Jennifer Garner caught some heat online after taking her cat for a spin (literally).
The 53-year-old actress and cat mom shared a video of herself with her ragdoll cat, Moose. While some found the clip adorable, others raised the alarm and claimed she was hurting her cat, even calling it “cruel.”
PETA Vice President Lisa Lange shared her thoughts on the video in a statement to Bored Panda.
Highlights
- Jennifer Garner sparked widespread concern online after sharing a video with her pet cat.
- Netizens raised the alarm and claimed she was hurting her cat in the clip.
- “This trend is frowned upon by Vets.. poor cat,” one social media user said.
- The actress reportedly spent Easter Sunday with her ex-husband Ben Affleck.
Jennifer Garner triggered a wave of concern online with a video of her ragdoll cat, Moose
Image credits: Emma McIntyre / Getty Images
In the short Instagram clip, the 13 Going on 30 star was seen carrying her furry companion in her arms and twirling him around.
She tried to capture the moment with her phone clenched between her teeth.
“I don’t see him,” she said before her muffled giggles were heard.
“Moose!” She exclaimed.
Some netizens raised the alarm, saying she could hurt her cat by spinning him around that way
Image credits: jennifergarner / TikTok
The video drew mixed reactions online, with many calling it “cruel” and saying she could hurt her cat.
“You're hurting your cat !!!” one commenter said, while another wrote, “This trend is frowned upon by Vets.. poor cat.”
“It is dangerous to lift any cat like this. Instead of playing that way, read about that,” another wrote.
“Please don’t lift your cat off like that because it’s not healthy,” one social media user said
Image credits: jennifer.garner / Instagram
“Omg... jennifer garner... call peta...🤣🤣🤣🤣,” one sarcastically said.
“PETA will not like this LOLZ,” another said.
“Animal cruelty my a**,” wrote another.
Some fans defended her and said she was just having some harmless fun with her four-legged companion
Image credits: jennifer.garner / Instagram
Fans were quick to defend her, saying “Moose is just along for the ride.”
“Omg!! Leave her alone it’s a TikTok trend and legit thousands have done this. Don’t go after her because she famous,” said another.
Others felt the moment was a reflection of Jennifer’s fun personality.
“This woman is so adorable and fun,” one said, while another wrote, “God bless this woman. We must protect her at all costs.”
Animal rights organization PETA weighed in on Jennifer's video and offered their perspective on the growing trend of viral pet content.
“Not every trend needs to be tried,” PETA Vice President Lisa Lange told Bored Panda via email about the star's clip.
Lisa urged pet parents to prioritize their furry friend's happiness over chasing internet clout. She also suggested that netizens could consider featuring activities their pets genuinely enjoy.
“PETA encourages animal guardians to use common sense, think about these social media stunts from the animals' perspective, and stick to activities that they enjoy, whether it's chasing balls of tinfoil or cuddling up for a nap together,” Lange continued.
Jennifer often shares clips of herself spending quality time with Moose
Image credits: jennifer.garner / Instagram
The veteran actress often shares heartwarming, wholesome moments with her feline on social media.
She gave Moose a house tour last July, showing him places around the house that he hasn’t ever seen before, like the inside of the fridge and the microwave.
“Showing my cat places in the house he’s never seen before,” read the text on the clip.
The Once Upon a Farm co-founder has also kept it real with her fans, showing herself giving him a bath after he “pooped his pants.”
“I've never met a nicer cat than this cat,” the actress previously said
Image credits: jennifer.garner / Instagram
“I've never met a nicer cat than this cat,” she told her audience while giving Moose a bath, “which is why I feel badly making fun of what's happened to his butt.”
The actress came out from the bath with scratches.
In 2020, America’s sweetheart was captured going out for a walk with her cat in a stroller.
She explained the backstory behind taking Moose out for a stroll during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Image credits: jennifergarner / TikTok
“One of my kids was not into going for walks and we just had to get out of the house,” she said.
“And I said ‘What can we do? We have to just commit to going for walks.’ And she said, 'I want to take the cat.’”
She insisted Moose was onboard with the idea of a stroll, saying, “I think it's happy to go out and about. It's very titillated by the whole adventure.”
Jennifer, who shares three children—Violet, 19, and Fin, 16, and Samuel, 13—with her ex-husband Ben Affleck, spent Easter Sunday with the Oscar winning actor-director in his Brentwood, California, home.
Image credits: jennifergarner / TikTok
The former couple, who met for the first time while on the set of Pearl Harbor in 2000, grew close in 2003 as they worked on Daredevil.
They tied the knot in 2005 and became a family of five before announcing their split in 2015.
Former couple Jennifer and Ben Affleck reportedly spent Easter Sunday together
Image credits: Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images
“I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great and we work together well,” the Argo star told GQ last month.
Shortly after Jennifer celebrated her 53rd birthday on April 17, she was captured engaging in some PDA with her current boyfriend John Miller.
They were spotted kissing outside her home in Los Angeles, quelling rumors about her possibly getting back with Ben following his split from Jennifer Lopez.
“All this for a stupid video,” one commented on Jennifer's clip with Moose
