Savage Purr-suasion | MythBusters

Witness Adam's first -- cough! naive! cough! -- attempt to herd eight cats into a single pen. | For more MythBusters, visit dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/myt...
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[@GlennCoco]

There's an extremely simple method to cat herding and it involves a laser pointer.

[@T1Oracle]

I thought you were going to say pitchfork...

[@Nobody-hc2bo]

My cat, weirdly, does not care at ALL about laser pointers

[@youkofoxy]

I have a better one, a tuna can

[@stephenriden7460]

@@youkofoxy and not feeding for half a day

[@peterwhitey4992]

That's not really herding though.

[@Tetratronic]

"That was a bad idea of mine, I'm very sorry." LOOOOOL

[@dethmaul]

That was super cute :)

[@TheKyrix82]

As someone who has 4 cats, at the same time...you ought to know better. Most cats do not become instant buddies, and GREATLY resent being put in close proximity with each other. There are exceptions (one of mine is so gregarious that she doesn't care what creature you put her near, she unconditionally loves it on sight), and some who are already bonded. None of these, however, look to have been socialized together

[@Tableuraz]

@@TheKyrix82 Yep, even after 2 or 3 years my cat keeps slapping the neighbor's cat from time to time even if they spend days together in my yard, and a friend of mine had two cats who loved each other instantly, and you could even hold them together in your arms shoulder to shoulder, they would just purr and eventually start licking each other... Cats are so random man...

[@b2a1c3d4e5]

@@TheKyrix82 that’s 100% true. He should’ve been more aware of that. But I do respect the seeming genuineness of his apology to the cats, even though there was really nothing he could do at that point other than put them down lol.

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

@@TheKyrix82 Oh great cat lady share your wisdom. Oh wait no I mean nobody cares.

[@russellthompson8414]

I remarried, she had to cats, my daughters had two cats. Then she got a boarder collie. Boarder collies don't really need to be taught to heard. I watched it attempt to heard 4 cats several times. I don't know if they have some communication I am not privy to, but the cats would go 4 different directions as if by plan. The dog ended up herding one cat.

[@ghostiibee7869]

omg we got a border collie in 2019 (her name is pepper) and she has tried to herd my family around so any times (including the 2 cats) its so cute but not when we are trying to take groceries in and she wants us all in one place lol

[@starofgalaxies]

We had a border collie mix and she wouldn't herd my parents just us kids

[@ghostiibee7869]

@@starofgalaxies lol yeah with pepper its def an "all or nothing" because she's either herding us or off in her own little world

[@redfailhawk]

My chow-shepherd mix (other stuff in there too) will herd kids away from her stuff, but interestingly, her extent of cat messing around is to break up the cat fights or steal poop. Still fun to see.

[@daviddrake5991]

My mom has a mutt(no clue what kind of mix) was able to heard a litter of 6 kittens with no issue at all. Well the mother did not take kindly to him.

[@rlrsk8r1]

Take note: humans are rated to carry one cat at a time.

[@deathgrind1]

Is that OSHA or ISO9000?

[@SynchronizorVideos]

More like cats aren't rated to be carried more than one at a time.

[@TheKyrix82]

I have 4 cats, two of whom even get along rather well and I STILL carry them one at a time

[@TheKyrix82]

@Sparka JActually that would get super ugly, super quick

[@inkyfingers317]

@Sparka J the phrase, cat's out of the bag, is in fact not referring to a feline, but to a cat o nine tails whip a 17th century ships captain would carry around in a crimson bag to hide the blood. This whip was also referred to as "the captains daughter," and in the song Drunken sailor, when the chorus goes, "put em in the bed with the captains daughter" it is referring to the sailing phrase, "put to bed with the captains daughter," ie when a sailor was beat with the cat o nine tails whip till unconscious.

[@Terrell070]

I liked how the first cat walked towards the pen then turned and walked outside of the pen, to Adam's frustration. We know who was in charge there, and it wasn't Adam.

[@AndersAstrand]

Adam's apology to the cats at the end is so endearing :D. It's obvious that they've ensured the cats are not stressed which is really nice to see.

