Buzz
© JASON REED/Reuters/Corbis
The online world has been buzzing with excitement over reports of a canine participating in the elite squad that stormed Osama bin Laden's residence and took him down. Reacting to this, Slate compiled a gallery of photo illustrations showcasing the "Cats of War." However, the idea of cats being utilized as tools of warfare by the government is far from a laughing matter. During the Cuban Missile Crisis era, the Central Intelligence Agency was exploring every possible avenue to outmaneuver the Soviets.
This even included the idea of employing cats as espionage agents.
The CIA believed that the Soviets would never suspect a cat of being an American spy. By equipping the feline with audio recording or transmitting devices, it could effortlessly approach foreign agents and secretly gather intelligence.
The concept is so outlandish that it almost invites disbelief. Even within the agency, many viewed the plan with skepticism. Victor Marchetti, a former special assistant to the CIA director, shared with The Telegraph that the initiative was not only unsuccessful but also horrifying. “They cut the cat open, inserted batteries, and wired it up,” Marchetti explained. “They created an abomination.”
Project Acoustic Kitty
If only the process were as straightforward as Marchetti’s description suggests.
Internally referred to as “Project Acoustic Kitty,” the endeavor spanned approximately five years. While the originator of the spy cat idea remains unclear, once the concept was developed, it evolved into a collaborative effort between the CIA’s Office of Technical Services and Office of Research and Development.
The engineers and technicians faced significant challenges. To ensure the cats could function as effective spies, the implants had to be designed so as not to interfere with their natural movements, which could otherwise attract suspicion. Additionally, the devices had to avoid causing any discomfort that might lead the cats to attempt removing them through scratching, licking, or rubbing. Every component – including the power source, transmitter, microphone, and antenna – had to endure the internal conditions of the cats, such as temperature, humidity, and chemical environment.
Collaborating with external audio equipment specialists, the CIA developed a compact 3/4-inch transmitter to be implanted at the base of a cat’s skull. Initially, finding a suitable location for the microphone proved challenging, but the ear canal emerged as an ideal and surprisingly obvious choice. The antenna, crafted from delicate wire, was intricately woven through the cat’s fur, extending all the way to its tail for concealment. The batteries posed a minor hurdle, as the cats’ small size restricted the team to using only the tiniest power sources, limiting the duration of recording capabilities.
The equipment’s functionality and performance were initially tested on dummies, followed by live animals. These trials also involved monitoring the cats’ reactions to the devices to ensure their comfort and confirm that their movements and behavior remained unaffected. After evaluating the risks of potential public backlash against the benefits of successful feline operatives, the agency proceeded to equip their first fully operational spy cat.
Once the cat regained consciousness from anesthesia, it was placed in a recovery room for rest and additional testing. During various operational simulations, the cat’s behavior became erratic, causing concern among its handlers that they might have committed a grave error.
Up until this point, the experimental animals had demonstrated the ability to move short distances and locate specific targets in familiar settings. However, outside the controlled lab environment, the cat proved uncontrollable. It would wander off when bored, distracted, or hungry. To address the hunger issue, another surgical procedure was performed. The combined costs of surgeries and training reportedly escalated the total expenditure to $20 million, but Acoustic Kitty was finally deemed ready for real-world deployment. (Due to partial redactions in the CIA’s project documents, it remains unclear whether the first field-tested cat was the previously mentioned female or a different one.)
During the initial field test, a CIA surveillance van was stationed across from a park where the targets were seated on a bench. The cat exited the van and began crossing the road but was immediately struck and killed by a passing taxi.
A Tiny Leap for Feline Espionage
Following the cat’s tragic demise, a CIA operative retrieved the remains from the accident scene to prevent the Soviets from accessing the sophisticated audio devices.
Project Acoustic Kitty was officially terminated in 1967. The idea of deploying agents that the CIA could not reliably control was considered a disastrous strategy, leading to the project being labeled a complete failure.
Records pertaining to Acoustic Kitty were declassified in 2001 in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the National Security Archives, though some sections remain redacted. A post-project report did, however, commend the team, describing them as 'exemplary scientific pioneers' for demonstrating that 'cats can be trained to move short distances.'
A triumph for all involved, except, of course, the cat.
To explore further details about Acoustic Kitty, refer to Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs and Emily Anthes’ blog, Wonderland.
