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frenchmagi Loyal user 264 Posts |
Hi all,
I've been curious lately about incorporating my girlfriend's cat into an act. So much of magic is done with tigers, that I wonder if the same methods may be used with a cat in a smaller setting. As far as a simple vanish or production, do any of you have any advice on what may or may not work? |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Remove all the claws on the cat, but be prepared for a real fight. Cats have a mind of their own and do not like being controled.
I do not know of any magican successfully using cats. |
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frenchmagi Loyal user 264 Posts |
I completely agree with you. All the cats I've ever come into contact with have been very independent and not liked being handled. But, I did see once on television a special an a Russian circus performer that was able to guide them through a circus act with a lot of ease. And tibetan monks have also been known to train cats. (Of course they probably have more patience than I!) Can anyone recommend any aparatus or methods that could hypothetically be used with these animals?
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EsnRedshirt Special user Newark, CA 895 Posts |
Raphlo2, you've hit on the same idea I've been toying with. However, depending on how old your girlfriend's cat is, you might want to give up; your best bet is to start training with a kitten (which is what they do with tigers and other big cats, too.)
Cats can be exceptionally friendly and have a great temperment- but they have to be trained to accept humans while still kittens. Probably most of the cats you've seen have grown up semi-independantly, without constant human contact. If that's the case, they may never be socialized enough to perform consistantly in a magic act. wmhegbli- I'll have to argue with you about declawing. It hurts the cat; in some countries, it's considered animal abuse. There's soft rubber claw caps avaliable, though, that give the same results as declawing without pain or surgery. They're cheaper, too.
Self-proclaimed Jack-of-all-trades and google expert*.
* = Take any advice from this person with a grain of salt. |
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
I survived Cat Scratch Fever, so I advice you to use caution.
Regan
Mister Mystery
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Daniel Faith Inner circle Neenah, Wisconsin 1526 Posts |
Personally, I think I would rather deal with ferrets than cats.
You may want to chat with Lee (magicleland). He works with a trained cat in his show.
Daniel Faith
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
We have plenty of cats. However, for magic, I think even blackwidow spiders or eight-foot rattlers would be a better choice. I don't recommend carrying the problems on stage with you.
Bob |
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magicleland Regular user 197 Posts |
I've had a trained house cat for a while now he knows all the comands and cues a regular trained tiger does. I'm thinking on adding more cats. Our "minture lion" starts the show for us.
zig zag illusion - $3,000
theater rental - $500 geting advice from othe magicians on the cafe - priceless |
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
They can be trained for sure. They are intellegent animals.
I am a cat lover, and currently own a cat, but they do scratch. I found out just how dangerous a scratch can be. It was a stray that got me with one claw under my fingernail. Blood oozed out, but it was dep under my nail, so it was difficult to disinfect. Months later I got sick. They thought I had Hogkin's Disease because I had a huge lump in my armpit that had gotten very sore. I was scheduled for surgery, when my "medical mom" remembered about that scratch. Luckily, she knew the symptoms of Cat Scratch Fever. I went to my family doctor and talked to him about it, and he sent me to a doctor of internal medicine. She took blood, but had to send it to the Mayo Clinic to be tested for CSF. Sure enough, the results came back and I had the dreaded Cat Scratch Fever. I was relieved that it was not Hogkin's, but CSF can be very serious also. It took a long time for me to recover from it. We have not been without a cat at our house for a long, long time. I love 'em, but I just wanted to let you all know about Cat Scratch Fever. Remeber, you have to think about the ausience also. A frightened cat can be hard to control, to say the least. Until I got CSF, the only thing I knew about it was from the song by Ted Nugent. That was one of the first songs I learned on guitar and my band played it for a long, long time. However, Ted's description of Cat Scratch Fever is not very realistic! :) Regan
Mister Mystery
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Autumn Morning Star Grammar Hostess Today, I corrected grammar in 1378 Posts |
I beseech you not to declaw the cat. It can totally change the behavior and health of your cat. During the declawing (which removes the whole fingertip + claw) sensory and motor nerves are cut, damaged and destroyed. See link: http://www.phsspca.org/training/declawing.htm