[@SharonMarieMonAmi]

I thought the cats looked stressed. I don’t know who would expose their cat to such idiocy.

[@RCAvhstape]

I love that it failed immediately when they found out the hurricane fencing doesn't even stop them from leaving before the test even begins.

[@Mondoblasto0]

1:51 I love how Jamie finds this hilarious.

[@TyDaleChannel]

We all know why this just got more views.... Hi Adam!

[@catsgonom]

Cats and Myth Busters. My two favorite things.

[@lilkitten545]

me too :D

[@edlenorgaeron8003]

@@lilkitten545 Yes.

[@lunacraftcrochet]

As someone who lived with cats all their lives, this is impossible. You can train them to come to you, or from place a to b, or to follow with you. But to herd them, and all the cats are strangers to each other? No. But good luck. Am going to watch it now.

[@Roset595]

Mythbusters: Puts 8 cats in a pen All the cats simultaneously: e sCAPE

[@DamonNomad82]

Always remember with cats, "if you build it, they will find the way out!"

[@RocRizzo]

simply open a can of tuna fish in the pen, and your cats will come runnin'!

[@rodrigtf]

A can of tuna inside of a cardboard box would work wonders!

[@LMTR14]

yeah anybody who actually ever HAD cats knows how cat herding really works... this show is stupid

[@nik0kirin212]

Only if you're lucky enough to find cats who do love tuna... I ACTUALLY had cats who hated things like tuna and turkey and refused to eat(((

[@ViciousTuna2012]

@@LMTR14 The point is to do it without using food. He even says picking them up is cheating. Using food isn't "herding". It's called "luring".

[@DinnerForkTongue]

@@nik0kirin212 I had one that didn't eat anything but kibble, and _maybe_ some sardine can leftovers.

[@virginiarocks]

Bless his heart for being so kind to the cats - I like the bit about when he comes back as a cat. 🤣

[@TheOnlyRiktor]

I might be one of the few lucky ones to have two cats I can hold in my arms without a war starting on my chest

[@OtakusGetIt33]

I love how he apologizes to the cats

[@stephenwall4292]

put a box in the centre of the corral.

[@rodrigtf]

With a can of tuna inside of it!!!

[@ecstaticpenguin768]

That's a good idea. Or put a hot air balloon with a hundred squirrels that unleash from the basket and devour human every living organism.

[@Katzztar]

I have a cat that ignores boxes 95% of the time. I open the cabinet under the sink or open the bedroom closet, both having boxes that are not empty, and she will explore the small space even if it means jumping into a box. But a box out in the open? she ignores it. A empty box? ... only if its the one in bathroom cabinet (in rare times I'm out of supplies)

[@CrashB111]

That would make it luring the cats into the corral, not herding them.

[@everdash]

This makes you appreciate the employees of Petsmart and Petco and veterinarians and their assistants even more.

[@strawberrylemonadelioness]

Seeing Adam down on all fours is hilarious. Also the cats are so adorable!

[@sepiasmith5065]

You're walking by them trying to herd them - a sheep would back away from you, but the cat just stops and is like "wtf bro." really, you can't herd cats. but you can draw them to a place. I love kitties so much. they're like roommates. while dogs are like babies.

[@rgw4393]

I sat down on the floor in a cat room at my local humane society and soooo many cats started climbing and rubbing all over me, was super cute ♥️

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

LURING ISNT HERDING. Boxes, tuna, treats, cat food, cat nip, lasers, toys ect are lures. Which defeats the point of testing if you can herd cats. Don't often see a farm dog luring sheep with a carrot into a pen.

[@Heothbremel]

Ngl I would pay a considerable amount of money to watch a dog lure sheep into a corral with a carrot

[@emm6064]

"I know it's cheating, but it's all I got!"

[@chloelighthall4134]

The end was hilarious

[@MARLEYFANcbr]

I am pretty sure sometimes cats do the opposite of what a humans wish on purpose. As if they completely understand but choose not to. On the other hand when a cat wants to do the same as what you wish and you both are enjoying each other, it is a wonderful experience.

[@ShadeSlayer1911]

They understand enough to do the opposite of what we want.

