One of the most controversial hoaxes on the internet, Bonsai Kitten is a wonderfully ingenious parody site. The site layout definitely gives an air of authenticity, with the look and feel of any new product site. Nonetheless, the hoax is obvious if you read the wording carefully.

The home page provides a history of the art of bonsai and central principles behind the creation of bonsai kittens. Reading through the Central Principles, an astute reader would begin to realize the hoax. Nonetheless, if you still don’t realize the joke, keep reading.

The next title section of the site is Method. It begins with stating a basic assumption: that week old kittens bounce! Even if you have never been around a kitten that young, it is safe to say that you realize that kittens, in fact, do not bounce and that dropping one would likely damage or even kill it. Again, the hoax is revealed.

The Practical Considerations section is just priceless for its humor! I won’t ruin the fun by quoting it here, but suffice it to say that by the end of that section, I was rolling on the floor.

The Gallery contains images of 'authentic Bonsai kittens', which of course proves that this can really be done, right? Even a cursory look at the pictures shows that the cats are in fact behind glass and not encased within.

The Sales section finally reveals the hoax. Although it is never directly stated, the over the top items available for sale should tell even the most inattentive reader that the site is not real. At least, it should work that way.

Bonsai Kitten has been the subject of multiple real life protests! Animal rights groups, Christian groups and others have spoken out in an effort to stop the inhumane treatment of Bonsai Kittens!

This matter was addressed by the leading authority on internet hoaxes, snopes.com, several times over the years. Snopes points out the repeated investigations of the site by law enforcement agencies including the FBI. Yet the rumors persist.

As a point of interest, Bonsai Kitten is an ultimate parody created by none other than one of the web’s most controversial sites, Rotten.com.

Posted by Lisa.

Lisa is the editor of Quality Dating Resources.