Today in "woke up, got out of bed, opened TikTok and just shrugged," Swifties are using Taylor Swift's "August" to spin their pets—mostly cats, but also some dogs, one raccoon, and a very traumatized turtle—around in circles...which is a combination of weird, cute, and at times distressing since some of these animals are NOT having it.
Like, I might never recover from watching some of these cats spin around to the lyrics "Back when we were still changin' for the better / Wanting was enough / For me, it was enough / To live for the hope of it all..."
And speaking of cats (WHEN ARE WE NOT), these videos have come to the attention of animal rights activists who have inevitably raised concerns. Cats Protection Behavior Officer Daniel Warren-Cummings told Metro that, "Cats in particular will experience extreme stress by being swung or spun around and it could even cause them physical harm. In the videos highlighted, the cats are showing clear signs of distress. Even more disappointingly, these are being described as cute or funny in the comments section by people that appear to count themselves as cat lovers. It’s clear from the language that the owners don’t understand that animals don’t feel and behave the same way humans do and this undercuts the distress that the cats are experiencing. Even if the experience is only brief, it’s unethical and should not be encouraged."
Doesn't look like PETA's said anything about this trend so far, but stay tuned. 👀
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