[@grantmiller3826]

Make friends with all the cats, then go sit in the pen and watch the cats come in to join you. lol I bet it would work.

[@SobrietyandSolace]

Agreed. People have this crazy idea in their heads that cats CAN'T be asked to do anything because they don't immediately, blindly obey our pointless commands, therefore it must be they who are just 'stupid', 'stubborn' or 'unteachable'. Take 5 minutes to get to know a cat and you can easily teach them to follow you (maybe even on a leash), fetch, high five, sit, beg or whatever. Cats also respond well to vocal cues like squeaks and clicks as well as their names. When I call my cat, he comes. When I make a kissing sound against my teeth, he comes knowing I am going to ask him to perform a specific action. Cats need consistency and to understand why you're asking them to do shit. Very similar to gifted children...

[@LMTR14]

that takes a loooong time though. easier to just lure them with food

[@bennu547]

Oh definitely. My cats will walk up to me if I’m sitting anywhere in the house

[@DKonigsbach]

Good idea! Even better: Sit in the pen and try to read a book or work on a computer.

[@CrashB111]

@@SobrietyandSolace The point wasn't to test if cats can be trained or if they can be lured to do something with the promise of food. It was to test if they could be herded like sheeps or ducks. Hence the name of the phrase being "Herding Cats".

[@Packer1290]

We've had as many as 3 cats at once and they all honor each other's personal space. Cats will not typically get closer than 3-4 feet from each other unless its a quick passby.

[@RFC-3514]

Roll aluminium foil into a ball. Show ball to cat. Throw ball into pen. Repeat for each remaining cat.

[@PaulEiche]

Mythbusters seeks to find out if it is indeed difficult to herd cats. Spoiler alert: the answer is "yes."

[@JuanPierreSchaper]

lol. XD Cats... Pfff...

[@FireLordJohn3191]

*impossible.

[@RuthD913]

I hope those marvelous kitties found homes.

[@Joybuzzard]

Put boxes in the pen. One for each cat. Ignore them for a half an hour. It'll get done.

[@zoraxbrooks]

Well what I find to work mostly with my cat, is to look into its eyes for a couple seconds, then move behind a sight blocker without changing my gaze, then she'll come look for me around the corner.

[@MissLilyputt]

They would’ve had more luck with a treat bag or something that makes them interested in following Adam around. You can’t fan your hands at them and expect them to listen. Something has to be in it for them. LoL

[@FireLordJohn3191]

That’s called luring, not herding.

[@chromasux2]

They sort of forgot the first rule of cats. We aren't owner, we are their staff. Thereby, we're never in charge. Once you accept that, it's all good.

[@XxAzraelGTxX]

Got to find the full episode, wonder if they tried using boxes

[@JohnSmith-zf3lz]

The two cats at the end are the funniest moment

[@handidrummed]

I can't respond to Grant Wallace, but he says that cats aren't loyal. Yes they are, you just have to earn it. A dog will love you no matter who you are. As long as you're friendly, it's easy. Cats are more rewarding in that regard because when they love you, you know you've earned it.

[@L0ki386]

I can't agree more with you. I grew up with dogs, we had 3. Then when I moved into an apt I could only get a cat, so I did. And damn if that thing wasn't just as affectionate. It was always by the door when I got home from work, sitting waiting for me. As if I knew it was me walking down the hallway. She will even come when I call her, and follow me around/apt just like a little dog. Now I have a house and I still have my cats. They just take some work and honestly I prefer that kinda love to blind love.

[@ivanheffner2587]

Hi, Tested viewers. Because of all of you, this video made it into my suggestions. Thanks for finding it for me. There are ways to get cats to move in the direction you want them to, but it requires being less kind about it. The difference between herding a predator and prey is that one will challenge your authority and the other will flee first. Put the pen in a corner to form a funnel, like a sheep paddock. Start clapping and making noise and the cats are going to flee. But then when you put a bunch of stressed out cats in a confined space, they’re going to start fighting and desperately seeking escape. That pen, unless it has a top, will not stop a cat determined to escape. But all in all, I’m glad they went the kinder route and said it wasn’t possible without stressing them out.

