Bonsai Kitten

Bonsai Kitten was a hoax website that claimed to instruct readers how to raise a kitten in a jar, so as to mold the bones of the kitten into the shape of the jar as the cat grows in the same way as a bonsai plant. It was made by an MIT student going by the alias of Dr. Michael Wong Chang.[1] The website generated fury with many people taking it as serious and complaining to animal rights organizations. The Michigan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) stated that "while the site's content may be faked, the issue it is campaigning for may create violence towards animals". Although the website is now shut down, petitions are still circulated to shut down the site or complain to its ISP.[as of?] The website has been debunked by several organizations including Snopes.com[2] and the Humane Society of the United States.

  1. ^ Declan McCullagh (9 February 2001). "FBI Goes After BonsaiKitten.com". Wired News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Snopes_Bonsai was invoked but never defined (see the help page).