The cat needs her claws for a healthy immune system. When she uses them to scratch and stretch this is activating her immune system, thus assuring her good health. "EsnRedshirt" mentioned the claw caps and they work well. Here is a link: http://www.softpaws.com/ They even come in colors so she will look like she has painted fingernails! (Chicks dig it.) I used a cat in my show for years. I found a solid white abandoned kitten, just a few days old. His mother had been killed by a car. I named him Wazee. I used special canned cat milk from the vet to bottle feed the little fuzzball until his eyes opened up. Then my tiny white maltese dog, Shamu, had pups and she thought the kitten was a puppy. So she did the rest. Meanwhile, as the kitten grew I would drop treats in my duck bucket, Indian dove vanish, and other props. I would put him in and let him snack without closing the lid. I ended up giving him daily feedings inside the props. He would get in the duck bucket by himself and wait faithfully, peeking out and meowing until I gave him food. He loved it. I tied the bucket open so it would not accidentally close and smother him. I also took Wazee and carried him around. I cradled him on my shoulders, held him up above me, ruffled his fur, rubbed his belly and body, and basicly treated him like you would a dog. I played videos from my show and turned up the volume. I would feed him and scratch him on the head during the video. He learned to associate these sounds with tasty kibble! He grew to be a 17 lb tomcat! Not fat, just big! He would flop down and my 7 lb Shamu dog would drag him around by the scruff of the neck like her baby until he got too heavy. I did do the responsible thing and had him neutered. That was a tough day. I hate to alter an animal at all. Neutering/spaying is not natural, but we euthanize millions of unwanted animals in shelters every year in America, so we must consider this and be responsible. Wazee was fantastic in the show! He began performing at about 5 months of age. His color was excellent onstage and he was totally cool with everything because he was rewarded with treats. If you can provide a great home to a very young kitten, take the time to feed, love, and accept this animal even if they DO NOT work out for the show, I would say go for it. Pets are not expendible "props." They depend on their person for everything. A cat is about a 20+ year committment. When kitty gets old, he/she should be allowed to retire from the show and still have a home in which to be loved. The love you receive in return is more than ample reward for special care in kitty's golden years Autumn
Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning |
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magicleland Regular user 197 Posts |
Our kitten did a show down the road from the animal shelter we adopted him from. That was kinda wierd.
zig zag illusion - $3,000
theater rental - $500 geting advice from othe magicians on the cafe - priceless |
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magicalaurie Inner circle Ontario, Canada 2962 Posts |
I've got a brilliant cat that needs a job. Indeed.
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I use to have a cat in my show. I started when she was a kitten. She use to jump off the stand at the beginning. It took some time for me to get her trained. Kids really loved her. At the end of the show I would place the cat on a child's lap to take a picture. The problem was the claws. I got her declawed. Everything went great from there.
She was interested in my dove at first. After a few months of seeing each other every day, they became friends. |
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magicalaurie Inner circle Ontario, Canada 2962 Posts |
I second second the "soft paws" EsnRedshirt and MorningStar mentioned. Be aware a chief defense mechanism for the cat is being withdrawn. Nail caps are a gentler way to go, for sure, though. And temporary. However, biting is still an option. Ideally, go with a "bulletproof" cat, if you can find one. There are a few around. Training/conditioning could manage it, I believe.
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frenchmagi Loyal user 264 Posts |
Can anyone recommend a good illusion for these animals? As far as a production, aren't most production boxes too small for them (ie. rabbit, dove)
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Autumn Morning Star Grammar Hostess Today, I corrected grammar in 1378 Posts |
Try a duck bucket or a crystal casket.
Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
When they kittens they will fit any the rabbit size blamo boxes. When they are full grown have one custom made the right size.
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magicleland Regular user 197 Posts |
We use human illusions that have space for a cat. like a blamo box. Think Terry Evans Wood and his dog.
zig zag illusion - $3,000
theater rental - $500 geting advice from othe magicians on the cafe - priceless |
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puckmagic Loyal user Orlando, Florida 260 Posts |
Cats are usable in magic if you have patients in training them. Michael Douglas has made a reputation from the production of a huge white cat at the end of his dove act. If you remember Johnny Hart closed his dove act with producing a cat and then vanishing it in a newspaper tear appart with a cockatoo.
I used a cat in my show for years with no problems ever on stage. We did a Where do the Ducks go with our cat and it worked everytime. Our cats temperment would change to docile once on stage in the lights. I think that he didn't trust anyone except me and my wife so he was cool as long as we were the only ones handleing him. Puck |
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freefallillusion1 Elite user Cincinnati, OH 446 Posts |
It's certainly doable- we used our cat in a specially built blammo box for a long time. One problem we had was that he would always be a bit disoriented when the sides fell, so we harnessed him with a short lead to the false wall which became the floor. He got used to it soon enough. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE was the key. He knew us and trusted us, and it wasn't long before he looked forward to getting that "Whisker lickin's" treat that he knew would be in my wife's hand every time he was produced. Good luck!
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