6 Degrees of Cats

Felis catus - the “domestic house cat”. What does that label mean for the hundreds of millions of domesticated yet house-less cats - and how does the answer to this connect to both human and cat welfare? In this special episode, released during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’ll be joined by Community Cats Podcast host Stacy LeBaron, who will share success stories of the “mosaic of support” that benefits both humans and their feline family members. We’re grateful to also have two special guests from the Urban Resource Institute who shed light on the #1 cause of homelessness in New York City, and why cats are a part of the solution. And we’ll have a cameo from returning guest Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s hit series, My Cat From Hell and founder of The Jackson Galaxy Project, a program of The Greater Good Charities.

If you or someone you know is healing from ongoing or past power-based interpersonal violence (IPV; domestic violence) you are not alone, there is never an excuse and you have resources - for U.S. listeners, thehotline.org has a clearinghouse of free, trauma-informed service providers. For international listeners, the No More Global Directory has region-specific hotlines at nomoredirectory.org. And if you’d like to get involved, visit righttobe.org for bystander intervention resources and more.

• Post-episode body scan exercise (materials courtesy The Greater Good Science Center at University of California - Berkeley): https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation
• Special thanks to Kristin DeFur of The Urban Resource Institute (URI) and Kyle of the TASC group for facilitating the URI interview.

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• Community CATalysts: Kosovans Caring for Their Animal Survivors
• Beyond Taylor Swift: Who Are Cat People?
• Our Feline Fictive Kin: Are Cats Full Fledged Family? [Season 2 Finale]

About the experts:

• Elizabeth Rose is a domestic violence survivor, mother and 2024 URI Celebration Triumph Award recipient. After escaping abuse in 2019 with her daughter Hazel and their cat Bebe, she found safety and healing through the Urban Resource Institute’s People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program. Today, Elizabeth shares her story as a testament to resilience and the lifesaving impact of programs that keepfamilies and pets together.
• Teal Inzunza, L.C.S.W., is the Associate Vice President of Justice Initiatives at the Urban Resource Institute (URI), where she leads programs supporting survivors of domestic violence and homeless families. With a background as URI’s Director of Economic Empowerment, Inzunza is a nationally recognized advocate for economic justice, LGBTQ survivor support and systemic change. She co-chairs the NYC Domestic Violence & Economic Justice Taskforce and has been honored with awards from Her Justice and the Anti-Violence Project for her transformative work.
• Stacy LeBaron has been involved in animal welfare for over 30 years and considers herself a feline entrepreneur. She currently hosts the Community Cats Podcast where she interviews renowned experts about cat overpopulation and welfare solutions. The podcast hosts three certification programs covering the topics of Trap, Neuter, and Return, Surrender Prevention, and Return to Home. Stacy is also a partner of the Community Cat Clinic in Woodstock and Duluth, Georgia; President of PAWSitive Pantry in Vermont and Massachusetts; Treasurer at the Vermont Humane Federation, the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society and Community Cat Champions; and Treasurer and Director of Strategy at The United Spay Alliance. Stacy graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Urban Studies. She now lives in Vermont and Switzerland with her husband.
• Jackson Galaxy is a cat behavior and wellness expert, YouTube creator, musician and the star of hit Animal Planet series, My Cat From Hell. Visit https://www.jacksongalaxyproject and follow @catdaddy on YouTube and all social media platforms.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and new associate Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Animal cruelty and domestic violence - the link between cruelty to animals and violence toward humans. Animal Legal Defense Fund. (2022, January 3). https://aldf.org/article/the-link-between-cruelty-to-animals-and-violence-toward-humans-2/
• Global Homelessness Statistics. Homeless World Cup. (n.d.). https://www.homelessworldcup.org/homelessness-statistics
• Marshall, L. (2025, August 29). Katrina 20 years later: What we’ve learned. CU Boulder Today. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2025/08/29/katrina-20-years-later-what-weve-learned
• Randall, K. (2025, August 28). Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, many of us are still missing all that we lost—and grappling with one of the country’s worst disasters. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/twenty-years-after-hurricane-katrina-many-of-us-are-still-missing-all-that-we-lostand-grappling-with-one-of-the-countrys-worst-disasters-180987253/
• The State of Pet Homelessness Project. (2024). https://stateofpethomelessness.com/
• These innovative projects are tackling homelessness around the world. World Economic Forum. (2021, October). https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/10/innovative-projects-tackling-homelessness-around-the-world/
• Tillery, B., Ray, A., Cruz, E., & Waters, E. (2017). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Hate and Intimate Partner Violence in 2017. The NYC Anti-Violence Project. https://avp.org/2017-hv-ipv-report/
• Understanding the link between animal abuse and family violence. American Humane Society. (2024, December 13). https://www.americanhumane.org/public-education/understanding-the-link-between-animal-abuse-and-family-violence/
• Walton-Moss, B. J., Manganello, J., Frye, V., & Campbell, J. C. (2005, October). Risk factors for intimate partner violence and associated injury among urban women. Journal of community health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16175959/

What’s really going on with fearful cats - and why should we rethink the label “scaredy cat”? Behavioral biologist Dr. Lee Niel shares expert insights on how to read cats’ signals and understand what they’re trying to tell us. Returning guest expert Dr. Kristyn Vitale explores the environments and conditions that can create so-called scaredy cats. Finally, meet arborist and emergency responder Duane Hook, who rescues cats stuck in trees and offers a unique perspective on feline fear, trust and resilience.

Check out Cat in a Tree Emergency Rescue at catinatreerescue.com.

Special thanks to Georgia Mason, Ph.D. of the University of Guelph.

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• 5 Ways to Say ”I Love Mew”: Using the 5 Love Languages…With Your Cat?
• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]

About the experts:

• Duane Hook, an Ohio-based arborist and cat rescuer has been helping cats in North America down from trees since 2010. You can watch his harrowing rescue missions on TikTok (tiktok.com/@getmeowtahere) and YouTube (@DHook) - all happy outcomes! - and learn more about his work at getmeowtahere.com.
• Kristyn Vitale, Ph.D., is the founder of Maueyes and star of Netflix’s hit feature film, “The Mind of a Cat”. Her innovative research on cat behavior and human-animal interaction has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and been covered by such international publications as Science, National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Times of London.
• Lee Niel, Ph.D., is a behavioural biologist trained in animal behaviour and welfare with expertise with both laboratory and companion animals. Dr. Niel holds the Col KL Campbell Chair in Companion Animal Welfare at Ontario Veterinary College at Canada's University of Guelph, and her research and teaching are focused on the behaviour and welfare of companion animals.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and new associate Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Adolphs, R. (2013, January 21). The Biology of Fear. Current biology : CB. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3595162/
• Cantor, C., & Price, J. (2007, May). Traumatic entrapment, appeasement and complex post-traumatic stress disorder: Evolutionary perspectives of hostage reactions, domestic abuse and the Stockholm syndrome. The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17464728/
• Chetty, R., Hofmeyr, A., Kincaid, H., & Monroe, B. (2021). The Trust Game Does not (only) Measure trust: The risk-trust. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics). https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/soceco/v90y2021ics2214804319302290.html
• Costandi, M. (2023, February 15). Your brain is wired to detect fear, outside of your conscious awareness. Big Think. https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/brain-fear-unconscious-awareness/
• Davis, D., Hogan, A. A., & Hart, D. J. (2025, September 19). Myths of trauma memory: On the oversimplification of effects of attention narrowing under stress. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1294730/full
• Dawson, L. C., Cheal, J., & Mason, G. (2019, November). Humans can identify cats’ affective states from subtle facial expressions. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336964729_Humans_can_identify_cats’_affective_states_from_subtle_facial_expressions
• Evangelista, M., Watanabe, R., Leung, V., Monteiro, B., O’Toole, E., Pang, D., & Steagall, P. (2019, December 13). Facial expressions of pain in cats: The development and validation of a feline grimace scale. Scientific reports. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31836868/
• Fitzpatrick, K. (n.d.). Animal lover. Dorothy Parker Society. https://dorothyparker.com/dorothy-parker-haunts/animal-lover
• Fraidy-cat - etymology, origin & meaning. etymonline. (n.d.). https://www.etymonline.com/word/fraidy-cat
• Graham, C., Pearl, D. L., & Niel, L. (2024, January). Too much too soon? risk factors for fear behaviour in foster kittens prior to adoption - sciencedirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159123003131
• Hancock, P. A., Kessler, T. T., Kaplan, A. D., Stowers, K., Brill, J. C., Billings, D. R., Schaefer, K. E., & Szalma, J. L. (2023, March 27). How and why humans trust: A meta-analysis and elaborated model. Frontiers in psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10083508/
• Hardee, J. T. (2003). An overview of empathy. The Permanente Journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5571783/
• Indecency, Obscenity, Profanity and the 7 Words Forbidden by the FCC. Pacifica Network. (2025). https://pacificanetwork.org/indecency-obscenity-profanity-and-the-7-words-forbidden-by-the-fcc/
• Kolaitis, G., & Olff, M. (2017, September 29). Psychotraumatology in Greece. European journal of psychotraumatology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5632764/
• Lamotte, S. (2021, October 27). Why am I a scaredy-cat and you’re not? The Science of Fright. KSL.com. https://www.ksl.com/article/50269734/why-am-i-a-scaredy-cat-and-youre-not-the-science-of-fright
• Li, Y., Zhi, W., Qi, B., Wang, L., & Hu, X. (2025, September 19). Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: Illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524/full
• McLeod, S. (2025, March 18). Albert Bandura’s social learning theory in psychology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html
• professional, C. C. medical. (2024, December 19). What is the limbic system?. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/limbic-system
• Ray, K. S. (2020, May 17). Scaredy cat: Why is that?. De facto Cat. https://defactocat.wordpress.ncsu.edu/2020/02/15/scaredy-cat-why-is-that/
• Scaredy-cat. Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/scaredy-cat
• Schlote, S. (2023). History of the term “appeasement”: A response to bailey et al. (2023). European journal of psychotraumatology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10078115/
• Schmidt, N. B., Richey, J. A., Zvolensky, M. J., & Maner, J. K. (2008, September). Exploring human freeze responses to a threat stressor. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2489204/
• Why are cats scared of thunder and fireworks?. Purina US. (2025, June 5). https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/behavior/understanding-cats/are-cats-scared-of-thunder-fireworks
• Zak, P. J. (2024, February 20). The neurobiology of trust. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-neurobiology-of-trust/

Who loves cats and cinema? On this episode, the crew of your favorite cat-themed culture, history and science podcast make our first foray into feline film studies! Join us for a 40 minute discussion on the roles cats have played onscreen - from overlooked props and stereotypes to scene-stealing stars who shape stories and symbolize mystery, power and resilience. Host Amanda “Captain Kitty” B. is joined by film critic Angelica Jade Bastién, 25 Cats from Qatar and Cat Daddies filmmaker Mye Hoang (with cinematographer Rob Bennett), and Girls and Their Cats video series creator Brianne Wills to unpack how filmmakers use the “five Cs of cinematography” to portray cats, the cultural tropes tying felines to witches and “mad women” and the rise of cat-pawsitive storytelling in both film and digital media. From Hollywood classics to international documentaries and everyday cat videos, we explore how these furry icons are reshaping the zeitgeist - and how we can celebrate and sustain this New Wave.

Note: There is a brief mention of gender-based violence. If you or someone you know has experienced domestic or intimate partner violence or assault, please connect with 1-800-656-HOPE (US) or visit domesticshelters.org for international resources. You are not alone, nobody deserves it and you have options.

