I’ve never watched The Princess Diaries, but apparently the movie features a scene in which Sandra Oh picks up the phone and says:
“Gupta. Mmm-hmmm. Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm. The Queen is coming.”
Why that’s worth replicating is beyond me, but apparently there’s a new trend among Tik Tokers to replicate the scene using cats in place of a phone, while holding the cats upside-down and promptly dumping them on the floor immediately afterward.
Why? Who the hell knows.
You can see the bizarre cat-phoning Tik Toks here:
Say it with me now: “Cats are not toys. Cats are not toys. Cats are not toys…”
Veterinarian Dr. Jessica May told Business Insider the obvious, which is that cats aren’t enjoying their forced participation in this meme:
“Many are handled roughly and their body language shows a negative response to having been picked up,” she said. “It is especially concerning to see some cats being held upside down — something that is not only very frightening for the animal but that also puts the pet at risk of head injury if dropped.”
May said she’s also concerned by the way the Tik-Tokers are dropping their cats immediately afterward with no concern for their well-being.
People reenacting the same scene using dogs aren’t manhandling them or just dropping them like a phone, noted Paula Stewart of the Animal Talent Agency.
“I can’t imagine many people holding a dog upside down,” said Stewart. “But I think that we need to realize that animals, cats and dogs are sentient beings. They’ve got emotions like us and we shouldn’t treat them badly.”
It should go without saying, but using Tik-Tok is a bad idea anyway unless you fancy China’s communist government gaining access to your personal information, which is exactly what people are providing by using the service.
Finally, if I was the kind of fool who thought this was funny and tried to reenact it, Buddy would tear my face off.
And you know what? He’d be perfectly right to do so. He’s a sentient animal, not a toy.
“Gupta. Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmmm. The King is coming, and he’s going to tear your face apart for being a jackass.”
Pain In The Bud 
We don’t deserve our cats. They are too good to us.
LikeLiked by 3 people
The cat at 0:28 in the video looks so sweet and I feel terrible he/she is being mistreated.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I confess, I can’t bring myself to watch and will just take your word. Dropping a trusting cat is a shitty thing to do, no excuses. I have done it by accident over the many years I’ve been with my 22 year old kitty and it feels terrible! Of course she forgave me almost immediately!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that’s a hugely important point: It’s a violation of trust, just like the absurd cucumber meme from a few years ago, when people were terrorizing their own cats.
Cats know when we do things accidentally, just like the inevitable times when we step on their tails no matter how careful we are. (I haven’t done that in a long time, knock on wood.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I kind of agree; or at least I do not disagree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
F***wits 😠
LikeLiked by 3 people
OMG. I’m speechless.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Man, this is horrible! These people are unfit to care for cats or any animal! 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed. And for what? To get a few likes from strangers?
LikeLike
I I DON’T THINK THESE MORONS DESERVE AIRTIME.THEY DON’T DESERVE IT. THE GOOD BOY MUST BE HORRIFIED. DON’T SHOW IT TO HIM. HE WILLL REPORT THEM ALL TO CARMINE CAT, (THE CINCINNATI SHOE POOPER!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
He’s kinda weird about what he reacts to on TV/Youtube. The other day he was very interested in a video from Big Cat Rescue, particularly one video that showed cheetahs purring and meowing, but a video of domestic cats didn’t hold his attention. He does like watching birds, though, and there are some great channels with that stuff for free on Youtube.
LikeLike
THESE MORONS DO NOT NOT DESERVE AIRTIMR. NOR DO THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A CAT TO A USE. PLEASE DO NOOT! SHOW THE GOOD BOY! ( HE WILL REPORT THEM ALL TO CARMINE CAT ( THE CINCINNATI SHOE POOPER!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of the clips might look funny, but no. This is no way to treat a cat. Very few cats don’t mind something like this. For the most part they all hate being grabbed. And holding them upside down? Um, NO! That is just mean. Young people today are soooo selfish.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s like the cucumbers or the other videos of people messing with their cats for “lulz.” I’m not exaggerating when I say I’d get clawed for doing something stupid like that, and it would be my fault, not his.
LikeLike
The things people do to their animals, as well as their children, can break one’s heart and make one lose faith in humanity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope their poor cats tear them a new one for mishandling them like this. It isn’t funny. It is just abuse of their animal to get a laugh from people that think this somehow is funny. My heart aches for the treatment these fur babies are being subjected to.
LikeLiked by 2 people
(Laughter) like.
LikeLike
Yeah man!
LikeLike
People suck. Cats deserve better.
LikeLiked by 2 people