Image Credits: Pixabay
The feline performers of Amazing Acro-Cats leap and jump through hoops. They also play a number of musical instruments! When they get bored or tired, the Chicago based company employees publicly quit what they were playing and let them wander into the audience so that their fans can shower them with kisses and cuddle them!
Martin and company
The circus and the music band was founded by Samantha
Martin, who also owns all the cats performing in the circus and in the band
called โThe Rock-Catsโ. Both owner and cats travel all over the United States.
They are-not surprisingly-much in demand and almost every cat has done a
commercial. The Acro-Cats have starred together in a Target advertisement. They
are so popular that as Martin tells the show's fans: the company schedule is
packed tight like sardines.
Martin manages a total of 14 cats. All except two are
female. Other than cats, the Amazing Acro-Cats also features three performing
rats (all females), and one male groundhog. The star of the musical is Cluck
Norris, a hen. Norris plays cymbals in the band. She also lays eggs which other
members eat. Helping Martin out is her assistant Seunga Park and publicist
Polly Smith. All of them travel together in a specially kitted bus fitted out
to give the cats maximum comfort. The bus also has a master bedroom specially
for the cats.
Fully trained felines
For those who are interested to know more about the company,
they will be surprised to hear that Martin's first venture was with rats and
not cats. Indeed, the circus was initially named "The Amazing
Acro-Rats." Visitors could watch rodents doing many tricks. She soon found
out that the audience size would be more if she showed cats doing tricks and
soon substituted rats for cats. The gamble paid off. Every show is a sell-out.
The Amazing Acro-Cats is proud to have Alley the Cat, a
feline which holds the world record -and a Guinness Certified jump record- for
the longest jump in cat history. She made a six feet jump in October 2013. For
those who are concerned with animal cruelty, fear not. All animals, including
the cats, are taught their tricks by positive reinforcement, like food treats
and clicker training. No cat is ever scolded or punished.
The company does gratefully
accepts volunteers to cuddle and look after the cats in-between shows. Martin
especially prefers people who can fix the bus related problems as the vehicle
is past its prime and regular maintenance is needed to keep it running. They
also accept if you make an offer for the cats to stay somewhere for a couple of
days. The Rock-Cats are the only feline rock band in the world.