The chance of finding love in real life nowadays is hard. Everyone seems to move to online resources in order to find new acquaintances. On one hand, it made meeting a soulmate easier, as you can get to know plenty of people who you wouldn’t come across in real life. On the other hand, the Internet gives a lot more freedom to liars. So the main concept about online dating that still comes to mind is that everyone you meet there is just waiting to trick you.

While catfishing is a term you are probably already familiar with, kittenfishing is a relatively new word in online love fans vocabulary. What does it mean and how is it connected with getting acquainted with people online? We decided on doing a little research about it and sharing it with those who are confused.

The meaning of kittenfishing

What stands behind this term is petty lies. While catfishing implies creating a whole new identity to present online, in the case of kittenfishing a person simply exaggerates their best traits so that more potential partners are attracted, hiding their negative sides at the same time. If the image of your online date is kinda overly pleasant, maybe that is the case.

Some might use old pictures where they look younger, thinner or just in general more attractive.

Most common lies people are using are connected with their appearance, social status and hobbies. For example, adding several inches when talking about height or perfecting their body with the help of digital editors are some of the cases. Some might use old pictures where they look younger, thinner or just in general more attractive. Maybe at some point it may seem like creating a perfect image that can motivate them to actually change a life, but in reality, a person who is hiding their real self never does anything to make the ideal real.

Side effects

Imagine a situation, when you communicate with an attractive woman or handsome man – at least that is what you can see in the profile pictures – but once you meet they turn out to be shorter, plumper and in general less pleasant.

Even small dishonesty can ruin communication. So one of the main negative results of kittenfishing is that it causes disappointment. Imagine a situation, when you communicate with an attractive woman or handsome man – at least that is what you can see in the profile pictures – but once you meet they turn out to be shorter, plumper and in general less pleasant. Though dating over 30 is pretty normal, it might become an unpleasant surprise for someone looking for a younger partner, etc. If even the beginning of your relationship is a lie, there are no chances you can trust each other. Who knows what else such partners hide?

The other thing is that kittenfishers spoil the whole concept of online dating. The more liars you meet on the Internet and the more stories you tell, the fewer people there will be who will consider trying dating on a website. It would be just natural to think that if people get negative experiences so often, there is no point in even trying.

How to spot kittenfishing

There is no need to reject dating apps and websites because of kittenfishers. But some rules might help to spot them at the very start and not waste time. Here is what you should pay attention to.

• Photos. Look at the pictures a person chose to represent him or herself. What should bother you is if all of them look different and some seem pretty old. The photos are supposed to give you a wholesome image of a possible partner and confusion is not the emotion you should feel;
• Profile info. This is yet another thing that says a lot about a possible date. If your interlocutor claims to be well-educated and speaks about a high position at work, grammatically wrong text or no information at all may be a sign of lies;
• Use a video call. Such an option which online dating sites and apps suggest is a chance to learn more about a potential partner. At least when it comes to appearance, it becomes a lot harder to cover the disadvantages and no filter can save you from showing your true self. So if your date seems suspicious, make a video call before you two go out together.