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween! [Season 2 Premiere]
• Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot
• Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore
• Felines & Fatherhood: Exploring Masculinity, Father’s Day, and the Unique Bond Between Men and Cats

About the experts:

• Angelica Jade Bastién is a critic and essayist at New York Magazine’s site Vulture. She has been featured on Rotten Tomatoes and her work has been published in many publications including Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, and within Criterion Blu-ray releases. She lives in Chicago with her two cats. You can subscribe to her newsletter, Madwomen & Muses on Substack.
• BriAnne Wills is a fashion and beauty photographer and the creator of Girls and Their Cats, a photo and YouTube series created by BriAnne as a way to debunk the crazy cat lady stereotype and to showcase cat-owning women in a positive light. Originally from Oregon, she currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two cats, Liza and Tuck. She’s photographed over 400 women around the US, all as unique as their feline friends. Subscribe to the Girls and Their Cats YouTube channel and sign up here to be featured in her next video shoot.
• Mye Hoang is a Los Angeles–based producer and director of cat-themed documentaries 25 Cats From Qatar (2025) and Cat Daddies (2022). She produced the award-winning noir thriller Man From Reno (LA Film Festival Best Feature, Spirit Award Nominee 2015) and Lynn Chen’s I Will Make You Mine (SXSW 2020), and her first narrative feature, Viette (2012), a Vietnamese American coming-of-age story, screened at dozens of festivals including the Asian American International Film Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Fest. Hoang is the founder and former Executive Director of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, former Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, and holds a BA in Cinema from Southern Methodist University. Visit 25catsfromqatar.com to purchase the film on Blu-ray and visit catdaddiesmovie.com Cat Daddies to watch On Demand or purchase on DVD.
• Rob E. Bennett is a Los Angeles–based cinematographer whose work spans documentary, narrative, and commercial projects. In collaboration with director Mye Hoang, he shot 25 Cats from Qatar (2025) and Cat Daddies (2022), both praised by critics for their evocative and carefully crafted visuals. Follow more of his work at rawbennett.com and on Instagram @rawbennett.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and new associate Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Academy of Film, Theatre & Television Blog. (2017, May 26). 5 C’s of cinematography. https://www.aftt.edu.au/news/latest-news/5-c-s-of-cinematography
• AFI Docs. (2010, May 21). Martin Scorsese: Documentary vs. Narrative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtBd0VdImw
• Alexandra, R. (2024, January 12). How the “crazy” cat lady became one of pop culture’s most enduring sexist tropes. KQED. https://www.kqed.org/arts/13891913/how-the-crazy-cat-lady-became-one-of-pop-cultures-most-enduring-sexist-tropes
• Arosteguy, S. (2021, November 3). 10 things I learned: The incredible shrinking man | current | the criterion collection. Criterion.com. https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7591-10-things-i-learned-the-incredible-shrinking-man
• Cinema Cats. (2019, June 27). https://cinemacats.com/
• Flood, A. (2018, June 19). Garfield’s creator, 40 Years on: “I’m still trying to get it right.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/19/garfield-jim-davis-40-years
• Hoang, M. (2025). 25 Cats from Qatar. Grey Hat Productions. https://www.25catsfromqatar.com/
• Kinds of movies: Narrative film, Documentary film, and experimental film - 666 words: Essay example. IvyPanda. (n.d.). https://ivypanda.com/essays/kinds-of-movies-narrative-film-documentary-film-and-experimental-film/
• Krause, M. (2019, October 15). What is Zeitgeist? examining period-specific cultural patterns. Poetics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304422X18301931
• Leith, M. (2001, October 16). The end of the other. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC81547/
• Lynn, H. (2023, November). The impact of Film on culture: Reflections on movie industry, violent impact and politicized content production. Communications in Humanities Research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375767695_The_Impact_of_Film_on_Culture_Reflections_on_Movie_Industry_Violent_Impact_and_Politicized_Content_Production
• Monohan, S. (2022, December 19). I predicted the “vibe shift” – and watched it sweep the world. here’s what it actually means. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/dec/19/how-can-you-spot-a-vibe-shift-that-transforms-popular-culture-ask-me-i-literally-invented-the-term
• National Science and Media Museum. (2020, June 18). A very short history of cinema. National Science and Media Museum. https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/very-short-history-of-cinema#:~:text=The%20first%20to%20present%20projected,film%20printer%20all%20in%20one.
• Pew Research Center. (2023, November 10). Newspapers fact sheet. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/newspapers/
• Rawlings, S. W. (1985, April). Household and family characteristics: March 1984. Current population reports. Series P-20, Population characteristics. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12158811/#:~:text=Of%20the%2085.4%20million%20households,1980%2C%20and%2048.1%20in%201970.
• Seelye, K. (2006, October 31). Newspaper Circulation Falls sharply. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/business/media/31paper.html
• Welk, B. (2021, August 8). 10 crazy cat ladies in movies and TV, from “alien” to “the office” (photos). The Wrap. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/10-crazy-cat-ladies-movies-153038868.html

Welcome back to 6 Degrees of Cats, the world’s #1 (& only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast!

In this 40-ish minute odyssey of the mind, we head back to the Fertile Crescent with the help of Zahra Hankir, author of New York Times Book Review Editors pick, Eyeliner: A Cultural History, to explore why the aesthetics of the “cat eye” belie the deep symbolic and protective properties this design invokes - and how eyeliner connects us to our ancestors and cultures across the world! We then travel to other realms to see what else those mesmerizing, chatoyant eyes may be picking up - carbon monoxide? Mice in the walls? GHOSTS? - with clairvoyant animal communicator Alicia Halloran of Healing Habitat. Then, with the help of Dr. Steve Hanes of the Veterinary Eye Center of NYC, we train our gaze directly into the physical eyeballs of our feline friends to observe the biomechanics and optical oddities that might help explain at least some of that infamous creepy cat stare phenomena. (Why is there no X-File on this yet?)

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel especially reverent of the extra-sensory vigilance our house guardians possess!

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• The Golden Age of Cats: The Medieval Middle East, Muezza and the Mark of Muhammad (or Mary)
• Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat, Part 1: Research and Righting Reflexes
• Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat, Part 2: Exploring Science Fairs, Schrodinger’s Cat, and the Fascinating Concept of Cats as Liquids

About the experts:

• Alicia Halloran is a trained animal communicator and holistic coach who specializes in spiritual behaviorism and clairvoyant healing. Since 2005, she has helped animals and their people through her business, Healing Habitat. Learn more about Alicia’s work at aliciahalloran.com or follow her on Instagram at @odieseyes.
• Zahra Hankir, M.A., M.S., is the author of Eyeliner: A Cultural History (Penguin Random House), a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick. She is a Columbia University–trained journalist with an academic background in Middle Eastern Studies, Islamic movements and international politics. Visit www.zahrahankir.com for more information on her work and upcoming publications.
• Steve Hanes, V.M.D., M.S., D.A.C.V.O. is a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist at the Veterinary Eye Center of NYC. Dr. Hanes received his veterinary studies degree at the University of Pennsylvania and interned in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Florida, later completing his comparative ophthalmology residency at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Please visit https://www.vecnyc.com/doctors/steve-hanes to learn more about Steve and the Veterinary Eye Center of NYC.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and new associate Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Abbasi, S. M. (2017). A study of the evil eye phenomenon and how it is translated ... Indian Journal of Scientific Research. https://www.ijsr.in/upload/108373904925.pdf
• Cat’s Eyes. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10025988
• Crivellato, E., & Ribatti, D. (2006, October 23). Soul, mind, brain: Greek philosophy and the birth of Neuroscience. Brain Research Bulletin. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S036192300600298X?via%3Dihub
• Earsc. (2021, April 7). World from space: “how we use technology inspired by bats to see water availability in fields.” EARSC. https://earsc.org/2021/04/07/world-from-space-how-we-use-technology-inspired-by-bats-to-see-water-availability-in-fields/
• Gem-A. (2025, February 19). Understanding the cat’s eye effect in gemstones: Gem-a. Gem. https://gem-a.com/gem-hub/understanding-the-cats-eye-effect-in-gemstones/
• Hankir, Z. (2023). Eyeliner: A cultural history. New York: Penguin Books.
• Jiang, J., Borowiak, K., Tudge, L., Otto, C., & von Kriegstein, K. (2017, February 1). Neural mechanisms of eye contact when listening to another person talking. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5390711/
• Johnston, A. M., Turrin, C., Watson, L., Arre, A. M., & Santos, L. R. (2017, July 13). Uncovering the origins of dog-human eye contact. https://caplab.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/2017-johnstonetal.pdf
• Peissig, J. J., Killian, A., & Mousavi, M. (2016, September). The role of the eyes and makeup in attractiveness [poster]. The Role of the Eyes and Makeup in Attractiveness. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307891875_The_Role_of_the_Eyes_and_Makeup_in_Attractiveness
• Prantl, L., Heidekrueger, P. I., Broer, P. N., Knoll, S., Thiha, A., & Gründl, M. (2018, June 11). Female eye attractiveness – where beauty meets science. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1010518218302828
• Ramsay, P. S. (2013, March). Heinrich Hertz, the father of frequency. The Neurodiagnostic Journal. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23682537/
• ReFaey, K., Quinones, G. C., Clifton, W., Tripathi, S., & Quiñones-Hinojosa, A. (2019, May 23). The eye of horus: The connection between art, medicine, and mythology in Ancient Egypt. Cureus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6649877/
• Rodriguez McRobbie, L. (2024, October 30). The Ouija board can’t connect us to paranormal forces-but it can tell us a lot about psychology, grief and uncertainty. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-ouija-board-cant-connect-us-to-paranormal-forces-but-it-can-tell-us-a-lot-about-psychology-grief-and-uncertainty-5860627/
• Salem, O. (2024, March 15). More than meets the eye: Looking twice at the history of eyeliner - with Zahra Hankir. New Lines Magazine. https://newlinesmag.com/podcast/more-than-meets-the-eye-looking-twice-at-the-history-of-eyeliner-with-zahra-hankir/
• Schulz, J. (2012, November 28). Eye contact: An introduction to its role in communication. College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/eye_contact_an_introduction_to_its_role_in_communication#:~:text=Eye%20contact%20during%20a%20conversation,discussion%2C%20dialogue%2C%20or%20chat.
• The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II, Francis II, and Charles IX, kings of France and one of the best astronomers that ever were a work full of curiosity and learning / translated and commented by Theophilvs de Garencieres ... The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II, Francis II, and Charles IX, kings of France and one of the best astronomers that ever were a work full of curiosity and learning / translated and commented by Theophilvs de Garencieres ... | Early English Books Online 2 | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A52521.0001.001/1:9.2?rgn=div2&view=fulltext
• Volandes, S. (2020, May 14). The history of the evil eye — the best evil eye jewelry. Town & Country Magazine. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/jewelry-and-watches/a32446159/evil-eye-jewelry-history/
• Wilson, M. (2022, February 24). The eye of providence: The symbol with a secret meaning?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201112-the-eye-of-providence-the-symbol-with-a-secret-meaning

The time has come to settle the score – are cats cuter than babies? Join us for an evidence-informed artistic analysis of the aesthetics of cats and how and why we love to depict them in illustration, animation and graphic art. (And why cats are, indeed, cuter than babies.)

In this fun, feline and fact-filled episode, listen in on how and why cats became the muses for one illustrator of grumpy cats - Natalia Garcez - and a source of inspiration for hundreds of thousands of families across the world. Joining Natalia is digital artist and YouTube star Ergojosh who breaks down the “cat face theory” circulating on TikTok and why Disney and Pixar’s production teams may favor cat facial anatomy for cute inspiration. And join host Captain Kitty (a.k.a. Amanda B.) as she leverages her Cat Oracle Deck for artistic, intellectual and even spiritual guidance with the help of Catnip Magazine’s Anja Charbonneau.

Special thanks to Broccoli Magazine for providing the team a Cat Oracle Deck.

