Samatha Martin of Acro-Cats isn’t your typical cat owner. At age nine, she trained her family’s dog. Now, she’s an animal trainer whose main occupation used to be training rats for movies, television shows and commercials. Her love for animals then branched out to training cats after she adopted a shelter kitty named Tuna, using psychologist B.F. Skinner’s positive reinforcement clicker training method.
A Fun Feline Show For All Ages
Samatha Martin makes it clear that although all of her animals are well-trained, they still have minds of their own. Given cats’ independent nature, she says that no two acro-cat shows are alike. Sometimes, a kitty won’t feel like doing its tricks that day and wanders into the audience. The unpredictability seems to be part of its charm. Some people attend the shows because they can be unpredictable, so humor is a part of the show.
The Rock-Cats Rescue
The traveling acro-cats show isn’t just for entertainment. Martin and her crew use the opportunity to educate audiences about animals. Her animal performers are rescues from shelters around North America, so no particular breeds are featured. It all started with her small group of cats performing as a rock band called the Rock-Cats, and from there, the Acro-Cats grew with more elaborate tricks. The Rock-It Rescue continues to promote animal adoption.
Other Animals Who Work With the Acro-Cats
In addition to felines, there is the company of other animal performers who work with the acro-cats trope: a tambourine-playing chicken named Cluck Norris, two rats named Korbel and Rupert, and Lacy Roy, a miniature poodle. Of course, there is a dedicated team of human assistants who are there every step to help the troupe along in their tour—everyone, whether they have paws, feathers or hands, pitches in to give the best performance.
The 2024-2025 Tour
The Mini-Midwest Tour kicks off in Madison, Wisconsin, starting on October 9th, 2024, and then travels to Skokie, Illinois. A Christmas show lineup will be in New Orleans, followed by a three-city tour in Florida in early 2025. A four-city Texas tour schedule starting on March 25th, 2025, rounds out to a Western states tour beginning in Denver, Colorado, on July 3rd, 2025, Salt Lake City on July 23rd, 2025, and finally San Francisco on July 23rd, 2025.
What an Acro-Cat Show is Like
Each show is approximately 90 minutes long, with no intermission. Meet-and-greets are ticket add-ons that occur immediately after each show. Photographs and videos are allowed, and merchandise is available online and at the shows. Acro-cat shows are appropriate and geared toward animal lovers of all ages. Children are especially encouraged to attend to learn about how animals can be trained and cared for.
To Entertain and Educate
Samantha Martin, founder of Rock-Cats Rescue and Acro-Cats, says anyone can train their cat. Training kits are sold at every Acro-Cats show as part of their merchandise. All it takes is patience, persistence, and positive reinforcement with treats. She spreads education about animals being surrendered in shelters due to behavioral problems because, more often than not, it stems from boredom. Training may help alleviate that boredom and help you bond with your pet.
Wrapping Up Meow
Episode two of the Netflix docuseries called Catpeople features the acro-cat founder Samantha Martin, her home, and her menagerie, including, of course, her cats. The Rock-Cats Rescue partners with animal shelters all over the United States so that animals of all kinds can find loving, suitable homes. With the hard work of the acro-cats, both dogs and cats find homes, educate the masses that training can done by anyone, and everyone is happier because of it.
Along with the purr-formers, adoptable felines are brought to every show in hopes of being paired with suitable potential owners. It’s a win-win for people and animals everywhere.