[@keithtorgersen9664]

“They never test the same place twice”… “Clever girl…”

[@JamesTDG]

0:36 the similarity is friggin amazing!

[@SobrietyandSolace]

Cats are indeed solitary animals that prefer to stand their ground than move *usually* but it isn't impossible to socialise unrelated cats who may be more interested in banding together for comfort and safety. Especially when you see hoarded cats, like 20-40 of them, and they do tend to move as a group in confined spaces.

[@mitchelnorton2692]

Jeez, it's like....oh, right.

[@raphaellavictoria01]

omg, the tabby's like looking at him, like, "what's your problem?"

[@riordanmunnoch6074]

the grey laying down is me 24/7

[@jupiter1217]

Herding cats is a real thing, and it is way more difficult than it it seems. It's taken me years to get mine to go inside when I say. In fact, the first time it happened was just last week. The youngest are 5 years old! Food usually, but not always, helps. Maybe if he had a toy and crawled inside the pen? I find curiosity, play, and the prospect of getting some attention tends to reduce the barriers.

[@shanejayell]

PFFFT. OK, that's adorable.

[@timan2039]

I would have broken out the secret weapon...a can opener.

[@therecanolibe1yt163]

0:12-0:16 LOL neat filming trick

[@Timelost_Techpriest]

Surprised they didn't just go over the barrier. I know from personal experience that cats can jump higher than that.

[@takkycat]

Believe it or not, I once got all SIX of my cats to sit on the couch in a pyramid and look at me while I took their picture. I got a Best in Show ribbon at an art contest for it!

[@idknils2920]

Note : Cats are the most stubborn animal ever

[@ClickBeetleTV]

Cats don't even care enough to be stubborn at you

[@johan.ohgren]

I think that title belongs to donkeys.

[@Peter_1986]

I like that Adam carries those cats the proper way, instead of lifting them by the neck like some people do. That's NOT a good way to carry cats; the reasons why kittens can be carried that way is because they are much lighter, and also because they haven't started to associate this with attacks from predators, and thus will be much more relaxed than adult cats.

[@MySerpentine]

'I would like to see anyone, prophet, king or God, convince a thousand cats to do anything at the same time'--Neil Gaiman, "Dream of a Thousand Cats"

[@mirandadecker7073]

he almost got the first cat to go in

[@Sarappreciates]

Two words: Salmon Treats.

[@darkquail2003]

Step 1: Put catnip in the pen Step 2: Go have a smoke because your work is done

[@yeenmachine206]

My dad's cat doesn't care for catnip, so it won't work with every cat.

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

You'd have more success if you open a couple of cans of tuna. & put a fan on them that wafted the smell towards the cats.

[@lynn858]

If you’re going to carry a cat, or attempt 2 cats, you’d best learn the “squish the cat football carry”. Search it, there’s a video where a vet demonstrates it.

[@TheSwamper]

How much did Jamie get scratched doing this? :)

[@animeobssesent101]

I feel they missed a chance with using the words "cat purral"

[@cryodrakonboreas8628]

Here after the tested video

[@fooledman]

If they are hungry a big pile of food in one spot will do. With a lot of time and training, the sound of a can opener or the sound of a can being opened will do the same.

[@tohrurikku]

The solution is simple: a bag of cat treats! Give it a few shakes and they will come running.

[@FireLordJohn3191]

That’s not herding.

[@rkmath4905]

What episode is this from?? I tried looking for it on Hulu and I couldn’t find it

[@PunchCounterpunch_Lizzy]

I can tell my cat to come to me just by snapping my fingers

[@Rowancat11]

They're predators. They chase. ;)

[@FoxWolfWorld]

Lol they chose that orange netting so the cats couldn’t climb it but they forgot that cats *are liquid* and could just phase though it

[@my3dviews]

This was a "cat-astrophe". :-)

[@msmaria5039]

Love the facts the cats could get through the net at first.

[@amandastevens1117]

If you have treats, it might be slightly easier...