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out this supplementary episode:

• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]

About the experts:

• Anja Chabonneau is the Editor in Chief and Creative Director of Broccoli Magazine, a publisher of unusual delights including Catnip Magazine, Broccoli Magazine and the Cat Oracle Deck. To purchase a Cat Oracle Deck, visit https://broccolimag.com and follow @catnip_mag and @broccoli_mag on Instagram.
• Natalia Garcez is a Brazilian-born graphic designer and illustrator of grumpy cats based in Copenhagen whose Instagram account, @casagiraceramics (formerly “chonkygrompy”) inspired hundreds of thousands of children to paint chunky, grumpy cats with their parents. Learn more about Natalia by following her Instagram account or visiting https://www.nataliagarcez.com.
• Joshua “Ergojosh” Stephens is a digital artist specializing in character design who educates his 700k+ YouTube subscribers with videos that have been seen over 54 million times. Follow Ergojosh on YouTube or @ergo.josh on Instagram, and visit his website on at ergojosh.com to learn more about his online courses on digital illustration.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky, Snuggles and Peanut

Additional voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_
• Edward Anthony (@itsmyunzii)

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• chonkygrompy [@chonkygrompy]. (n.d.). A very special client ordered a painting of all her current … [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@chonkygrompy/video/7254117947654901018?lang=en
• Clark, F. (Host). (2023, August 1). Art for mental health: The well-being benefits of practicing art [Audio podcast episode]. In [AMA Update]. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/art-mental-health-well-being-benefits-practicing-art-frank
• Ergojosh. (2019, December 5). Draw faces easily! [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/KdpkxdP9Thw
• Glocker, M. L., Langleben, D. D., Ruparel, K., Loughead, J. W., Gur, R. C., & Sachser, N. (2009, March). Baby schema in infant faces induces cuteness perception and motivation for caretaking in adults. Ethology : formerly Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3260535/
• Goodwin, B. C., Browne, M., & Rockloff, M. (2015, December 1). Measuring preference for supernormal over natural rewards : A two-dimensional anticipatory pleasure scale. Evolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10480800/
• Hansen, K. (2023, September 1). These famous cartoon cats stand the test of time (and cuteness). BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/kaileyhansen/famous-cartoon-cats
• Kringelbach, M. L., Lehtonen, A., Squire, S., Harvey, A. G., Craske, M. G., Holliday, I. E., Green, A. L., Aziz, T. Z., Hansen, P. C., Cornelissen, P. L., & Stein, A. (2008, February 7). A specific and rapid neural signature for parental instinct. PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0001664
• Kringelbach, M. L., Stein, A., & Stark, E. (2016, July 4). How cute things hijack our brains and drive behaviour. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-cute-things-hijack-our-brains-and-drive-behaviour-61942
• O’Neil, M. J., Danvers, A. F., Hu, J. I., & Shiota, M. N. (2024, September 16). Prototype facial response to cute stimuli: Expression and recognition. Personality & social psychology bulletin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39282978/
• Varnum, M. E. W. (2023, January 15). The powerful psychology of cuteness. Psychology Today.

In part two of this sleep and dream series in "6 Degrees of Cats," your favorite cat-themed history, culture, and science, let’s find out what your dreams (and your cat’s) mean…if anything!

Returning to the podcast are Jungian analyst Mary Bowen, the senior most Pilates practitioner to have studied under Joseph Pilates who explains Jung’s deepest mission for us in the unconscious and relates it to her own journey. We’ll also excavate the profound collective consciousness of The Dreamspace with The Nap Ministry founder and Bishop Tricia Hersey, M.Div., author of New York Times bestseller “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto” (Little, Brown Spark) whose follow up, “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape” (Hachette), helps us navigate a path to true liberation and connection to self and others.

And cats, of course.

After this episode, take note of your dreams and discuss them with your cat. Or with your fellow 6 Degrees of Cats listeners on The Captain’s Log!

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• Catnaps! On Pilates and Rest with pilates practitioner Mary Bowen (Lifelong Pilates Plus Psyche with Mary Bowen) and author and activist Tricia Hersey, M.Div (The Nap Ministry)
• Felines & Fatherhood: Exploring Masculinity, Father’s Day, and the Unique Bond Between Men and Cats

About the experts:

• Mary Bowen is the most senior Pilates elder still teaching who knew and studied with Joseph and Clara Pilates. To study with Mary please visit https://pilates-marybowen.com.
• Tricia Hersey, M.Div, is the Atlanta, Georgia-based founder of The Nap Ministry, an organization that examines the liberating power of naps and author of “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto” (Little, Brown Spark) and “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape” (Hachette), both available at major and independent book retailers. You can follow Bishop Hersey’s work on Instagram, Facebook, Threads and X via @thenapministry and learn more about her work and how to participate in a Collective Rest Experience by visiting her website at thenapministry.wordpress.com.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and associate producer Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Bartels, M. (2024, March 2). What do dogs and cats dream about?. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-do-dogs-and-cats-dream-about/
• Bautze-Picron, C. (2003, June 30). The five Dreams of the Bodhisatta in the Murals of Pagan. Berliner Indologische Studien, 2003, 15-17, pp.341-368. https://www.themathesontrust.org/papers/buddhism/Bautze-Five_Dreams_of_the_Bodhisatta.pdf
• Benvenuto, S. (2022, August 3). Freud’s concept of narcissism - European Journal of Psychoanalysis. European Journal of Psychoanalysis -. https://www.journal-psychoanalysis.eu/articles/freuds-concept-of-narcissism/
• Brinkhof, T. (2023, July 28). In “The red book,” Carl Jung recorded his encounters with entities from “Inner space.” https://bigthink.com/high-culture/carl-jung-unconscious/
• Carr, M. (2016, June 30). A brief history of dream research. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dream-factory/201606/brief-history-dream-research
• Cat dreams. Dream Dictionary. (2023b, November 22). https://www.dreamdictionary.org/dream-dictionary/cat-dreams/
• Dal Sacco, D. (2022, May 11). Dream recall frequency and psychosomatics. Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9171870/
• Farah, S. (2023, February 2). The archetypes of the anima and animus. Applied Jung. https://appliedjung.com/the-archetypes-of-the-anima-and-animus/
• Freud, S. (1997). The interpretation of dreams (A. A. Brill, Trans.). Wordsworth Editions.
• Historical Adventure. (2023, August 4). Hesiod: The farmer who wrote the “‘Genesis’” of Greek Mythology. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ugG6z7dpk
• Howell, S. (2021, November 7). Do cats dream?. The Dodo. https://www.thedodo.com/dodowell/do-cats-dream
• Jouvet, M. (2003, March 19). What does a cat dream about?. Trends in Neurosciences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0166223679901103?via%3Dihub
• Karim, N. (2021, July 18). Dreamcatchers are not your “aesthetic.” The Indigenous Foundation. https://www.theindigenousfoundation.org/articles/dreamcatchers
• King, Martin Luther. (1963, August 28). “I Have a Dream.” March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety
• Langdon, S. (1917). A babylonian dream tablet on the interpretation of dreams. The Museum Journal. https://www.penn.museum/sites/journal/586/
• Linden, S. van der. (2024, February 20). The science behind dreaming. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-behind-dreaming/
• McLeod, S. (2024, May 22). Sigmund Freud: Theory & contribution to psychology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/sigmund-freud.html
• McNeil, T. (2021, February 18). A new theory for why we dream. Tufts Now. https://now.tufts.edu/2021/02/18/new-theory-why-we-dream
• Mednick, S., Nakayama, K. & Stickgold, R. Sleep-dependent learning: a nap is as good as a night. Nat Neurosci 6, 697–698 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1078
• Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association. (2018, December 17). Jungian psychology: East and West, encountering differences. Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association. https://pgiaa.org/news-announcements/jungian-psychology-east-and-west-encountering-differences/
• Prema, C. K., & Joshi, T. (n.d.). Review of Dream interpretation: ancient cultures and scientific research. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 12(2).
• Vedor, J. E. (2023b, October 11). Revisiting Carl Jung’s archetype theory a psychobiological approach. Biosystems. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0303264723002344
• Walker, M. (2017, October 24). Why your brain needs to dream. Greater Good. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_your_brain_needs_to_dream
• Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2010, December 7). Dreaming and offline memory processing. Current biology : CB. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3557787/

We are excited to kick off Season 3 of "6 Degrees of Cats," your favorite cat-themed history, culture, and science through part one of a two-part series on CATNAPS!

Meet Mary Bowen, the senior Pilates practitioner to have studied under Joseph Pilates who explains how and why cats are the ultimate pilates instructors and learn about the history of this art of holistic movement. The Nap Ministry founder and Bishop Tricia Hersey, M.Div of NY Times bestseller “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto” (Little, Brown Spark) and “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape” (Hatchette), helps us further appreciate the deep divine teachings of cats and their nap genius.

So cozy up next to your nearest snoozing furfriend to celebrate the launch of season three with part one of this restorative, revolutionary two-part series inspired by the expert nappers in our homes - our cats!

Special thanks to Dianne Scotece of Muscle Inspires New Empowerment, a 401(c)3 program helping survivors of intimate partner violence heal through power lifting and more.

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/6degreesofcats for as little as $1 / month for stickers, early access to new episodes and behind the scenes audio. View the show notes and more on The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

And check out these supplementary episodes:

• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]
• Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat, Part 1: Research and Righting Reflexes
• Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat, Part 2: Exploring Science Fairs, Schrodinger’s Cat, and the Fascinating Concept of Cats as Liquids

About the experts:

• Mary Bowen is the most senior Pilates elder still teaching who knew and studied with Joseph and Clara Pilates. To study with Mary please visit https://pilates-marybowen.com.
• Tricia Hersey, M.Div, is the Atlanta, Georgia-based founder of The Nap Ministry, an organization that examines the liberating power of naps and author of “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto” (Little, Brown Spark) and “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape” (Hachette), both available at major and independent book retailers. You can follow Bishop Hersey’s work on Instagram, Facebook, Threads and X via @thenapministry and learn more about her work and how to participate in a Collective Rest Experience by visiting her website at thenapministry.wordpress.com

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles and new associate Peanut

Animal voices include:

• Binky, Snuggles and Peanut _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2025
• Licensed samples from Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2025 (Instagram: itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Abrams, A. (2017, April 27). 9 sleep habits from around the world. Time. https://time.com/4713813/sleep-habits-napping-siesta/
• Harvey, J. B. (1988). The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management. Lexington Books.
• Bartels, M. (2024, March 2). What do dogs and cats dream about?. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-do-dogs-and-cats-dream-about/
• Freud, S. (1997). The interpretation of dreams (A. A. Brill, Trans.). Wordsworth Editions.
• Friedman, D. (2019, July 26). Did you know that pilates was born in prison and inspired by cats? Vogue India. Retrieved from https://www.vogue.in/wellness/content/history-of-pilates-workout-born-in-prison-and-inspired-by-cats.
• Freeman M. The World Mental Health Report: transforming mental health for all. World Psychiatry. 2022 Oct;21(3):391-392. doi: 10.1002/wps.21018. PMID: 36073688; PMCID: PMC9453907.
• Gerretsen, I. (2024, January 29). Why power naps might be good for our health. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240126-why-power-naps-might-be-good-for-our-health
• Howell, S. (2021, November 7). Do cats dream?. The Dodo. https://www.thedodo.com/dodowell/do-cats-dream
• Jouvet, M. (2003, March 19). What does a cat dream about?. Trends in Neurosciences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0166223679901103?via%3Dihub
• King, Martin Luther. (1963, August 28). “I Have a Dream.” March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety
• Kloubec, J. (2011, December 29). Pilates: How does it work and who needs it?. Muscles, ligaments and tendons journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3666467/
• Ling, T. (2023, July 12). Why do cats sleep so much? the hidden science of feline shuteye, explained. BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/why-do-cats-sleep-so-much
• Mednick, S., Nakayama, K. & Stickgold, R. Sleep-dependent learning: a nap is as good as a night. Nat Neurosci 6, 697–698 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1078
• The National Sleep Foundation. (2022, March). Breaking Report: new insights on sleep health during the pandemic. The National Sleep Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.thensf.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/National-Sleep-Foundation_Sleep-Health-in-COVID-19-Pandemic-Report.pdf.
• Walker, M. (2017, October 24). Why your brain needs to dream. Greater Good. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_your_brain_needs_to_dream
• Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2010, December 7). Dreaming and offline memory processing. Current biology : CB. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3557787/
• Williamson, A. M., & Feyer, A. M. (2000, October). Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. Occupational and environmental medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1739867/
• World Economic Forum. (2025, January 13). 4 imperatives for improving mental health care in 2025 | world economic forum. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/4-imperatives-for-improving-mental-health-care-in-2025/
• World Health Organization. (2022, January 17). Who highlights urgent need to transform mental health and Mental Health Care. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news/item/17-06-2022-who-highlights-urgent-need-to-transform-mental-health-and-mental-health-care

Did you know that we share a whopping 90% of our homogeneous genetic material with…cats? That’s actually more than man’s other best friend! And in the Season 2 finale for 6 Degrees of Cats - the world’s #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast - we make the case to promote our pets - especially our cats - as full-time family, full stop. Join us in conversation with a family sciences professor, a family therapist and a kids’ podcast host as we dive deep into what “family” is, and isn’t - and why. By the end of this episode, you’ll notice and appreciate the strength and length of your own family ties, including those with your cat! Tune in and share with your family, near and far!

