Kittenfishing - meaning and definition
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Definition
Presenting a noticeably flattering or outdated version of yourself on a dating profile: old photos, heavy filters or small fibs about height or age.
At a glance
- A milder cousin of catfishing: the identity is real, the presentation is inflated.
- Typical examples are old photos, heavy filters or small fibs about height or age.
- It usually comes from insecurity rather than malice.
- It tends to backfire on a first date.
In detail
Kittenfishing is a milder cousin of catfishing. The person is who they say they are, but the profile oversells: photos from ten years ago, a few added centimetres or an optimistic job title.
It usually comes from insecurity rather than malice, but it tends to backfire on a first date. Recent, honest photos set expectations you can actually meet.
In a sentence
- His photos were clearly from ten years ago, a bit of kittenfishing there.
- I'm using recent pics only, kittenfishing just makes first dates awkward.
Where the word comes from
Kittenfishing appeared in dating media in the mid-2010s as a playful variation on catfishing, signalling a smaller, less harmful kind of misrepresentation.
Not to be confused with
- Catfishing
Catfishing involves a fake identity, often for deception or fraud; kittenfishing is exaggeration of a real one.
Common questions
What is the difference between kittenfishing and catfishing?
Catfishing uses a fake identity, often to deceive or defraud. Kittenfishing involves a real person presenting an exaggerated or outdated version of themselves.