A bizarre new TikTok trend inspired by Taylor Swift’s hit song “August” has prompted backlash from animal welfare advocates. Users are grabbing their cats, swinging them in circles in the air, and posting the distressing videos set to Swift’s music.
The trend took off among Taylor Swift fans, known as “Swifties,” who are celebrating the pop star’s chart-topping track. In the videos, owners hold their cats up by their front legs or back legs and twirl them around while Swift’s vocals play in the background. Some clips even show people doing this with dogs, turtles and chickens.
Many participants seem oblivious to the fear and anxiety being inflicted on their pets. The videos are often captioned as “cute” or “funny,” though the cats are clearly in distress. In response, animal charity Cats Protection has spoken out against the craze.
“At no point should an animal deliberately be put in a position to feel fear, anxiety, frustration or experience pain for the benefit of human entertainment,” said Central Behaviour Officer Daniel Warren-Cummings.
He pointed out the obvious signs of distress displayed by the spinning cats, including their body language and expressions. Warren-Cummings added that “even if the experience is only brief, it’s unethical and should not be encouraged.”
The trend likely started as a nod to Taylor Swift’s public love of cats. But picking up and swirling animals just to make a social media video is causing them real harm. It can result in extreme stress, anxiety, even physical injury for these pets.
For UK residents participating in the trend, Warren-Cummings warned that “causing a cat unnecessary suffering is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.”
Despite some fans seemingly finding amusement in these videos, it’s clear the animals are not enjoying this ill-conceived stunt. With TikTok fads coming and going rapidly, hopefully this troubling one will quickly fade away. Pop culture fans need to be more considerate regarding what they subject their pets to just for some social media views.