Special thanks to Bjorn and Trip at the National Council on Family Relations and Dr. Stephanie Coontz.

The producers also thank Dr. Regina Morantz-Sanchez, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

This episode is dedicated to the memories of William O. and Stephanie M.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends
• 5 Ways to Say ”I Love Mew”: Using the 5 Love Languages…With Your Cat?
• The Purr-fect Life: Cats, Kantian Ethics and Karma!

About the experts:

• Katie Bozek, Ph.D., L.M.F.T. is the executive director of the Korean Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) and the owner and operator of Transitions Therapy, PLLC, her independent private marriage and family therapy practice. She serves on the boards of the West Michigan Asian American Association (WMAAA) and the Michigan Board of Counseling. Follow KAAN @wearekaan on Facebook, Instagram and X.
• Carol Johnston, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at Kansas State University (Go Wildcats!) whose work has explored different ways to measure and operationalize family structure patterns over the life course to better capture a holistic picture of family dynamics. She is also the cat parent to Ash and Arlo, and can be followed at @carolanna12 (Instagram) or @carolannacoffee (X).
• Melissa “Melly” Victor is the founder of 2-time Black Podcast Award nominee Stoopkid Stories, a storybook podcast featuring 7 young Black characters which has been featured on the NY Times’ "A Big List of Podcasts for Bigger Kids", in Podcast Magazine, and by Bello Collective. She is also a musical theatre actress, most recently seen as a member of the touring ensemble for Little Shop of Horrors. She can be followed @stoopkidstories on Facebook, Instagram and X or @melly_music on Instagram.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Amanda B. (Instagram @catsuitband)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music

• Captain Kitty: all music supervision, mixes and arrangements unless otherwise noted
• Leathered: "Look Alive", “Break it Down” and “Nothing But Love” © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @mtotallywired)

Research used:

• AFTH Marketing. (2021, February 5). The complexity of transracially adopting black children. AFTH. https://afth.org/the-complexity-of-transracially-adopting-black-children/
• Boston School of Theology Editors. (n.d.). History of Korean immigration to America, from 1903 to present. History of Korean Immigration to America, from 1903 to Present | Boston Korean Diaspora Project. https://sites.bu.edu/koreandiaspora/issues/history-of-korean-immigration-to-america-from-1903-to-present/
• Brief history of adoption in the United States: Adoption network. Adoption Network |. (2022, September 22). https://adoptionnetwork.com/history-of-adoption/
• Cats Protection. (n.d.). Pregnant cats, birth and care of young kittens. Cats.org. https://www.cats.org.uk/media/1029/eg18_pregnant_cats-_birth_and_care_of_young_kittens.pdf
• Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2020, October 30). What is epigenetics? the answer to the nature vs. Nurture Debate. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/what-is-epigenetics-and-how-does-it-relate-to-child-development/
• Claggett, S. R. (2023, July). Native American settlement of North Carolina. NCpedia. https://www.ncpedia.org/history/early/native-settlement
• Crowell-Davis, S. L., Curtis, T. M., & Knowles, R. J. (2004, February). Social organization in the cat: A modern understanding. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.jfms.2003.09.013
• Federal Depository Library Program. (n.d.). FDLP Resource Guides: Military History: American conflicts and wars: Home. Home - Military History: American Conflicts and Wars - FDLP Resource Guides at U.S. Government Publishing Office. https://libguides.fdlp.gov/military-history-american-conflicts-and-wars
• Funk, L. M. (1970, January 1). Fictive Kin. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_16-1
• Graff, E. J. (2010, September 13). Anatomy of an adoption crisis. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2010/09/12/anatomy-of-an-adoption-crisis/
• Laybourn, S. M. (2024). Out of place the lives of Korean adoptee immigrants. New York University Press.
• Lussenhop, J., Philip, A., & Eagle, J. G. (2023, June 15). Native American families broken up despite federal law meant to keep them together. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/native-american-parental-rights-termination-icwa-scotus
• National Geographic Society. (n.d.). New England colonies’ use of slavery. Education. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/new-england-colonies-use-slaves/
• Native Americans. Native Americans | Minnesota Historical Society. (n.d.). https://www.mnhs.org/fortsnelling/learn/native-americans
• PBS. (2003b, April 7). The origins of adoption in America. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/daughter-origins-adoption-america/
• Park, S., Hongu, N., & Daily, J. W. (2016, August 12). Native American Foods: History, culture, and influence on modern diets. Journal of Ethnic Foods. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618116300750#:~:text=It%20is%20important%20to%20keep,plants%20and%20animals%20for%20food.
• Park, Y. S. (2019, September). Park on mckee, “disrupting kinship: Transnational politics of Korean adoption in the United States.” H-Net network on Diplomatic History and International Affairs. https://networks.h-net.org/node/28443/reviews/4715102/park-mckee-disrupting-kinship-transnational-politics-korean-adoption
• Pearl S. Buck International Editors. (2021, September 14). Pearl S. Buck International: About our founder Pearl S. Buck: Pearl S. Buck International. Pearl S. Buck International. https://pearlsbuck.org/about/biography/
• Putnam, Robert D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• Randall, C. (2023, May 19). How much DNA do we share?. AlphaBiolabs. https://alphabiolabsusa.com/learning-center/how-much-dna-do-we-share/#:~:text=Our%20feline%20friends%20share%2090,species%20are%20so%20closely%20related.
• Renick, C. (2023, June 16). The nation’s First Family Separation Policy. The Imprint. https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/nations-first-family-separation-policy-indian-child-welfare-act/32431
• Schwartz, M. (n.d.). A History of Dogs in the Early Americas. The New York Times. https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/schwartz-dog.html
• Stack, C. B. (2003). All our kin: Strategies for survival in a black community. Basic Books.
• Tolman, C. (2019, January 15). Kosekis from Gotō: Japanese Genealogy explained. Legacy Tree. https://www.legacytree.com/blog/japanese-genealogy-explained
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (2023, July 24). Hague process. USCIS. https://www.uscis.gov/adoption/immigration-through-adoption/hague-process
• U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts. Office of the Historian. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration
• U.S. Library of Congress. (n.d.-b). Overview : colonial settlement, 1600s - 1763 : U.S. history primary source timeline : classroom materials at the Library of Congress : library of Congress. The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/colonial-settlement-1600-1763/overview/

…as in, stringed instruments! Brace yourselves for a high-strung episode connecting your favorite pet to three distinct stringed instruments in this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world’s #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, science and history podcast.

What is "cat gut" – and is it truly derived from feline materials, as rumored? Join Amanda “Captain Kitty” B. in this culturally informed and historically resonant investigation into the history of the banjo with Hannah Mayree, co-founder of the Black Banjo Reclamation Project, and gain a sense of appreciation for the past, present, and future of this very American instrument. And learn about another instrument it often accompanies, the violin, from Canadian-Romanian musical polymath and documentarian Joenne Dumitrascu, a lifelong violinist who helps clarify what is, and isn’t, making those strings sing. Then, we revisit Japan to speak to an expert on the shamisen, a three-stringed lute-like instrument that carries with it over 600 years of Japanese history and an ongoing message from the past. By the end of the episode, which of these instruments, if any, is embodied by cats? Listen and find out!

Please note: While vivid imagery of deceased animals is not - and will never - be included, listeners who are more sensitive to the topics of animal death may wish to check out other 6 Degrees of Cats episodes, as referenced below.

Join us on this historical trip through time across three continents to gain a deeper sense of appreciation, nuance, and context for the banjo, the violin, and the shamisen – and their connection to cats!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

• Cool Cat: How Cats Are the Soul of Rock 'n' Roll
• The Purr-fect Life: Cats, Kantian Ethics and Karma!

Referenced materials:

• 6 Degrees of Cats: Banjos, Violins and Shamisens YouTube playlist

About the experts:

• Hannah Mayree is a California-born banjoist, singer, songwriter and music educator. They are the co-founder of the Black Banjo Reclamation Project (BBRP), which is a creative eco-system that curates musical, cultural and land-based opportunities for Black, Afro-Diasporic communities around the world to work with the banjo as a tool for reclaiming ancestral wisdom & creating Afro-futures. You can find Hannah at http://hannahmayree.com and BBRP at https://blackbanjoreclamationproject.org.
• Joenne Dumitrascu, M.M., is a Canadian-Romanian musician and filmmaker. She has composed and performed works on major feature films and tours internationally as a concert violinist and pianist. Joenne can be found at https://www.joennedumitrascu.com and followed on Instagram @joenne_dumitrascu
• Keisuke Yamada, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center of Japanese Studies, University of Michigan. He is interested in sound studies. He has been working on a book entitled Ecologies of Sound. The book offers a sound-centered analysis of the logic and interplay of global capitalism, militarism, and industrialization that have shaped the soundscapes and sound-politics of twentieth- and twenty-first-century Japan.

Special thanks to the Willie Mae Rock Camp community, Mr. Tony Thomas and Camille Pajor and Rebecca Stein.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Amanda B. (Instagram @catsuitband)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music

• Captain Kitty: all music supervision, mixes and arrangements unless otherwise noted
• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Allen, G. (2011, August 23). The banjo’s roots, reconsidered. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2011/08/23/139880625/the-banjos-roots-reconsidered
• Bogoian-Mullen, W. (2020, February 27). The history of the shamisen. Shamiko Guitars. https://shamikoguitars.com/blogs/news/the-history-of-the-shamisen
• Bouquet, J. S. M. (2010, April). The lute: Essay: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn timeline of art history. The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lute/hd_lute.htm
• Bradley, A., & French, J. (2023, November 10). Black folk musicians are reclaiming the genre. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/10/t-magazine/black-folk-musicians.html
• Bradley, C. (2021, December 2). Appalachia’s Native American history: How much do you know? OVERLOOKED. https://www.overlookedinappalachia.org/post/appalachia-s-native-american-history-how-much-do-you-know
• Brouwer, Z. (2020, September 30). Oh no, kittens are killed for violin strings! - the truth about catgut. Violin Lounge. https://violinlounge.com/oh-no-kittens-are-killed-for-violin-strings-the-truth-about-catgut/
• Buchman, M. (2011, November 4). Folk instrument’s historical connection to racism in the U.S. Solid Ground. https://www.solid-ground.org/banjo-connection-to-racism/
• Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute Editors. (1997b). What is Buraku Discrimination ?. What is buraku discrimination ? https://blhrri.org/old/blhrri_e/blhrri/buraku.htm
• Davisson, Z. (2020, September 11). Japan’s love-hate relationship with cats. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/japans-love-hate-relationship-with-cats-180975764/
• EIA US Editorial Staff. (2023, April 4). Japan’s Elephant Ivory Trade: Where Are We Now? https://us.eia.org/blog/japans-elephant-ivory-trade-where-are-we-now/
• Fischer, C. (2023, April 5). 10 TV shows that feature the banjo. Bailey and Banjo. https://baileyandbanjo.com/10-tv-shows-that-feature-the-banjo/
• Gaddy, K. R. (2019, February 28). Stedman’s creole bania. KRISTINA R. GADDY. https://www.kristinagaddy.com/blog/views-of-the-creole-bania
• Gersten, J. (2017, July 17). Are catgut instrument strings really made from cat guts? the answer might surprise you. WQXR Editorial. https://www.wqxr.org/story/are-catgut-instrument-strings-ever-made-cat-guts-answer-might-surprise-you/
• Hannah-Jones, N. (2019, August 14). The 1619 Project. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html
• Keita, S. (n.d.). My culture: Griot Tradition. Seckou Keita. https://www.seckoukeita.com/my-culture
• Knoepp, L. (2023, August 22). Exploring southern appalachia: “deliverance” and beyond. BPR. https://www.bpr.org/news/2019-09-02/exploring-southern-appalachia-deliverance-and-beyond
• Linford, S. V. (2014, July 27). Historical narratives of the akonting and banjo. Ethnomusicology Review. https://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/akonting-history
• Meyer, S. (2020, October 15). Between a forgotten colony and an abandoned prefecture: Okinawa’s ... The Asia-Pacific Journal - Japan Focus. https://apjjf.org/2020/20/Meyer.html
• Morris, W. (2019, August 14). Why is everyone always stealing black music?. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/music-black-culture-appropriation.html
• National Museum of African American History and Culture Editorial staff. (2017, November 22). Blackface: The birth of an American stereotype. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/blackface-birth-american-stereotype
• Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education. (n.d.). History of Okinawa. http://rca.open.ed.jp/web_e/history/index.html
• Price, E. (2021, April 13). Hillbilly horror: Reckoning with a genre 15 years after “wrong turn.” 100 Days in Appalachia. https://www.100daysinappalachia.com/2018/05/hillbilly-horror-stereotypes/
• Public Broadcasting Service. (1996). Jim Crow laws. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/freedom-riders-jim-crow-laws/
• Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Editors. (2014). Shamisen. SHAMISEN | Traditional Music Degital Library. https://www.senzoku-online.jp/TMDL/e/02-shamisen.html#:~:text=Also%20known%20as%20sangen%2C%20the,and%20dog%20skin%20is%20used.
• Shamisen Japan Editors. (2017, April 4). Shamisen body. Shamisen Japan. https://shamisenjapan.com/shamisen-body/
• Thomas, G. (2022). From Slaves to Hillbillies: A Racial History of the Banjo in the 18th and 19th Centuries (MIT 2023 Undergraduate Term Paper Awardee - Ed. Note: this is not primary source but we wish to attribute robust valid research). https://history.mit.edu/news/2023-history-undergraduate-writing-prize-winners/

