Internet
kittenfishing
What does kittenfishing mean?
Presenting a slightly dishonest version of yourself on dating apps, like using heavily edited or years-old photos and exaggerating your height, job, or interests, without fully faking your identity.
"His pics were five years and two stone ago, total kittenfishing."
Origin
Coined by Hinge in 2017 as a softer relative of 'catfishing'. The 'kitten' marks it as a smaller, less deceptive version. Spread through dating-app culture and media.
Frequently asked questions
What does kittenfishing mean on dating apps?
It's misrepresenting yourself in small ways, like using old or heavily filtered photos and exaggerating details, without faking your whole identity.
How is kittenfishing different from catfishing?
Catfishing is pretending to be a completely different or fake person. Kittenfishing is the real you, just dishonestly upgraded.
Is kittenfishing a big deal?
It's less severe than catfishing, but it still erodes trust because the person you meet doesn't match the profile they sold you.
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