The Moscow Cats Theater Rocks New York City!

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/17/theater/newsandfeatures/17cats.html?hp&ex=1127016000&en=9158ce5823bcbe41&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Even though I've read past articles about the purported existence of The Moscow Cats Circus - I was still skeptical that it actually existed. And the below New York Times story... made me wonder even more if this was not all some grand hoax that the media has played along with:

The idea of performing cats came to Mr. Kuklachev in 1971, he said, when he found a stray begging for food by performing on its hind legs and doing somersaults for onlookers. Mr. Kuklachev, the son of a truck driver and a factory worker, had attended clown school. He realized he and the cat might be able to do something together. He named her Strelka, and soon she was performing with him at the Moscow State Circus.

And...

A cat called Tamara was brought out onstage and began rocking on a glittering pink rocking horse, nearly tipping over at one point. There would also be a "tightrope" act. Two people held a pole horizontally while Belok, who is white, walked across it, with an intent manner. A black cat named Charlie did the same thing, but upside down, grasping the pole from underneath with his four legs. Motia, who is off-white, outdid them both. She made her way across the pole from underneath using only two legs.

Ok. Like I'm really supposed to believe that any of this happend.

And all you cat owners out there - you can understand my... skepticism of these claims. But there are photos. Actual photos of actual cats performing actual tricks. And it's at the TriBeCa Performing Arts Center until October 30th. No word if it is coming to LA or otherwise touring.