• Thomas, T. (2011, June). About the banjo by Tony Thomas. About the Banjo [reprinted via Black Banjo Gathering]. https://usslave.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post.html

• Urban Native Collective. (n.d.). Turtle Island. https://urbannativecollective.org/turtle-island

• Wacera, C. (2022, August 15). A short history of the Mali empire. Our Ancestories. https://our-ancestories.com/blogs/news/a-short-history-of-the-mali-empire
• Whipple, M. (2023, October 10). The history of Appalachia & its people. The Collector. https://www.thecollector.com/history-of-appalachia-and-its-people/
• Yamada, K. (n.d.-b). The Political Economy of Nonlife: Biopower, Ontosecurity, and the Shamisen Skin Trade in Japan. In The Oxford Handbook of Economic Ethnomusicology (Ser. Oxford Handbook). essay, Oxford University Press.

Dive into the purr-fect harmony between cats and rock 'n' roll in this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast.

Explore the untold stories of how these enigmatic creatures have influenced the genre. From legendary rock icons like Freddie Mercury and David Bowie who found inspiration in their feline friends to the timeless melodies that echo the spirit of independence and liberation by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Ma Rainey and - yes - Tracy Chapman, appreciate the hidden connections between cool cats and the soulful rhythms of rock 'n' roll.

We’ll be joined by not one, not two, but THREE award-winning rock stars! ‘My Cat From Hell’ star, musician and international cat advocate Jackson Galaxy shares how cats purr-fectly fit into his rock ‘n’ roll persona - and still do! Leading R&B musician and guitarist Malina Moye explains how cats have informed and inspired her artistry, and acclaimed music journalist and former Das Fürlines guitarist Holly George-Warren provides historic and cultural insights as to how, and why, cats are the rock stars of the animal kingdom.

We'll talk jive about blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and hepcat slang - as well as about American history - in this fact and fret-filled episode.

Tune in for a fur-resh take on music history and cat appreciation! 🐾🎸

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

• Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot
• Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore

Referenced materials:

• Fast Car (from Tracy Chapman, Elektra Records, 1989)
• Chili’s Babyback Ribs Commercial BTS video (MUST WATCH)
• Charles Mingus Cat Toilet Training Program (1954)
• Cab Calloway's Hepster's Dictionary (1939)
• 6 Degrees of Cats: Cool Cat YouTube Playlist

About the experts:

• Jackson Galaxy is a cat behavior and wellness expert, YouTube creator, musician and the star of hit Animal Planet series, My Cat From Hell. Visit https://www.jacksongalaxyproject and follow @catdaddy on YouTube and all social media platforms.
• Holly George-Warren is a two-time Grammy nominee and the award-winning author of sixteen books, including Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones (Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed, 2023) co-authored with Dolly Parton, and Janis: Her Life and Music (Simon and Schuster, 2019), named best nonfiction book of 2019 by the Texas Institute of Letters. She teaches at SUNY New Paltz and New York University’s The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and can be found at https://www.hollygeorgewarren.com.
• Malina Moye is an award-winning blues guitarist and R&B singer and is the first African American female upside-down lefty guitarist to be endorsed by Fender USA. Her 2023 full length release, ‘Dirty’ landed at the top of the Billboard blues chart and was listed among Guitar World Magazine’s top five greatest guitar albums of 2023. Purchase her records, learn about the “Enough” campaign and when Moye will be playing your city by visiting https://www.malinamoye.com.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Amanda B. (Instagram @catsuitband)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music

• Captain Kitty: “Not Fast Car", all music supervision, mixes and arrangements unless otherwise noted
• Leathered: "Look Alive", “Break it Down” and “Nothing But Love” © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Alan Lomax. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. (n.d.). https://folklife.si.edu/legacy-honorees/alan-lomax/smithsonian
• Brooks, K. (2016, October 25). Where the hell does the word “p***y” come from, anyway? HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/where-does-pussy-come-from_n_57fc0968e4b0b6a43034e7ac
• DeMain, B. (2012, January 19). Jive Talkin’: The Origins of Cool Dudes, groovy chicks and hip cats. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/29777/jive-talkin%E2%80%99-origins-cool-dudes-groovy-chicks-and-hip-cats
• Diaz-Hurtado, J. (2017, August 24). Forebears: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock “n” roll. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/544226085/forebears-sister-rosetta-tharpe-the-godmother-of-rock-n-roll
• Green, J. (n.d.). Green’s Dictionary of Slang. hep-cat. https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/bv7hhvq
• Gutoskey, E. (2022, October 27). The unlikely origins-and rapid rise-of chili’s iconic “Baby back ribs” jingle. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/chilis-baby-back-ribs-jingle-origins
• Hill, A. J. (2020, December 2). Flap over WAP: A brief history of “pussy” from fairy tale to hip-hop to culture-wars flashpoint. Medium. https://aninjusticemag.com/flap-over-wap-a-brief-history-of-pussy-from-fairy-tale-to-hip-hop-to-culture-wars-flashpoint-d7c13c7d9063
• Larkin, C. (2002.) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th Ed.). Virgin Pub.
• Marlowe, G. (2023, June 11). The story behind the queen song “cool cat.” Medium. https://gmarlowe.medium.com/the-story-behind-the-queen-song-cool-cat-4f1ba85c8122
• McAlpine, F. (2018, October 11). The unexpected origins of Music’s most well-used terms. BBC Music. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/dc64e24d-c4e7-4e34-b2f7-e34a00ea16ad
• McWhorter, J. (2019, December 10). Slate Debates (formerly Lexicon Valley). Slate Debates. episode, Slate. Retrieved from https://slate.com/transcripts/TVMrMkp2VHRqWjdIWlQxanIrM200THl2TWkvTlJMbDRxSlYrM2xsZkJIdz0=.
• Mercedes, M. (2017, April 19). Hear David Bowie + Freddie Mercury’s unreleased “cool cat” outtake. Society Of Rock. https://societyofrock.com/hear-david-bowie-freddie-mercurys-unreleased-cool-cat-outtake/
• Mohammad, A. (2023, July 31). Feline groovy: The cats of garden lodge. Sothebys.com. https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/feline-groovy-the-cats-of-garden-lodge
• Nissim, M. (2023, January 3). Freddie Mercury facts: Real name, childhood, solo songs, sexuality and tragic death of the queen icon. Gold. https://www.goldradiouk.com/hall-of-fame/freddie-mercury-queen-facts-death-family
• Cab Calloway’s “Hepster dictionary,” a 1939 glossary of the Lingo (the “Jive”) of the Harlem Renaissance. Open Culture. (2015, January 19). https://www.openculture.com/2015/01/cab-calloways-hepster-dictionary.html
• Pippins, D. A. (n.d.). The Jazz History Tree. Jazz History Tree. https://www.jazzhistorytree.com/
• Rao, S. (2018, November 3). Let’s talk about Freddie Mercury’s cats, the highlight of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/11/03/lets-talk-about-freddie-mercurys-cats-highlight-bohemian-rhapsody/
• Reilly, L. (2018, September 12). Jazz icon Charles Mingus wrote a manual for Toilet Training Your Cat. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/556948/charles-mingus-jazz-icon-wrote-manual-toilet-training-your-cat
• Skinner, D. (2014). How did cool become such a big deal?. The National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2014/julyaugust/feature/how-did-cool-become-such-big-deal-0
• Springsteen, B. (1973). Kitty’s Back. Bruce Springsteen. https://brucespringsteen.net/track/kittys-back/
• Stremes, B. (2022, February 22). The origin and influence of doo-Wop Music. Bertolt Press. https://bertoltpress.com/2020/04/24/doo-wop-music-history/
• The Rough Guide to Hokum Blues. World Music Network. (n.d.). https://worldmusic.net/products/the-rough-guide-to-hokum-blues
• Thornton, K. C. (2018, July 18). Hey there, cool cats and sly dogs: We invoke our friends in fun, ... https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/pets/article215148715.html
• Vocelle, L. A. (2021, January 26). Famous cat lovers-musicians, composers, dancers, singers. THE GREAT CAT. https://www.thegreatcat.org/famous-cat-lovers/famous-cat-lovers-musicians-composers-dancers-singers/
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Leo Fender. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Fender
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). The Coasters. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coasters

Who is a cat person? What is the essence of feline fandom and who exactly are the literal and figurative cat people among us? Listen and find out on the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast!

Celebrate the Lunar New Year (Happy Year of the Dragon) or Têt, with us in Vietnam, where we discover a unique breed of cat people with the help of Austin-based comic Ivy Le of the FOGO: Fear of Going Outside podcast. Ivy is joined by audio producer, artist and educator TK "Keisha" Dutes and Cat Person social media manager Tracy Michelle, as we debunk stereotypes, challenge cultural and racial assumptions and redefine what it means to be a cat person - while advocating for everyone's rightful place alongside Taylor Swift as an iconic figure of our tribe.

Prepare to embrace your inner cat person of the 21st Century and join the revolution! Tune in now for a purr-fectly engaging discussion that will change the way you see feline companionship forever.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced artifacts:

• Cats vs Dogs map (original source: BudgetDirect)

Referenced episodes:

• Felines & Fatherhood: Exploring Masculinity, Father’s Day, and the Unique Bond Between Men and Cats
• Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot
• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]

About the experts:

• Keisha “TK” Dutes is a multimedia producer and artist whose work has been featured on NPR’s LifeKit. She serves on the board of AIR Media and has consulted for Spotify USA and Willie Mae Rock Camp as an audio educator. TK can be followed on Meta and X as @tastykeish and on TikTok as tk_creates.
• Ivy Le is a Vietnamese-American comedian, actress, writer and producer of Spotify’s hit podcast, FOGO Fear of Going Outside. She can be followed on social media @ivylewithonee and found at ivylewithonee.com.
• Tracy Michelle is a stylist, writer, gamer and content creator who serves as the social media manager of lifestyle brand Cat Person. She can be followed on social media @ohheytracy and found at ohheytracy.com.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B. - Instagram: @catsuitband)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• The Captain & Tenille 2: Snuggles: Jeoparty
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Booth, J. (2023, December 11). All about Taylor Swift’s cats, Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button. People Magazine. https://people.com/pets/all-about-taylor-swift-cats
• McGrath, M. (2023, December 20). Cats vs. dogs: Which does the world prefer?. Budget Direct. https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/pet-insurance/guides/cats-vs-dogs-which-does-the-world-prefer.html#:~:text=Key%20Findings,are%20all%20dog%2Dpeople%20countries.
• Megna, M. (2024, February 1). Forbes Pet ownership statistics 2024. Pet Ownership Statistics 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/
• Mitovich, M. W. (2024, January 19). Ratings: Law & order trio grow after 8-month break, SVU Tops Thursday. TVLine. https://tvline.com/ratings/law-and-order-svu-season-25-premiere-viewership-1235131925/
• Rigby, S. (2023, March 16). What’s the longest a cat can live for? Here are the world’s oldest felines. BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/whats-the-longest-a-cat-can-live-for
• Taylor Swift Life and Career. Taylor Swift Museum. (n.d.). https://www.theswiftmuseum.com/life-and-career
• With almost 1 million video choices, women 18-34 turn to classic TV. Nielsen. (2023, June 30). https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/with-almost-1-million-video-choices-women-18-34-turn-to-classic-tv/
• Yin, S. (2019, February 5). What Lunar New Year reveals about the world’s calendars. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/05/science/chinese-new-year-lunar-calendar.html

Discover the fascinating origins of internet culture in this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the worlds #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history, science and - in this instance - tech podcast.

