# Moscow Cat Theater **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 21, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500 "2009-06-21T19:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/1 "2009-06-21T19:42:12Z")
Like most Americans, I thought that cats were good for sitting around the house and not much more. But over in Russia, they train them to be in [the circus](http://www.babelgum.com/browser.php#play%7CSEARCH,channelID:180156,hint_no_featured:1,order:MOST_POPULAR%7C0,3003028). > [@](#): > > You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more unusual circus, or father-daughter performing duo. The Moscow Cat Theatre is just that: a travelling show of cats that perform amazing tricks for the owners who love and train them. Everybody in Russia may be used to seeing cats perform tricks, as the theatre’s manager explains in this funny, charming film, but felines walking tightropes, crossing the stage on giant balls and walking upside down is not a common sight in most countries. As a balalaika and accordion circus score plays in the background, Creative Director Vladimir and his daughter Maria combine their love of cats and stage to create a captivating act and illustrate the tricks of the trade – giving new meaning to the expression ‘herding cats’. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/2 "2009-06-21T20:45:14Z")
Thank you, that’s wonderful. Really amazing, and hilarious too. Where do I get me a Russian cutie wife like her? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/3 "2009-06-21T21:03:29Z")
In Russia, cats… Oh, never mind. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/4 "2009-06-21T21:07:10Z")
Awwww! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/5 "2009-06-21T21:11:37Z")
I once worked on a film set with trained animals. The dogs were amazing, they would do anything they knew how to at a moments notice. The cats…well you could get them to “come” after five attempts and really it was hard to tell whether they were actually following orders or just happened to decide to go that direction at that moment. Whatever that family is doing to train those cats is either insanely impressive or an animal rights violation of the first degree. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/6 "2009-06-21T21:15:37Z")
I saw a guy from Russia who had a very similar show in Vegas. It seemed most of the cats could only do one thing (trick/behavior), and even though there were a lot of cats, half of them just climbed up their tall little post and sat around while the other half did all the heavy lifting “trick”-wise. But it still was a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/7 "2009-06-21T22:24:38Z")
If the cat’s not cut out for training, there’s nothing that can be done. These folks probably have to work with a lot of cats to find even one who can do tricks on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/8 "2009-06-21T23:06:23Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > It seemed most of the cats could only do one thing (trick/behavior), and even though there were a lot of cats, half of them just climbed up their tall little post and sat around while the other half did all the heavy lifting “trick”-wise. Well, that’s socialism for ya. The light brown fluffy cat at 1:25 looks a lot like mine. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/9 "2009-06-21T23:32:06Z")
The three cats I currently have are the sort who could probably have done this type of thing if I’d started training them early. All three are very social, fearless, and love to be on/near people. All three will troop into the bathroom with me and then fight for who gets to jump into my lap, for example, and they tend to assault visitors who sit down for more than about 30 seconds with their demands for attention. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/10 "2009-06-22T01:13:07Z")
Wow. Having owned cats and a dog, I definitely am surprised and impressed that they were able to get cats to do tricks consistently. I hope they use humane methods to do it. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/11 "2009-06-22T01:42:52Z")
Must be a great Russian tradition! If you’re in Vegas, check out [Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theater](http://www.comedypet.com/). It is the ultimate SQUEEEEEEEEE-fest. Gregory Popovich’s take on working with cats is that you don’t so much train them as recognize what they like to do and go with it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/12 "2009-06-22T02:18:49Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > I hope they use humane methods to do it. I recall seeing a program about a similar little circus and the training was heavily food-based. In the clip above you can see a few points where it indeed looks like they’re giving treats after each successful trick, sort of like dolphins or sea lions at a marine park. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/13 "2009-06-22T03:15:48Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > Must be a great Russian tradition! If you’re in Vegas, check out [Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theater](http://www.comedypet.com/). > > It is the ultimate SQUEEEEEEEEE-fest. > > Gregory Popovich’s take on working with cats is that you don’t so much train them as recognize what they like to do and go with it. 😉 And Popovich has a smoking hot daughter to go along with the show. I think he tried out for America’s got talent. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/14 "2009-06-22T05:53:19Z")
Love it! . . . But my cats would freak out from the balalaika music. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/15 "2009-06-23T20:44:56Z")
Popovich is/was one hell of a juggler. I remember seeing him back in the 80’s or 90’s with the Moscow Circus. His big move was 5-club back crosses while balancing on a ladder. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moscow-cat-theater/500500/16 "2009-06-23T21:23:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Where do I get me a Russian cutie wife like her? Through e-mail, of course. Do you mean to say you don’t get five of those spams a day?