‘Cat’ got your virtual tongue!

Here is the newest term in the dating world: Kitten fishing and this is why you should watch out for it. This subtle little trick is one that singles should keep an eye out for interestingly because, you may have already fallen prey to this or may have even done this yourself?

Because, what’s wrong with adding that profile picture with one too many filters or having your friend write a bio that seemingly captures the essence of your soul. Kitten fishing essentially means hyping your profile with information that can be exaggerated or vague. It is a derivative of the term “catfishing” that was used to describe people pretending to be somebody they are not, online especially on dating sites. This term coined by a popular dating app, means representing yourself in an unrealistically optimistic light. The trails to watch out for are, heavily filtered profile pictures taken from an angle that flatter your silhouette, amplified details like a job title or height or that bio that seems too out there. These are simple little things that a lot of social media users do on a daily basis, because no harm is really being done, but when you eventually meet the said person, you realise that they seem different from what you made them out to be. 

The choices that we make online are quite temporary as Srinidhi Shetty, actress and Miss Supranational 2016, believes that there is a difference to what happens online and the real world that we have to deal with.“Everybody has their own choices and terms to live up to. The success I have seen from my own experiences came from being who I was. You may have to enhance yourself depending on the situation, but when you try to be different in an online sphere it’s short lived and does not hold much meaning. We should just keep it simple and be real,” she says.

Even though there is not much to lose out on when you do this, Meghana Singhal a psychologist extrapolates this trend to instant gratification, “This is something everyone would do. Social media cuts across age, nationality and gender and these tools are oddly empowering. They help us be what we aspire to be, even if it is temporary. The reason why people do it is obvious, they want to feel good and look good. People don’t hesitate doing this as it gives them instant joy and there is no reason to not do it. But this is a trend that largely applies to people who aren’t looking for a serious relationship and are possibly just looking for a temporary fling.”