Did you know that pizza was the very first item ever bought and sold online? Or that approximately 1% of all internet activity revolves around adorable cat photos and videos? While some of these facts may not be independently verifiable, it's undeniable that cats and pizza have become iconic symbols of the worldwide web.

Join us on an entertaining journey into the depths of host Captain Kitty (a.k.a. Amanda B.)'s psyche as she explores the intertwined relationship between felines and pizza. Alongside Roberta's Pizza alumni and renowned pizza consultant Anthony Falco, delve into the reasons behind this peculiar connection. Special guest Maria Bustillos, a prolific writer and expert on cat internet culture, sheds light on the unique charm of online communities and the pivotal role of cats within them.

Prepare to immerse yourself in the quirky, captivating world of internet folklore, where pizza, cats, and eccentricity reign supreme. Together, let's celebrate the delightful weirdness that makes the internet such a vibrant and fascinating place.

Tune in for a truly enjoyable and enlightening exploration of pizza, the internet, and our beloved feline companions in this wonderfully weird episode!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced artifacts:

• Image of the original Geocities Hamsterdance page
• PizzaNet original form
• The (alleged) first cat video posted on YouTube

Referenced episodes:

• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]
• Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore
• Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot

About the experts:

• Maria Bustillos is an American editor, journalist, information activist, and the founding editor of Flaming Hydra, Popula, and the Brick House Cooperative. She authored the viral essay, “How Cats Won the Internet” (BBC.com, via Cat is Art Spelled Wrong, Coffeehouse Press, 2015). Maria can be found at https://thebrick.house, https://mariabustillos.com/ and on Mastodon at @[email protected].
• Anthony Falco is an American chef, author and pizza consultant. He is the author of Pizza Czar: Recipes and Know-How from a World-Traveling Pizza Chef and can be found at https://www.piz.za.com. Follow Anthony’s pizza travels on Instagram at @millennium_falco.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• The Captain & Tenille 2: Snuggles: "Not the Hamster Dance Original Song"
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Beaver, Gilbert (2023, January 31). Cats Overtake Dogs As America’s Most Popular Pet: Exploring The Reasons Behind This Trend. Hyaenidae. https://www.hyaenidae.org/cats-overtake-dogs-as-americas-most-popular-pet-exploring-the-reasons-behind-this-trend.
• Blackburn, R. (2011, November 4). 1493 by Charles C Mann – review. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/04/1493-americas-charles-mann-review
• Bolster (Ed.). (2020, July 10). From LiveJournal to myspace Tom: A Social Media timeline. Bolstered. https://medium.com/bolstered/from-livejournal-to-myspace-tom-a-social-media-timeline-164461e47da1
• Bryant, M. S. (2016, March 3). 20 years ago today, the World Wide Web was born. TNW Insider. https://thenextweb.com/news/20-years-ago-today-the-world-wide-web-opened-to-the-public
• Buckley, J. (2021, March 12). How this fruit became the star of Italian cooking. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tomato-italy-history
• Bustillos, M. (2022, February 24). How cats won the internet. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150918-how-did-cats-win-the-internet
• Cheslak, C. (2018). Biography: Hedy Lamarr. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/hedy-lamarr
• Collins, L. (2018, December 27). The oral history of the Hampsterdance: The twisted true story of one of the world’s first memes | CBC arts. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-oral-history-of-the-hampsterdance-the-twisted-true-story-of-one-of-the-world-s-first-memes-1.4958325
• Crosby, A. W. (2016). Ecological imperialism: The biological expansion of Europe, 900-1900. Cambridge University Press.
• de Argaez, E. (Ed.). (2023, November 15). World internet users statistics and 2023 World Population Stats. Internet World Stats. https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
• Emspak, J., & Zimmermann, K. A. (2022, April 8). Internet history timeline: ARPANET to the world wide web. LiveScience. https://www.livescience.com/20727-internet-history.html
• Ferdman, R. A., & Ingraham, C. (2014, July 28). Where cats are more popular than dogs in the U.S.—and all over the ... The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/07/28/where-cats-are-more-popular-than-dogs-in-the-u-s-and-all-over-the-world/
• Graham, M., & Sengupta, A. (2017, October 5). We’re all connected now, so why is the internet so white and western? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/05/internet-white-western-google-wikipedia-skewed
• Hoffman, J. (2018, July 30). The first thing that ever sold online was pizza. The History of the Web. https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/postscript/pizzanet/
• Kemp, S. (Ed.). (2023, October). Digital around the world - datareportal – global digital insights. DataReportal. https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview
• Markoff, J. (2012, June 25). How many computers to identify a cat? 16,000. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/technology/in-a-big-network-of-computers-evidence-of-machine-learning.html
• Morais, B. (2013, October 15). Ada Lovelace, the first tech visionary. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/ada-lovelace-the-first-tech-visionary
• National Science and Media Museum, The. A short history of the internet. National Science and Media Museum. (2020, December 3). https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/short-history-internet
• Phillips, O. (2018, January 30). The numbers don’t lie: Dogs are the internet’s favorite animal. The Outline. https://theoutline.com/post/3128/dogs-cats-internet-popularity
• Reiter, A. (2015, October 12). Can you guess the world’s most-instagrammed food? Food Network. https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/2015/10/can-you-guess-the-worlds-most-instagrammed-food
• Richter, F. (2022, February 21). Infographic: English is the internet’s universal language. Statista Daily Data. https://www.statista.com/chart/26884/languages-on-the-internet/
• Sparkes, M. (2021, April). What does Wi-Fi Stand For?. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/question/what-does-wi-fi-stand-for/
• Turim, G. (2012, July 27). Who invented pizza?. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/a-slice-of-history-pizza-through-the-ages
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Cats and the internet. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_and_the_Internet
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Digital Revolution. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Revolution
• Witter, B. (2021, January 19). Katherine Johnson and 9 other Black Female Pioneers in science. Biography.com. https://www.biography.com/scientists/katherine-johnson-black-female-science-technology-engineering-mathematics

Dive DEEP into the meaning of life...through cats...with the help of experts in Western and Eastern philosophy on this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast.

Dr. Abigail Levin, an animal ethics professor at Niagara University, returns to the podcast to explore our duty through deontological (say that five times fast!) ethics according to one Immanuel Kant, after a few false starts with the fathers of so-called Western philosophy: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Dr. Levin, a practicing Buddhist, is joined by fellow Buddhist and animal ethicist Janet Gyatso, Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School, whose lifelong love of cats and compassion for animals provide a focused lens on cats and Buddhism.

You will be as enlightened as host Captain Kitty (Amanda B.) by the end of this playful and profound episode in which we assess the life we have chosen for our pets - and the life they might have chosen if they had their say.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

• The Golden Age of Cats: The Medieval Middle East, Muezza and the Mark of Muhammad (or Mary)
• Community CATalysts: Kosovans Caring for Their Animal Survivors

About the experts:

• Janet Gyatso, Ph.D., M.A., is Harvard Divinity School's first Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. She is a specialist in Buddhist studies with concentration on Tibetan and South Asian cultural and intellectual history.
• Abigail Levin, Ph.D., J.D., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York. Her primary research interests are in political philosophy, animal ethics, feminism and philosophy of race and gender. She recently published a book about celebrity animals and the ethical obligations arising from keeping animals in captivity.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). Code of Hammurabi: Laws & facts. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/hammurabi
• Attending to animals. Harvard Divinity School (HDS). (2019, October 29). https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2019/10/29/attending-to-animals
• Burnham, D. (n.d.). Immanuel Kant: Aesthetics. https://iep.utm.edu/kantaest/
• Camenzind, S. (2021, February 16). Kantian ethics and the animal turn. on the contemporary defence of Kant’s indirect duty view. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7919796/
• Descartes, R. (1972). Treatise on man (T. S. Hall, Trans.). Harvard University Press.
• Hatfield, G. (2023, October 23). René Descartes. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes/
• Jones, T. (2014, February 8). Two meanings of karma. The Buddhist Centre. https://thebuddhistcentre.com/westernbuddhistreview/two-meanings-karma
• Karlis, N. (2021, December 13). A “talking” cat is giving scientists insight into how felines think. Salon. https://www.salon.com/2021/12/12/a-talking-cat-is-giving-scientists-insight-into-how-felines-think/
• Plato. (1980). The Allegory of the Cave. In The Republic of Plato. essay, Cambridge Univ. Press.
• Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). Islam: Empire of faith - profiles - Muhammad. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/profilesmuhammed.html
• Scharping, N. (2023, March 21). How the ancient code of Hammurabi reveals a society both similar and alien to ours. Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/how-the-ancient-code-of-hammurabi-reveals-a-society-both-similar-and-alien
• Wormald, B. (2015, April 2). Buddhists [Pew Research Center]. Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2015/04/02/buddhists/

We all know cats were considered gods (well, god-adjacent) in ancient Egypt - but did you know that nearly 2 billion people in today's world still consider them in connection to their religion? Find out more here at 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 cat-themed culture, history and science podcast.

In this episode, we set sail across oceans of, um, water and time to Islam's Golden Age, a period marked by innovation and artistic brilliance in the Near East aka the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) aka Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA).

Religious scholar Dr. Megan Goodwin sets us up for this historical journey by providing historical context for Europe's Dark Ages and their misguided anti-feline decrees.

She is joined by Dr. Ali Olomi, our Islamic history expert, as he unpacks the significance of cats in the region during that era and sheds light on why they continue to hold a special place in the Islamic world. Discover the profound connection between caring for cats, all animals, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, as demystified by Dr. Olomi.

Season 1's guest, Catholicism researcher René Ostberg, shares a delightful anecdote affirming our podcast's theme that everything is interconnected.

Come for the fascinating cat facts, and stay for the enlightening exploration of Islam's Golden Age (which was also a Golden Age for Cats, at least on that side of the world.)

Complete our anonymous LISTENER SURVEY and sign up for a limited edition free 6 Degrees of Cats postcard! Go to https://tinyurl.com/6Doc-postcard23

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

• Photo of Binky’s “M

Referenced episodes:

• Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween!
• A Mother’s Tail: Introducing St. Gertrude, the Patron Saint of Cats (and Her Mom)

About the experts:

• Ali A. Olomi, Ph.D., is a writer, historian, and podcaster of Middle East and Islamic history. He is Assistant Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University, an Affiliated Scholar with the Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights and the host of “Head on History”, a podcast on Islamic intellectual history. Dr. Olomi can be followed on all social media @aaolomi
• Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., is the host of the hit podcast “Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion” and author of “Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions” (Rutgers University Press). She can be followed on X/Twitter @mpgphd
• René Ostberg, M.S., is a Chicago-based writer and researcher who specializes in Catholic culture whose writing has appeared in many publications such as National Catholic Reporter and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• A&E Television Networks. (2023, June 6). Middle ages - definition, Timeline & Facts. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/middle-ages
• Arabian Peninsula, 1000–1400 A.D.: Chronology: Heilbrunn Timeline of art history: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (n.d.). https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/07/wap.html
• Blakemore, E. (2023, June 6). What life in Medieval Europe was really like. History. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/what-life-in-medieval-europe-was-really-like
• Chism, C. (2009, March). Arabic in the Medieval World. Modern Language Association, 124(2), 624-631.
• Dash, M. (2013, July 22). Islam’s medieval underworld. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/islams-medieval-underworld-15821520/
• Hoh, A. (2017, October 26). A Thousand and One nights: Arabian story-telling in world literature: 4 corners of the world. A Thousand and One Nights: Arabian Story-telling in World Literature. https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2017/10/a-thousand-and-one-nights-arabian-story-telling-in-world-literature/
• Moritz, B. M. (2019, February 25). Tycho Brahe - “those who study the stars, have god for a teacher.” Science meets Faith. https://sciencemeetsfaith.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/tycho-brahe-those-who-study-the-stars-have-god-for-a-teacher/
• Nicolaou, E. (2019, May 24). The origin story of “Aladdin” is far wilder than you know. Is Aladdin Based On True Story? Surprising Myth Origins. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/233443/is-aladdin-true-story-real-legend
• Ortega, R. (2023, October 27). National Black Cat Day 2023: Why do people struggle to trust them?. MARCA. https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/2023/10/27/653be17a46163f9c518b458c.html
• Prager, S. (2020, June 10). In Han Dynasty China, bisexuality was the norm. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/in-han-dynasty-china-bisexuality-was-the-norm/
• Sheldon, N. (2021, April 17). “Thou shalt not suffer a cat to live”: Why pope Gregory IX’s Vox in Rama implicated cats in devil worship. History Collection. https://historycollection.com/thou-shalt-not-suffer-a-cat-to-live-why-pope-gregory-ixs-vox-in-rama-implicated-cats-in-devil-worship/
• Yale School of Medicine. (2005, September 15). From the Middle East, in the Middle Ages. Yale School of Medicine. https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/article/from-the-middle-east-in-the-middle-ages/
• Yuko, E. (2023, August 9). How Cats Became Divine Symbols in Ancient Egypt. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/cats-ancient-egypt
• Zeitlin, J. T. (1997). Historian of the strange pu songling and the Chinese Classical Tale. Stanford University Press.

