CIA put transmitter in cat and used tail as antenna to get Kremlin secrets

Ananova ^ | Nov 03 2001

[2Trievers]

The CIA tried to discover Russia's Cold War secrets by installing bugging devices in a cat and using its tail as an antenna.

Recently declassified documents show agents inserted the transmitters into the cat they called Acoustic Kitty.

A former officer says the experiment - carried out in 1966 - ended when the cat was run over.

They hoped the cat would allow them to listen to secret conversations from window sills and park benches.

Victor Marchetti told The Sunday Telegraph: "They slit the cat open, put batteries in him, wired him up. The tail was used as an antenna. They made a monstrosity. They tested him and tested him. They found he would walk off the job when he got hungry, so they put another wire in to override that."

He adds: "They took it out to a park and put him out of the van, and a taxi comes and runs him over. There they were, sitting in the van with all those dials, and the cat was dead."

The document has been declassified from the Science and Technology Directorate.

[2Trievers]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[FreepTibet]

There they were, sitting in the van with all those dials, and the cat was dead.

Our tax money hard at work. I might be upset, but this is too d*mn funny!

[meenie]

With the latest advances in technology we should be able to wire a mouse and send him out to gather the latest secrets of our enemies. Is it any wonder that the CIA was roundly criticized for being unable to predict the break-up of the Soviet Union? They were too busy petting the kitty instead of gathering intelligence.

[Happygal]

``They took it out to a park and put him out of the van, and a taxi comes and runs him over. There they were, sitting in the van with all those dials, and the cat was dead."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonder what Peta have to say about that? *L*

[Happygal]

Also from Ananova today! *L*

Cat goes missing in radio studio after appearing on programme

A cat has gone missing in a radio station's offices after appearing on a programme. Radio 1's science programme was dealing with the question of why cats always land on their feet. A programme assistant brought in the family cat to meow during the programme. After it ended, the cat disappeared. Sven Speybrouck says the cat behaved very well - meowing in all the right places but things went wrong afterwards. He told De Morgen: "I don¹t know how this could have happened. She must have slipped away during our after-programme meeting." He's sent an email to all the station's employees, saying: "Looking urgently for a white and grey cat. Should be in or around the studios."

Maybe they should go check under the taxi's for this one too! *ROFL*

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Recently declassified documents show agents inserted the transmitters into the cat they called Acoustic Kitty.

Groovy baby, yeah!

[2Trievers]

There were several good stories out of that deplorable Ananova today, weren't there? Yours is a good one too.

[2Trievers]

"Groovy baby, yeah!"

Ya' think it needed batteries?

[SubMareener]

They should have tried a bird! Then it wouldn't get hit by a car, but could fly up to a window sill and leave a microphone and transmitter package!

[jmp702]

It's Friday night, his paycheck spent, and home is where you find it...

[Gadsden1st]

Acoustic Kitty + Taxi = Sail Cat

[TechJunkYard]

Not a long enough tail for an antenna though....

[The Duke]

Cat to Ruskies: "Take..me..to..your..litter!"

[GeekDejure]

Where's PETA when you really need 'em ??? :-))

[patriot_wes]

don't ya just love american ingenuity?

[piasa]

heheehe...

Leave it to the government to get a cat with only one life left to give for his country...

[KneelBeforeZod]

[vikzilla]

I say we wire up some gerbils and let them go in Afghanistan. You never know whose end one of them might end up.

[kingh99]

Annova is starting to dig into Onion readership I see. This is hilarious....and a joke people.

[pocat]

I don't even want to know where they put the plug to recharge the batteries...