The Greatest Show On Earth

"OMG! The Acro-Cats are in town!" said my friend Margaret Saturday afternoon.

And with two exclamatory statements, began my ascent to the higher knowledge of the Greatest Show On Earth: The Amazing Acro-Cats also featuring The Rock-Cats. 

Not Actual Event Poster.

If you are still on the curious, this circus minus a big top, features abandoned felines who are click-trained and treat rewarded to perform a version of daredevil tricks. The feisty, female cat dominated troupe can jump through hoops, zig and zag through elevated agility drills and even push a child's toy car.

Example Only. Not Used In Actual Performance.

And if you land the equivalent to nose bleed seats (I was in pre-nose bleed), no worries. You can watch the show displayed on a 45 inch television via the Cat-Cam.

Yes, there is such a thing, and why not?

These cuties are famous after all. Featured in both The Guinness Book of World Records for longest cat jump and Ripley's Believe It Or Not for only cat band in the world.

Now, I should mention not every member in The Rock-Cats is, well, a cat. Chicken, Cluck Norris, has a heavy heated peck on cymbal and tambourine.

Cluck Norris, badass chicken percussionist.

This amazing, good-time event is the result of animal activist Samantha Martin. She founded Acro-Cats in 2005, and they hit the road to travel the U.S. from Chicago in an RV early 2009.

When the RV hit the skids, a Kickstarter enabled this traveling troupe to acquire a plush ride.

Purrr-rifcate Front

Sassy Bus Side

I know, right? Them wheels are s w e e t !

Now, it isn't all grilled chicken chunks and oven baked salmon for the cats plus other animal pals. This cause with paws pays it forward everywhere they go. Each performance contributes profits to local animal programs. Through the troupe's travel, Martin and gang have secured homes for over 140 cats.

Not too shabby. Meow if you love it!

Buffy, Oz, Winke and a host of other cats, mice, a groundhog and of course, Cluck Norris all perform around the star of the event, Tuna.

Photo Cred: @mags504 

Tuna is the founding member who will always give you more cowbell, ring the bell and high five, so long as you respect she is the grand gato of the show. And you can photo-op post show with the Tuna but are advised not to cuddle unless you wanna rumble. She's an independent woman and kinda a big deal. Not only is she the face of the show but Tuna is the star of the Student Emmy and Oscar Winning short film Zeke. Where she channeled her inner maleness in the role of Zeke. 

The Sunday crowd here in New Orleans was an almost sell-out. Kids and adults cheered on the acrobatics and circus fair tricks. We got the brief history of how each cat became part of the troupe. The stories are heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I  have never been a fan of the circus. Seeing animals made to perform for profit, it just felt wrong somehow. But this campy little troupe of underdogs (undercats if you fancy) that travels the U.S. and Canada promotes all the right kind of messages. So, I'm a fan for life as I'm sending a Tweet to Tuna right now.

Wanna catch a show or follow the cats on their Twitter accounts?

http://www.circuscats.com/

@Tunathecat
@jaxacrocat
@bugglesdacat

https://instagram.com/acrocats

Tuna For President!