It's not everyday you see a cat on the guitar, right in Brian Setzer's backyard.

"The Rock Cats," the musical members of Circus Cats of Chicago, stopped by the FOX 9 studio Wednesday to promote their appearances tonight, Saturday and Sunday at Avalon Theatre, at Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater, 1500 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

They played their way into the heart of "FOX 9 Buzz" anchor Alix Kendall, while her co-anchor Jason Matheson feigned coolness to the act.

"It was slightly amusing," said Matheson.

"Let me re-create my favorite moment. Alix Kendall, in the spirit of Walter Cronkite, asked the cowbell-playing kitty Now does the kitty, is he inclined to go toward the cowbell. No Alix, Meow Mix is on the cowbell. That's why the kitty is on the cowbell.

"Hayley, our boss is sitting right there and I will never admit [that] in front of her. It was horrible," said Matheson.

FOX 9 executive producer Hayley Herst wasn't having any of Matheson's cool cat attitude.

"It was the best television segment ever," said Herst. "That's why TV was invented. They would have been on the 'Ed Sullivan Show.'"

With that, please be referred to a startribune.com/video that mostly catches the cats after their TV performance.

If there's any feline justice out there, Stray Cats guitarist Brian Setzer, who now lives in Minneapolis, will show up at the Rock Cats' performances this weekend.

The Circus Cats have performances Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at St. Cloud's Atwood Memorial Theatre.

You can't miss them. They roll in is a 33-foot vehicle called "The Catmobile."

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.