Have you ever been on a blind date with someone only to find out that they look NOTHING like their online profile? This isn’t an uncommon occurrence at all, and there’s even a word for it: kittenfishing. So what is kittenfishing and the kittenfishing meaning or definition?
Let’s take a look.
Kittenfishing: Meaning
You may have heard of a kittenfish meaning that someone has catfished you, but the two terms are very different. Let’s look at kittenfishing vs catfishing in more detail. Catfishing is a deceptive activity where someone creates a wholly fictional persona or fake identity and then targets a victim. Catfishing is either done to fulfill a fantasy, manipulate someone into giving up money (like a romance scam) or to take revenge on a person. Kittenfishing is also a deceptive practice, but it’s usually not as elaborate.
Kittenfishing in dating refers to someone who changes or tweaks small details about their appearance or life to boost their profile on dating apps. With kittenfishing, you aren’t pretending to be a totally different person, but you do paint a picture online that is a little different to reality.
You might lie about your age, or height, alter your appearance or only share pictures that show you at your lowest weight. You could omit having a disability, having kids, or telling a white lie about your career or job title.
Let’s be honest: most of us paint a more favourable picture of ourselves online, especially on dating profiles. We are all guilty of picking the most flattering photos of ourselves or hiding some of the aspects of our appearance and personality we’re not confident about. Kittenfishing takes a step further by willfully deceiving someone and it’s not always a victimless crime. Depending on the size of the deception, one or both parties can be really hurt during the process. It’s never a good idea to start a relationship off with a lie. Kittenfishing someone is manipulative and deceiving, and you may end up feeling duped or betrayed. Once someone lies it’s hard to stop, and this may set a terrible precedent for the relationship down the line.
How can you avoid being kittenfished?
While kitten fishing in online dating is all too common, you can protect yourself from kittenfishers. Start by trusting your instincts. If someone seems cagey, or if their life seems overly glamorous and pain-free, consider it a red flag. Kittenfishers will often tell overly elaborate stories or avoid going into detail whatsoever.
When you start speaking to someone online, start Googling. Look for more pictures or confirmation of their occupation and residence. If you are friends with them on Facebook, dig around. Look for pictures that their friends may have tagged them in or pictures from a long time ago. If someone claims that they are 35, but you come across a picture from ten years celebrating their 30th, you may have caught them in a lie!
You could also use a public records site to look up their details, including contact information, social media profiles, addresses and employment history. This should also reveal additional images, economic information, and their age.
What should you do when you catch a kittenfish?
There are plenty of TV shows and documentaries featuring dramatic confrontations with catfish, but what can you do if you catch someone in a smaller, white lie? The truth is that kitten fishing might be a good test of character and can reveal a lot about the person you are dating.
Let’s say you’ve found out that someone lied about their age and are actually ten years older than they told you they are. If you would love to have children but this person has passed the age where that’s possible, it’s a deal-breaker. But if you don’t really care about their age, think they look great and don’t have any hesitation about being in a relationship with them – confront them! If the person laughs it off and admits that they lied because they felt insecure, it’s a good sign. If they deny it and react in a defensive or hostile way, that person is probably going to keep lying to you in the future!
We’ve covered the kitten fishing phenomenon and kitten fishing meaning. Hopefully, you are better equipped to deal with any deceptive daters you may encounter going forward! Remember that while many people lie online, you don’t need to put up with it.
