Man Accuses Girlfriend of Taking Disabled Cat to Beach to Exploit it for Clicks

Unlike dogs, we don’t usually take our pet cats with us on holidays. Not only are they fiercely independent creatures, but they’re very territorial. The cat’s risk of getting lost or into a fight would preclude the practice.

As unusual as this is, it’s not really what the story is about. Cat videos are what YouTube was founded on, so when the OP posted a video to YouTube of her special needs cat at the beach, she figured it was a normal day at the office, but her boyfriend disagreed.

I'm Sarah (31F), and this revolves around my cat, Pumpkin, and my boyfriend, Tom (33M).Pumpkin is not your average cat. He's a rescue with cerebellar hypoplasia, which affects his motor skills and depth perception. Despite this, he's full of life and loves adventures. 

Tom isn't exactly a cat person, but he's been warming up to Pumpkin slowly.

A couple of weeks ago, we planned a beach trip. Knowing Pumpkin enjoys the outdoors, I insisted on bringing him along. Tom was hesitant but agreed. 

The first day was great – Pumpkin was exploring and seemed to love the sand. But then the wind picked up, and Pumpkin's demeanor changed. He started making these hilarious faces, clearly disliking the wind.

I found it adorable and took a video that went kind of viral on social media, getting over 11k likes on my Instagram and 20K+ views on YouTube. People even started making memes of Pumpkin's wind-blown expressions.

However, Sarah’s boyfriend, Tom, was not impressed

Tom thinks I'm exploiting Pumpkin's condition for internet fame. He argues that taking Pumpkin to the beach was more for my amusement than the cat's well-being. 

I see it differently. Pumpkin loves new experiences, and I don't think his viral fame is harmful. It's a funny video of a cat making faces, but Tom is upset about it.

Am I the AH here? Was I wrong for taking Pumpkin to the beach and sharing his reaction online, or is Tom overreacting? I love Pumpkin and would never intentionally put him in harm's way, but maybe I'm missing something?

The reaction was mixed

u/catlady4ever
NTA. It's clear you love Pumpkin and want to share his joy. As long as he's not distressed, what's the harm in sharing his cute moments?

u/siliconbeast21
YTA. WTF are you taking a cat to the beach for anyway? 

u/brainybeaniegirl
NTA. It's just a funny video, and Pumpkin became a little star! It's not like you're exploiting him; you're sharing his cuteness with the world.

What would you do if you were Sarah?