We are back for Season 2 of "6 Degrees of Cats," the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed history, culture, and science podcast just in time for Halloween! Learn about the original cat ladies and what they really were brewing in those cauldrons - as well as what the heck was up with those hats.

Learn about weird trivia, women’s history and whisky brewing with Dr. Megan Goodwin, host of hit religion and history podcast “Keeping It 101” who gets to the heart of the witch trope; food historian and author of “Endangered Eating” Sarah Lohman who explains the origins of the witch costume; and Kings County Distillery founder and writer Colin Spoelman, who introduces us to distillery cats Carlos and Jeffy.

Celebrate the launch of season two on this special haunted holiday for an alternative history of the original crazy cat lady - the witch.

• uisge beatha (Middle Irish / Scottish Gaelic) → usquebaugh (English) → whisky
• Recommended listen: Witch podcast (BBC)

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

• Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]
• Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore

About the experts:

• Colin Spoelman is the founder of award-winning Brooklyn whisky distillery, Kings County Distillery, and co-author of DEAD DISTILLERS: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits, “A spirited portrait of the unusual and storied origins of forgotten drunkenness.” Follow Colin on Instagam @colinopolis and Kings County Distillery @kingscountydistillery
• Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., is the host of hit podcast “Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion” and author of “Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions” (Rutgers University Press). She can be followed on X/Twitter @mpgphd
• Sarah Lohman is a culinary historian and author of “Endangered Eating: America's Vanishing Foods”, one of Eater's “Best Food Books to Read This Fall”. For more information about Sarah and to access archives of her influential blog, Four Pounds Flour, visit https://sarahlohman.com.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Bennett, J. M. (1999). Ale, beer and Brewsters in England: Women’s work in a changing world, 1300-1600. Oxford University Press.
• Brooks, Laken. (2021, March 8). Why did women stop dominating the beer industry?. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/women-used-dominate-beer-industry-until-witch-accusations-started-pouring-180977171/
• Guilford, G. (2018, February 13). The Dangerous Economics of racial resentment during World War II. Quartz. https://qz.com/1201502/japanese-internment-camps-during-world-war-ii-are-a-lesson-in-the-scary-economics-of-racial-resentment
• Miller, A. (1996, October 13). Why I Wrote the Crucible. The New Yorker.
• The explosion of Irish Whiskey Distilleries. Distiller. (2023, July 12). https://distiller.com/articles/new-irish-whiskey-distilleries
• The origins and history of whisky: Scotch Whisky experience. The Scotch Whisky Experience. (2023). https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/about/about-whisky/history.
• Tucker, A. (2021, October 28). The Spooky History of how cats bewitched us. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/10/31/the-spooky-history-of-how-cats-bewitched-us/
• Whiskey or whisky? The Water of Life Etymology. Silverback Distillery. (2021, March 25). https://www.sbdistillery.com/blog/2021/2/14/whiskey-or-whisky-the-water-of-life-etymology

6 Degrees of Cats, your new favorite cat-themed culture, history and science podcast hosted by lifelong cat custodian Captain Kitty, aka Amanda B. launches in one week on October 31 (Halloween!)

Please follow @6DegreesofCats on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, sign up for the mailing list at linktr.ee/6degreesofcats and tell all your friends to subscribe now!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

謝謝, gracias, 감사합니다. धन्यवाद, merci beaucoup, ありがとう, dziękuję, asante, شكرا لكم, danke schön, thank you so much...

_^..^_

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Featured voices:

• Malina Moye, award-winning blues guitarist and singer (Instagram: @malinamoye)
• Sarah Lohman, food historian (Instagram: @fourpoundsflour)
• Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., religion scholar, writer and host of Keeping It 101 Podcast (X: @mpgphd)
• Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist, YouTuber and host of My Cat From Hell (Animal Planet)

Featured tracks:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• The Sailor's Hornpipe - Leopold Moeslein (1906)

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)

It's the season 1 finale of "6 Degrees of Cats," the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast! And just in time for Father's Day, the team explores the remarkable and often overlooked bond between men and cats.

Join us as we uncover fascinating insights, starting with Niagara University professor of philosophy Abigail Levin’s commentary on the gender stereotypes applied to cats, and the remarkable hunting skills they exhibit. We're also joined by Gabe García, a DEI analyst and LGBTQ+ youth advocate, who helps us delve into the origins of gender-based stereotypes and labels that Tony Porter of “A Call to Men” collectively refers to as "The Man Box" and led to the misconception that men can't have cats.

Additionally, friend of the podcast and returning TNR celebrity Sterling "TrapKing" Davis shares his experiences in educating communities about trap/neuter/return while promoting a broader understanding of masculinity and its relationship with cats.

Throughout, host Captain Kitty herself reminisces about her late father, who exemplified masculinity and fatherhood through his care for her and her cats during her childhood.

Tune in to this special episode as we celebrate Father's Day and unravel the multifaceted connections between masculinity, cats, and personal experiences that challenge societal norms.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

About the experts:

• Abigail Levin, Ph.D., J.D., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York. Her primary research interests are in political philosophy, animal ethics, feminism and philosophy of race and gender. She is currently at work on a book-length project about celebrity animals and the ethical obligations arising from keeping animals in captivity.
• Gabe García is a DEI analyst and marketing consultant who leverages their background in philosophy, economics and communication studies to drive diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging in all their spaces. They serve on the board of OkaySo, a free confidential text-based app for LGBTQ+ youth and young people with questions about relationships, sex, identity, mental health and more. Gabe can be followed @gabefgarcia on most social media platforms.
• Sterling “TrapKing” Davis is an Atlanta, GA-based trap hip hop musician, community organizer and educator on feline trap-neuter-rescue. Davis and his team consult across the continental U.S. to provide sustainable, humane solutions for feral cat population control from a positive, collaborative and community-centered approach (trapkinghumane.org).

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
• Children’s voices: Arie B., Benjamin C., Ira B. and Kamron P (special thanks to the parents!)

Music:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
• Leathered: “Indictment” © 2010
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Provided with permission:

• Corey Rodrigues: “Cats Are Better Than Dogs” © 2018

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Banks, M. S., Sprague, W. W., Schmoll, J., Parnell, J. A., & Love, G. D. (2015). Why do animal eyes have pupils of different shapes? Science Advances, 1(7). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500391. Retrieved from: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1500391
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, November 8). What noises cause hearing loss?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
• Fair, J. (2022, May 11). Apex predators in the wild: Which mammals are the most dangerous?. Which mammals are the most dangerous? | BBC Wildlife Magazine | Discover Wildlife. Retrieved from: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/hunting-success-rates-how-predators-compare
• Nash, O. (1941). “The face is familiar: the Selected verse of Ogden Nash”, Garden City Publishing Company, Inc. Provide with the permission of the Ogden Nash estate.
• Porter, T. (2023). Healthy manhood. Healthy Manhood. Retrieved from: https://www.acalltomen.org/healthy-manhood

Welcome back to part two of a two-part series on cats and science on 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast.

We continue our fascinating journey with biophysicist Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., based in Vienna, as he unveils the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and demystifies the significance of Schrodinger's cat - a thought experiment that has intrigued minds for decades.

Joining Dr. Elsayad is materials scientist Titilayo Shodiya, Ph.D., an expert familiar with the diverse states of matter, including liquid, solid, collapsed, and more, in which cats astonishingly exist.

Additionally, we are thrilled to introduce rising young researcher Kaeden Henry and co-investigator Kerry Hyde, who have employed the scientific method to conduct an innovative study that promises to ignite spirited conversations among cat owners worldwide.

Check out part 1 here!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

About the experts:

• Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., heads the Advanced Microscopy team at the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF) in Vienna, Austria. His research has broadly contributed to the fields of microscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy, and nanophotonics. Dr. Elsayad can be followed @kelsa909 on Twitter.
• Titilayo Shodiya, M.S., Ph.D., is the host of hit pop culture and science podcast, Dope Labs with co-host Zakiya Watson, Ph.D. Dr. Shodiya received her B.S. in Materials Science from Penn State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She currently works at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Shodiya can be followed @dr_tsho on Instagram and Twitter.
• Kaeden Henry and Kerry Hyde are a Florida-based independent research team whose innovative science fair poster, “Does Your Cat’s B***hole Really Touch All The Surfaces In Your Home?”, gained worldwide attention in 2021 upon publication on social media.

Reference image:

• Adam Ellis "Books of Adam" cat meme

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Howgego, J. (n.d.). Schrödinger’s Cat. Schrödinger’s cat: A thought experiment that highlights the strangeness of quantum theory. Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/definition/schrodingers-cat/
• Humphreys, J. (2021, December 11). How Erwin Schrödinger indulged his “lolita complex” in Ireland. The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/how-erwin-schr%C3%B6dinger-indulged-his-lolita-complex-in-ireland-1.4749204
• Myers, M. (2021, April 27). Kid’s science project centered around if a cat’s behind touches surfaces. K 104.7. Retrieved from https://k1047.com/2021/04/27/kids-science-project-centered-around-if-a-cats-behind-touches-surfaces/
• Zhu, A. (2022, July 11). The Ig Nobel Prize: Why are Cats Liquid? Retrieved from https://stemfellowship.org/the-ig-nobel-prize-why-are- cats-liquid/

This episode of 6 Degress of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast is part one of a two-episode series on cats and science!

In part 1, we take a cue from cats and let our curiosity lead us through an exploration of how science and cats go hand in hand - er, paw in paw.

Join your host as she welcomes a stellar lineup of scientists - and comes to a slightly scientific conclusion of her own about cats! Materials scientist Titilayo Shodiya, Ph.D., host of hit pop science podcast Dope Labs and Vienna-based biophysicist Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., share their insights on the invaluable role curiosity plays in hypothesis-driven research and break down the basics of scientific methodology. And writer and physicist Greg Gbur, Ph.D., of hit pop science book, “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics” provides a fun survey of cats’ partnerships with scientists across time. Get ready to - once again - see cats in a whole new light.

