Online dating is hard enough without having to wonder whether the person you’re chatting with is exactly who they say they are. We all want to make a good first impression, but somewhere between choosing flattering photos and crafting the perfect bio, some people start veering into a trend known as kittenfishing.
Younger singles are revisiting the dating term that first emerged nearly a decade ago—and thanks to AI and social media, it’s more relevant than ever. And while it’s not as dramatic as catfishing, it can still lead to awkward first dates and the feeling that someone wasn’t entirely honest from the start.
So what is kittenfishing, exactly, and why are Gen Z daters suddenly talking about it again? Read on to find out, as well as learn how to avoid becoming a victim—or accidentally doing it yourself.
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What is kittenfishing?
Kittenfishing is basically the baby version of catfishing. While catfishing refers to someone creating a completely fake online identity, kittenfishing involves telling smaller lies or exaggerating certain details. According to Dictionary.com, kittenfishing is “the act of making oneself appear more desirable in online dating apps, especially through the use of old or edited photos and inflated profile descriptions.”
Even though it may feel like the latest Gen Z slang, the term kittenfishing actually dates back to 2017. The term was coined by the dating app Hinge and popularized by its then–relationship expert Meredith Golden as a way to describe the little white lies people tell on dating apps. Maybe someone adds a couple of inches to their height or says they attended a prestigious university when they really just took a course there. Maybe they shave a few years off their age or use heavily edited photos—or pictures that were taken when they were in high school. That, my friends, is kittenfishing.
Why are Gen Zers rediscovering kittenfishing?
Part of the reason is simple: Gen Z is exhausted. A recent Forbes Health survey found that 79% of Gen Z users have experienced dating-app burnout, with many citing ghosting, misleading profiles and the pressure to constantly maintain an online persona. After years of endless swiping, people are becoming less willing to overlook even small exaggerations.
And unlike when the term was coined in 2017, AI has completely changed the dating landscape. Back then, kittenfishing might have meant using the dog filter on Snapchat (oh, how we miss those days!) or touching up a photo. Today, AI tools can rewrite bios, suggest prompts, generate messages and even enhance or create profile photos with a simple tap.
It also doesn’t help that AI is increasingly being used for every aspect of modern relationships. According to the latest Wingmate survey by Talker Research, 41% of Gen Zers say they’ve used AI to help end a relationship, while others reported using it to draft texts and navigate difficult conversations.
Why do people do this?
Most people kittenfish because they want to make a good first impression. That pressure may be even more pronounced among younger adults, who appear to be increasingly anxious about dating.
According to a 2026 study from Brigham Young University’s Wheatley Institute and the Institute for Family Studies, only about 1 in 3 men and 1 in 5 women between the ages of 22 and 35 said they were confident in their ability to approach a romantic interest. Dating apps can feel competitive, so it’s incredibly tempting to tweak a detail here or there in hopes of getting more matches.
And chances are, you’re guilty of it too—almost everyone has kittenfished to some extent, sometimes accidentally. The photo you think of as “recent” might actually be three years old. And if you Facetune your face or body in photos because you’re not a fan of how you look in a certain pic, you might be falling into kittenfishing territory.
Still, some people take things a little too far, and online daters have plenty of stories to prove it. One Reddit user summed up their disappointment this way: “This just happened to me Saturday. I thought I was getting a young, jovial, tight-bodied man and got a balding, soft and older-looking dude. He had clearly used pictures from way back when. Le sigh!”
Another commenter wrote: “It’s why I prefer to use pictures that are less than 12 months old. I’ve been fooled multiple times by old pictures, as in she looked 27 in the pictures but 45 in real life.”
How can you avoid being kittenfished?
Watch for inconsistencies. Whether you’ve met someone on Tinder, Bumble, Hinge or Instagram, if the photos seem strangely dated, their stories don’t quite add up or they’re weirdly reluctant to video chat or follow you on social media, those can be red flags.
Personally, I always try to get someone’s Instagram or FaceTime with them before agreeing to a first date. And if you want to make sure you’re not accidentally kittenfishing yourself, honesty really is the best policy. Use recent photos. Be truthful about your age, height and interests. And don’t undersell or oversell who you are.
As someone who loves switching up my hairstyle, I also try to include multiple photos of myself in different settings and with different looks. One picture with long hair, one with short hair, one dressed up, one casual. That way, nobody’s shocked when I show up looking slightly different than I did in photo No. 3.
Overall, it’s part of proper dating etiquette, because most people aren’t upset that someone gained weight, changed hairstyles or got older. That’s life. They’re upset because nobody likes feeling tricked.
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Sources:
- Dictionary: “Kittenfishing”
- Reddit: “Kittenfishing: The Common Dating Trend You’re Probably (Slightly) Guilty of”
- Institute for Family Studies: “The Dating Recession”
- Forbes: “Forbes Health Survey: 78% Of All Users Report Dating App Burnout”
- Wingmate: “41% of Daters Now Use AI to Break Up: Exclusive Study Shows AI Is the New Third Wheel in Modern Romance”
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