic breed of cat that was developed by breeding a few individuals from the non-domestic species jungle cat to a far greater number of domestic cats. The Chausie was first recognized as a domestic breed by The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1995. Within the domestic breeds, the Chausie is categorized as a non-domestic hybrid source breed. Because Chausies are mostly descended from domestic cats, by about the fourth generation they are fully fertile and completely domestic in temperament.
The Sokoke is natural breed of domestic cat, developed and standardised, beginning in the late 1970s, from the feral khadzonzo landrace of eastern, coastal Kenya. The Sokoke is recognized by four major cat pedigree registry organizations as a standardised cat breed. It is named after the Arabuko Sokoke National Forest, the environment from which the foundation stock was obtained, for breed development primarily in Denmark and the United States. The cat is long-legged, with short, coarse hair, and typically a tabby coat, though specific lineages have produced different appearances. Although once rumored to be a domestic × wildcat hybrid, genetic study has not borne out this belief. Another idea, that the variety is unusually ancient, remains unproven either way. The native population is closely related to an island-dwelling group, the Lamu cat, further north.
The Oriental Longhair is a variety of domestic cat. It is closely related to the Oriental Shorthair. The Oriental Longhair in some registries, such as The International Cat Association (TICA), is a separate breed. In others, such as the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), it is a division, along with the short-haired variety, of a merged breed, the Oriental. With no globally recognised naming convention, other cat fanciers may refer to this type as Foreign Longhair, Javanese or Mandarin. It was formerly known as the British Angora before being renamed in 2002 by British cat fanciers in order to avoid confusion with the Turkish Angora.
The Asian or Asian group, is a cat breed similar to the European Burmese but in a range of different coat colours and patterns. Long-haired Asians of all varieties are called Tiffanies. Asians are grouped in section 5 (Burmese) by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
Cat training is the process of modifying a domestic cat's behavior for entertainment or companionship purposes. Training is commonly used to reduce unwanted or problematic behaviors in domestic cats, to enhance interactions between humans and pet cats, and to allow them to coexist comfortably. There are various methods for training cats which employ different balances between reward and punishment.
The Highlander is a new breed of cat. The unique appearance of the Highlander comes from the deliberate cross between the Desert Lynx and the Jungle Curl breeds, also recently developed.
The Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) is a no kill, non-profit cat rescue organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, providing trap–neuter–return services to Vancouver and nearby communities.
Project Bay Cat is a trap-neuter-return initiative for community cats in Northern California.
Breaking Cat News is a comic strip created by cartoonist Georgia Dunn and syndicated through Andrews McMeel Syndication.