6 Degrees of Cats

Cats vs Cupid: Why Cats are the Better Valentine’s Day Mascot

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Be our Valentine! In this episode of 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed culture, history and science podcast - well - we’ve always known that cats are cuter than babies, wings or not. But! Did you know that cats are actually symbols of love for many ancient cultures? Well, some call it love. Listen on!

In this episode, host Amanda B. interviews Sterling “Trapking” Davis of Trapking Humane Cat Solutions, Amy No of Brooklyn's The 5 Kittens Rescues, and Danielle Mackay, a classics lecturer and writer at Rhodes University.

Join us as we explore the question of just how fertile cats are, and take a journey back in time to ancient Egypt and Greece to discover why cats have a stronger claim to being Valentine's Day mascots than the traditional figure of Cupid - and how felis catus deserves a bigger place in our hearts and minds.

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:

  • 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).
  • Danielle Mackay, M.A., of Rhodes University (South Africa) is a classics lecturer, researcher and writer.
  • Amy No is the founder of The 5 Kittens Rescues, a trap-neuter-return activist and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. Learn more about her organization and their work at https://the5kittensrescues.com.

    • 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:


    • Felton, D. (2023, February 8). Don't underestimate Cupid – he's not the chubby cherub you associate with Valentine's day. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/dont-underestimate-cupid-hes-not-the-chubby-cherub-you-associate-with-valentines-day-197735 
  • Krznaric, R. (2023, February 13). Love like a greek: The six types of Love. GreekReporter.com. Retrieved from https://greekreporter.com/2022/10/10/six-types-love-ancient-greece/ 
  • Mackay, D. (2022, September 2). Vengeful, virgin, huntress: The Greek goddess Artemis. TheCollector. Retrieved from http://www.thecollector.com/artemis-greek-goddess/
  • Mackay, D. (2021, February 15). The ancient festivals of dionysus in athens: 'euhoi bacchoi'. TheCollector. Retrieved from https://www.thecollector.com/festival-of-dionysus/ 
  • Ovid, 43 B.C.-17 A.D. or 18 A.D. (1914). Ovid's Metamorphoses. Translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd.
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