[@raphaellavictoria01]

LOVE THIS, so funny. Awww! it's hilarious, at the end those poor two kitties wanted to fight each other. Yes, this endeavor completely ignores feline mentality:) Kitties are like little aliens: their society is not like human society. It's very simple: they only tolerate cats/people they know very well, and 2. in a cat's world, everything is about territory. Territory is everything to a cat. It's their job, their self esteem, their home, their food source, everything. So when they're all stuck together in an unknown space with strange cats... it goes against all those principles. Stressful at best, fight inducing at worst....

[@marvelousmaker]

I think I saw spot from Star Trek NG

[@ShinyRedGrapple]

Im here from Tested

[@zeeegeee]

Me too and i still dk what myth is attempting to be busted here

[@sibsbubbles]

With no food to bait, then nope lol. Will never work.

[@chrish6001]

1. Put open cardboard boxes, cat nip and food in the destination corral. 2. Wait.

[@FireLordJohn3191]

But that’s not herding.

[@coweatsman]

That was a CATastrophe.

[@agenericaccount3935]

Foleying the cat meows is just weird

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

I mean...pretty sure the cats weren't mic'd up.

[@chrisflanagan7564]

Yeah, it's odd, Adam was talking about the noises that the cats made, the specific "WHAT IS GOING ON" distress call these cats were making, and yet the actual show just had loads of mismatched generic stock cat noises. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpnOi4SbibZppa8 at or around the 2:50 mark.

[@Bluey306]

how to herd cats (foolproof): stand with treat bag. shake treat bag. open treat bag. crinkle treat bag. walk with treat bag.

[@FireLordJohn3191]

That’s bribery. Not herding. Cheating.

[@shadowknows5750]

Cats control the world - I have accepted this.

[@Sovreign071]

This would have been over in 10 seconds if they put 4 boxes in the coral. It has to be clear there aren't enough for all of them.

[@DrThunder88]

@Discovery Is Mythbusters on Discovery Plus?

[@dak4465]

Put a roof on the pen, and theyd probably go in there on their own

[@tedspeed3338]

I thought it was universally known that cats don’t care about what you want? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ShadowLynx777]

It's called catnip

[@driftingdruid]

one wonders how this would fare if Jackson Galaxy worked with the Mythbusters at the time of filming this episode

[@savannahbirch5151]

I keep this bookmarked for when Im sad

[@Oscaeone]

bribe em with treats and catnip mouses/toys.

[@sirxavior1583]

Just get a bag of treats and shake the bag.

[@fairfaxcat1312]

But as the cats explore the arena it's clear there's a problem.

[@idknils2920]

One car is enough

[@Dobviews]

Need a cat toy. Maybe a feather on a string or a laser pointer?

[@FireLordJohn3191]

Not herding.

[@hillarycheng3391]

Them: oh yeah. We're gonna put up as much precautions and safety as we can for the kitties well being and health. Cats: I'm gonna look for every safety hazard and risk my life to put these guys' careers at risk or even ruin it! (Nearly choked themselves with netting) Lmao! What a mess they encountered even before trying to herd the cats began! Glad to see them spring immediately into action there before we have one casualty. 😅

[@yogiyoda]

They should have made the destination a big box. No effort needed

[@randomguy-]

The nO Kat Corral ...

[@dbllivegonzo]

Kitties just don't play right.

[@werelemur1138]

Just put some gooshyfoods and a few cardboard boxes in the corral.

[@steventarsitano3209]

just put a box in the corral.

[@Z0MGH4X]

You can herd cats with a string

[@ecstaticpenguin768]

You can also herd elephants with a string.

[@FireLordJohn3191]

That’s not herding.

[@AF-nc2fc]

It would've worked better if you had led them into the cat corral with a jar of cat treats.

[@sophierobinson2738]

Food.

[@christophercaldwell6888]

Cats don't particularly adhere to "safety in numbers", so any standard technique will fail. You could use the "run away from the thing I'm scared of" instinct by making sure that the only way to run takes the cat where you want to go, but that's really not herding. That is more like "trapping". Even then, it isn't all that uncommon for a cat to "turn on" its perceived attacker as was demonstrated to Adam at the end. Cats are usually predators. Why would they exhibit prey behavior?