Check out part 2 here!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Reference image:

• Nicola Tesla’s letter about Macek the cat

About the experts:

• Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., heads the Advanced Microscopy team at the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF) in Vienna, Austria. His research has broadly contributed to the fields of microscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy, and nanophotonics. Dr. Elsayad can be followed @kelsa909 on Twitter.
• Greg Gbur, Ph.D., is an American author and physicist who specializes in the study of classical coherence theory in optical physics. He is a full professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the Department of Physics and Optical Science. He writes the popular science blog, Skulls in the Stars and has published several hit pop science books, including Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics and Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen (both Yale University Press). Dr. Gbur can be followed @drskyskull on Twitter and Mastodon.
• Titilayo Shodiya, M.S., Ph.D., is the host of hit pop culture and science podcast, Dope Labs with co-host Zakiya Watson, Ph.D. Dr. Shodiya received her B.S. in Materials Science from Penn State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She currently works at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Shodiya can be followed @dr_tsho on Instagram and Twitter.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Felton, J. (2022, September 22). The cat flap is surprisingly ancient, and not the work of Isaac Newton. IFLScience. Retrieved from https://www.iflscience.com/the-cat-flap-is-surprisingly-ancient-and-not-the-work-of-isaac-newton-65443
• Gbur, G. (2019). Falling felines and fundamental physics. Yale University Press.
• Gbur, G. (2022, July 22). The oldest falling cat explanation. Retrieved from https://skullsinthestars.com/2022/07/02/the-oldest-falling-cat-explanation/.
• George, S. C. (2022, September 23). 5 cats who owned famous scientists. Discover Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/5-cats-who-owned-famous-scientists
• Tearle, O. (2023, March 16). The interesting meaning and history of the phrase “curiosity killed the cat.” Interesting Literature. https://interestingliterature.com/2019/12/meaning-and-history-phrase-curiosity-killed-the-cat/

It's Mother's Day and we are here for it on 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast.

In this episode, get ready for the motherload - in which we delve into the topic of motherhood through the captivating story of St. Gertrude of Nivelles, the Belgian abbess and (alleged) patron saint of cats.

Joining our host is Catholic culture researcher René Ostberg, M.A., who guides us through the life of St. Gertrude, her relationship with cats, and the pivotal role of motherhood in her story. Alongside René, we have returning guest and doula Jade Hillery, M.P.H., and media professional and working mom, Alem Tedeneke, M.A., who share their unique perspectives on motherhood, from the physical to the spiritual and emotional dimensions of mothering.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Reference image:

• Cat meme on St. Gertrude (source: unknown)

About the experts:

• Jade F. Hillery, MPH, CD (DTI), is a reproductive and sexual health trainer and educator, full spectrum doula, and sensual movement instructor. She works to support other trainers and educators in creating intentional learning spaces; promote healing through sensual movement; and help people tap into their own power. She is also a board member for Aaliyah in Action and a co-host of The Good Black Podcast.
• Rene Ostberg is a Chicago-based writer and researcher who specializes in Catholic culture whose writing has appeared in many publications such as National Catholic Reporter and Encyclopaedia Britannica. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in library and information science.
• Alem Tedeneke, M.A. holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Communications from Columbia University and works for a large international organization in the social impact space. She can be followed on Twitter via @eyealem.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Drife, J. (2002, May 1). The start of life: A history of obstetrics. Postgraduate Medical Journal. Retrieved from https://pmj.bmj.com/content/78/919/311
• Fried, J. P. (2001, March 4). Following up. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/04/nyregion/following-up.html
• Garner, G. (2021, July 20). Mother cat in recovery after heroically saving her kitten from Barn Fire. People.com. Retrieved from https://people.com/pets/mother-cat-recovery-after-saving-kitten-barn-fire/
• Green, R. (2011, August 28). Scarlett the fire cat stray cat's devotion to kittens she carried one-by-one from fire an uplifting story of Motherly love. Spokesman.com. Retrieved from https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/dec/09/scarlett-the-fire-cat-stray-cats-devotion-to/
• Kybele. CYBELE (Kybele) - Phrygian Goddess, Mother of the Gods. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.theoi.com/Phrygios/Kybele.html
• Leeson, J. (2022, September 27). Is your cat ready to give birth? here's what to expect on the Big Day. How to Tell When a Cat Is Ready to Give Birth, So You Can Support Your Little Mama on the Big Day. Retrieved from https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/health-care/cat-neutering-spaying/how-to-tell-when-a-cat-is-ready-to-give-birth
• Ostberg, R. M. (2021, March 17). Meet St. Gertrude, cat lady of the Catholic Church. U.S. Catholic. Retrieved from https://uscatholic.org/articles/202003/how-st-gertrude-of-nivelles-became-the-cat-lady-of-the-catholic-church/
• Small, M. F. (2023, April 12). The biology of . . . morning sickness. Discover Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/the-biology-of-morning-sickness
• University of Edinburgh The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. (2019). Understanding feline social structure - ed.ac.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/1._understanding_feline_social_structure.pdf
• Youens, R. (2021, February 17). 11 facts you should know about mommy cats. Petfeed - Pet Care Tips, How-to Guides, Funny Stories, Comics, and Videos. Retrieved from https://petcube.com/blog/11-fact-about-mommy-cats/

All aboard 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast. In this episode, we'll be delving into the relationship between Vikings and cats, with insights from leading experts in archaeology, folklore, and historical research.

The team welcome archaeologist Brenda Prehal, Ph.D., who shares her knowledge of Viking settlements and the discovery of cat remains in their homes. Norse folklore leading expert Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., also provides insights into the role of cats in Viking mythology and culture. And historical research and writer Molly Dowdeswell sheds light on the everyday lives of Vikings and their furry companions.

Join us as we uncover the softer side of the Vikings and their love for cats, in this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats.

Special thanks to Laurie Friedriksen of Scandinavia House.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

About the experts:

• Molly Dowdeswell, M.A., received her master's degree in early modern history from the University of Birmingham. Her research and writing has appeared in publications such as The Collector, Rural Historia and Ancient Origins.
• Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., is a professor of folkloristics at the University of Iceland. Gunnell is a leading published expert on Norse folklore and history and has served as a consultant for films such as The Northman.
• Brenda Prehal, Ph.D., M.A., M.Phil, is the Head of Archaeology at Skagafjörður Heritage Museum in Iceland. She received her doctorate degree in anthropology and archaeology at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York, NY.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Dowdeswell, M. (2023, January 7). The story, symbols and powers of Freya, the Norse Goddess of Love. Ancient Origins Reconstructing the story of humanity's past. Retrieved from https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/freya-norse-goddess-0017280
• Edda to English: Translations of the prose edda. Mimisbrunnr.info: Developments in Ancient Germanic Studies. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/edda-to-english
• Grundy, Stephan (1998). "Freyja and Frigg". In Billington, Sandra; Green, Miranda (eds.). The Concept of the Goddess. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-19789-9.
• Hilson, M. (2019, February 25). The Nordic region. Aarhus University. Retrieved from https://nordics.info/show/artikel/the-nordic-region.
• Mark, J. J. (2023, April 23). Norse pets in the Viking Age. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1313/norse-pets-in-the-viking-age.
• Richards, James (1999). ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats: Everything You Need to Know About Choosing and Caring for Your Pet. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. pp. 128–129. ISBN 978-0-8118-1929-9.

• Universal pictures. (2022). The Northman. Roma

• Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Friday. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday

In this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast, the team heads to Eastern Europe to understand ways young nations are building inclusive communities that value not only humans, but also felines, canines, and other animals.

Listen in as Ares Shporta, a cultural leader in Prizren, describes the history of Kosovo and why efforts to restore the Lumbardhi Theatre to its post-war condition has fostered a community where all neighbors – human and animal – are welcome. Filmmaker Kaltrina Krasniqi shares how her passion for caring for stray and abandoned animals led to the creation of Pristina’s most popular bookstore-café, Dit’ e Nat’, and its most beloved feline resident. Meanwhile, animal rights legal activist Elza Ramadani discusses the strides she and her colleagues at Animal Rights Foundation Kosovo (ARF) have made to ensure that animals are recognized as valuable members of the community in Kosovo, Europe's youngest nation.

Learn a bit more about the history of this young nation through an inspiring exploration of how feline advocacy and animal welfare are making a positive impact on communities in Kosovo and beyond.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Featured voices:

• Kaltrina Krasniqi is a Kosovan storyteller and director whose film, Vera Dreams of the Sea, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2021 has since received international acclaim. She co-owns Pristina’s Dit’ e Nat’ bookstore-cafe (Instagram: @ditenatcafebookshop) and founded Oral History Kosovo and Vera Films, her film production company.
• Elza Ramadani is the founder of Kosovo’s Fondacioni për të Drejtat e Kafshëve në Kosovë / Fondacija za prava životinja Kosovo / Animal Rights Foundation Kosovo - ARF), which was founded in 2018 to improve animal welfare, focusing on the legislative aspects of protecting and promoting animal rights.
• Ares Shporta is the executive director of Prizren, Kosovo’s Lumbardhi Foundation, which oversees the historic Lumbardhi Theatre. Through its programs, it aims to create civic spaces for research, experimentation and collective learning.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research cited:

• BBC. (2023, January 23). Kosovo profile. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18328859
• History of the ASPCA. ASPCA. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aspca.org/about-us/history-of-the-aspca
• Pet ownership statistics in 2023 | the zebra. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/pet-ownership-statistics/

Do our cats really love being held and loved and squeezed and kissed? Find out in this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast. With the help of two certified cat behaviorists and a reproduction and sexuality educator, we apply a popular contemporary human psychology construct to investigate how cats experience, and express, affection and love.

Feline training and behavior pro Jennifer van de Kieft offers insights into how cats communicate their feelings and preferences, while reproductive and sexual health educator Jade F. Hillery, M.P.H., provides context for the five love languages. To round out the conversation, cat cognition researcher Kristyn Vitale, Ph.D., weighs in on what the media gets right - and wrong - about cats' affection for humans.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

About the experts:

• Jade F. Hillery, MPH, CD (DTI), is a reproductive and sexual health trainer and educator, full spectrum doula, and sensual movement instructor. She works to support other trainers and educators in creating intentional learning spaces; promote healing through sensual movement; and help people tap into their own power. She is also a board member for Aaliyah in Action and a co-host of The Good Black Podcast.
• Jennifer van de Kieft is a Certified Advanced Feline Training and Behavior Professional and Pet Nutrition Coach. She is experienced in science driven strategies and solutions to address problem behavior and is the owner of Cat Advocate LLC.
• Kristyn Vitale, Ph.D., is the founder of Maueyes and star of Netflix’s hit feature film, “The Mind of a Cat”. Her innovative research on cat behavior and human-animal interaction has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and been covered by such international publications as Science, National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Times of London.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research cited:

• Chapman, G. D. (2010). The five love languages. Walker Large Print.
• Gupta, A. H., & Mazón, L. (2022, August 27). The Sixth Love Language does not exist. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/27/well/family/love-languages-author.html
• Peterson, E. (2013, March 29). Why do cats bring home dead animals? LiveScience. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/34471-cats-dead-animals.html

Welcome to 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast. From a playful yet rigorously researched angle, join host Amanda B. and her team as we explore the fascinating world of felines and their connections to history, culture, and more. Starting with the question: ARE CATS ACTUALLY DOMESTICATED?

In our first episode, renowned anthro archaeologist Melinda Zeder, Ph.D., and Netflix star animal cognition expert Kristyn Vitale, Ph.D. educate and correct understandings of our little haus panthers.

With their help, discover the true definition of domestication and the possible regions where domestic cats may have originated. And correct common misconceptions about cat behavior and intelligence, helping us understand domestication behaviors and their implications on (cat)titude!

Join us as we journey across time and regions to appreciate how cats are THE consummate domesticate.

Special thanks to Christina Choi, Graham Griffith, Rekha Murthy, Natalie Tulloch and Jane Zumwalt.

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

About the experts:

• Kristyn Vitale, Ph.D. is the founder of Maueyes and star of Netflix’s hit feature film, “The Mind of a Cat”. Her innovative research on cat behavior and human-animal interaction has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and been covered by such international publications as Science, National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Times of London.
• Melinda A. Zeder, Ph.D. is an American archaeologist and Curator Emeritus in the Department of Anthropology of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Her zooarchaeological research has revolutionized understandings of animal domestication.

Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

• Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

Animal voices include:

• Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

Opening and closing credits:

• Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
• Samples licensed via Loopcloud
• Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

Logo design:

• Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

Research used:

• Nilson, S.M., Gandolfi, B., Grahn, R.A. et al. Genetics of randomly bred cats support the cradle of cat domestication being in the Near East. Heredity 129, 346–355 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-022-00568-4
• Zeder, M.A. (1982). The Domestication of Animals. Journal of Anthropological Research 9(4):321-327. DOI:10.1080/00988157.1982.9977605