02/05/2024
The Acoustic Kitty Project.
In the 1960s, the CIA tried to spy on the Kremlin and Russian embassies by turning cats into listening devices. The program, called Acoustic Kitty, involved surgically implanting batteries, microphones, and antennae inside cats.
The concept behind the Acoustic Kitty program involved surgically implanting listening devices and other equipment into the bodies of specially trained cats. The idea was to train the cats to approach targets of interest, such as Soviet diplomats or intelligence operatives, and then record their conversations or transmit audio back to handlers via radio signals.
In 1966, the CIA conducted a field test of the Acoustic Kitty program in Washington, D.C., where a specially trained cat was released into the vicinity of a Soviet compound to gather intelligence. However, the operation was ultimately deemed a failure, as the cat was quickly hit by a taxi and killed, effectively ending the program.
The Acoustic Kitty project was officially discontinued shortly after the failed field test, and the CIA ultimately abandoned the idea of using animals as covert listening devices. The program became the subject of ridicule and criticism, with many questioning the ethics and practicality of using animals in intelligence operations.
