What is a cat in Secret Service?
Asked by: Kris Goldner | Last update: June 13, 2026Score: 4.3/5 (3 votes)
In the U.S. Secret Service, "CAT" refers to the Counter Assault Team, an elite, highly trained tactical unit that provides direct, immediate support to protect the President and other protectees by neutralizing threats during an attack, acting as a rapid response force to suppress attackers and allow the protective detail to exfiltrate the principal. They are the heavy artillery, focused on offensive counter-attack, unlike the protective agents who shield the individual.
What does a cat do in Secret Service?
The Counter Assault Team (CAT) is a specialized unit within the U.S. Secret Service that provides full-time, global tactical support to the Presidential Protective Division. On order, CAT will also provide tactical support to designated protectees, protected venues, and National Special Security Events.
What is cat in police terms?
CAT can have several meanings in law enforcement. One is Community Action Team. Another is Criminal Apprehension Team. This second acronym refers to a specialized group of police officers whose job it is to located and arrest fugitives and other types of criminals so that they can be brought to justice.
What does cat mean in the military?
The Counter Assault Team (CAT) is a specialized tactical unit of the U.S. Secret Service that provides tactical support to the Presidential Protective Division to protect the president of the United States.
What is the most elite Secret Service unit?
There isn't one single "most elite" secret service, as different agencies excel in different areas, but top contenders globally include the CIA (US) for foreign intelligence, Mossad (Israel) for covert operations, and the UK's MI6 (SIS) for global espionage, while the U.S. Secret Service is renowned for elite protection and financial crime investigation, often considered among the world's best law enforcement/protection agencies, particularly their Presidential Protective Division.
Secret Service Cat
What is higher than a CIA agent?
Higher than a CIA agent are the Director of the CIA, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) who oversees the entire US Intelligence Community, the Secretary of State (influencing foreign policy), the Secretary of Defense, and ultimately the President of the United States, who is the Commander-in-Chief, with other powerful agencies like the NSA and FBI having different focuses but significant roles.
Did the CIA use cats as spies?
Affectionately called “Acoustic Kitty,” the cat proved trainable in familiar settings. When flown across the globe, however, it seemed lost. The CIA canceled the operation. In total, the Agency spent five years and an estimated $20 million on "Project Acoustic Kitty."
What weapons do the Secret Service cat team use?
Images 2,3 and 4 show additional USSS CAT (Counter Assault Team) members armed with Knights Armament Company (KAC) SR-16 CQB rifles rocking Aimpoint T-2 optics, BE Meyers MAWL lasers and Surefire M600 WML's.
What qualifies you for a service cat?
But, as it stands, cats do not meet the federal criteria for service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In other words: No, cats cannot be service animals, but they can be emotional support animals (ESAs).
What is the counter sniper team in the Secret Service?
The Counter Sniper Team (CS) is a specialized unit within the U.S. Secret Service that provides global long-range observation and tactical support to U.S. Secret Service protective details. On order, CS will also provide support to designated protectees, protected venues, and National Special Security Events (NSSEs).
Does Secret Service have more power than FBI?
Neither the FBI nor the Secret Service has overall "more authority"; they have different missions, jurisdictions, and parent departments, with the FBI focusing broadly on federal crimes (terrorism, cybercrime, etc.) under the DOJ, and the Secret Service specializing in financial crimes and protection of leaders/sites under DHS, but they often coordinate, especially on crimes affecting protectees or involving national security. The FBI is larger and handles wider domestic investigations, while the Secret Service has unique protective and cyber-financial mandates, sometimes sharing jurisdiction on technology crimes.
Does Secret Service go to the bathroom with the president?
The president is never alone—an agent is present in the bathroom, at the doctor's office and all other seemingly private situations.
Has Secret Service ever taken a bullet?
I spoke with the Secret Service agent who took a bullet for President Reagan during his attempted assassination decades ago. Tim McCarthy was 32 years old when he shielded the president with his body, the bullet hit him in the right chest and ricocheted inside, affecting multiple organs.
What does hammer stand for in Secret Service?
Special Operations Division: Hazardous Agent Mitigation & Medical Emergency Response (HAMMER) The mission of the Hazardous Agent Mitigation & Medical Emergency Response (HAMMER) team is to provide hazardous agent mitigation, emergency medical intervention, and extrication capabilities to the protective mission.
Can Secret Service carry guns off duty?
What legal authority and powers do Secret Service agents have? Under Title 18, Section 3056, of the United States Code, agents and officers of the United States Secret Service can: Carry firearms.
What is the most secretive unit of the CIA?
The CIA's most secretive unit is generally considered the Special Activities Center (SAC), formerly the Special Activities Division (SAD), which handles highly classified paramilitary operations and covert political action through its Special Operations Group (SOG) and Political Action Group (PAG). Known for deniable operations, sabotage, and high-risk missions, SAC recruits from top U.S. military special forces like Delta Force and SEAL Team Six, making it an elite, low-profile force for national security.
Why did a cat get a Dickin medal?
Simon, the ship's cat aboard HMS Amethyst during the Yangtze Incident of 1949, was awarded a posthumous PDSA Dickin Medal for his devotion to duty despite suffering terrible injuries when the British warship was shelled by the Chinese Communist forces.
What smell do cats absolutely hate?
Cats hate strong, pungent smells that signal danger or irritation, with citrus (lemon, orange), vinegar, strong essential oils (eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender), coffee, and certain household cleaners (ammonia, bleach) being among the most disliked, often due to toxicity or overpowering nature, while also disliking other cats' scents and spoiled food.
What's harder, a green beret or a ranger?
It's not about one being definitively "harder," but about different kinds of difficulty: Ranger training (RASP & Ranger School) is famously brutal, short, and focused on intense, direct-action infantry skills, while the Green Beret Q Course is a longer, more comprehensive process testing advanced skills in unconventional warfare, language, and culture, requiring sustained mental toughness alongside physical endurance. Rangers are built for rapid, hard-hitting operations, while Green Berets are trained for long-term strategic influence and training foreign forces, so the "harder" path depends on your strengths (raw combat vs. complex, adaptable operations).
What is the most feared Army unit?
There's no single "most dangerous" unit, as danger is subjective, but elite Tier 1 special forces like the U.S. Delta Force (1st SFOD-D), Navy's DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six), British SAS, and Russian Spetsnaz are considered among the most lethal for specialized counter-terrorism, direct action, and hostage rescue, operating on the most complex and covert missions globally.
What is the oldest you can be to join Special Forces?
Meet SF Prerequisites
- You must have a minimum rank of E-3 and must be 20 years old at the start of Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) with a waiver.
- You must not be older than 36 years (waiverable) for SFAS attendance.
- You must be eligible for a Secret security clearance.