Cat organ

[2]The instrument was described by German physician Johann Christian Reil (1759–1813) for the purpose of treating patients who had lost the ability to focus their attention.

Feles vivas accepit omnes differentis magnitudinis, quas cistae cuidam huic negotio dedita opera fabricatae ita inclusit ut caudae perforamina extentae, certis quibusdam cana, libus insererentur affixae, hisce subdidit palmulas subtilissimis ac uleis loco malleolorum instructas; Feles vero iuxta differentem magnitudinem tonatim ita disposuit; ut singulae palmulae singulis responderent felium caudis, instrumentumque ad relaxationem Principis praeparatum oportuno loco condidit, quod deinde pulsatum eam harmoniam redditit, qualem Felium voces reddere possunt.

Nam palmulae digitis Organoe di depressae aculeis suis dum caudas pungunt cattorum hi in rabiem acti miserabili voce, nunc gravem, modò acutam intonantes, eam ex felium vocibus compositam reddiderunt harmoniam, quae et moveret homines ad risum, et vel sorices ipsos ad saltum concitare posset.

[6][a]The citation is noted by Kircher's student Gaspar Schott in Magia Naturalis naturae et artis, Part 2, Book 6, Pragmatia 2, titled "Felium Musicam exhibere [Cat Concert].

Kircher notes that the instrument can be used to reduce the melancholy of princes by moving them to laughter, almost exactly the situation that occurred in 2010 when the Prince of Wales was greatly amused by a performance of the tune "Over the Rainbow" on an instrument recreated using squeaky toy cats by Henry Dagg for a garden party held at Clarence House supporting Charles's Start initiative for sustainable living.

From La Nature , 1883
Kladderadatsch (1897) parodies Count Badeni in a caricature of him accompanied by Katzenjammermusik [cat whine music]
Depiction in 1858 Die Gartenlaube short, "Katzen-Orgel"
from J-B. Weckerlin, Musiciana (1877)
From Gaspar Schott, Magia Naturalis (1657)