The spectacle of cats doing tricks is pretty impressive, but the really astounding feat is that anyone could coerce a cat -- nature's most indignant house pet -- into doing tricks at all. Nevertheless, that is the trick accomplished by the (we're assuming) incredibly persistent Samantha Martin, who brings her Amazing Acro-Cats through town Saturday and Sunday to do what they reluctantly do: things like jumping through hoops and playing in a five-piece band (guitar, drums, piano and cowbell, plus a chicken on tambourine). And you should check it out while you still can, because if we're interpreting the cats' facial expressions in these photos correctly, they are meticulously plotting Martin's "accidental" death as we speak.

See the Acro-Cats Saturday and Sunday (shows at 4 p.m. both days) at the Bug Theater; tickets are $15.

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