What is kittenfishing? How to spot it before a first date

You match with someone and arrange a drink. Then the person who walks in looks a few years older or a lot less like the photos. That gap is called kittenfishing.

Short answer: Kittenfishing is when a real person makes their dating profile look better than they are, with old or filtered photos and a rounded-up height. Hinge named it in June 2017 and called it "Catfishing Lite," because the person is who they say they are and only the details are flattered. Most of it is small, but you can check before a first date: run a reverse image search and ask for a short video call.

Kittenfishing vs catfishing vs a romance scam

The first column follows Hinge's 2017 description and Dictionary.com's definition. The second follows Dictionary.com's definition of catfish and Tinder's and Hinge's safety advice. The third follows the FTC's romance scam advice.

What is kittenfishing?

Hinge named the practice in a Dating Digest post published on June 21, 2017. It defined kittenfishing as "the phenomenon of well-intentioned dating app users presenting themselves in an unrealistically positive light." The typical profile, in Hinge's words, is "often comprised of photos that are outdated, heavily-filtered, or strategically angled," with text a friend helped write and a height that has been rounded up.

Dictionary.com says much the same: "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." It also says Hinge created the term in 2017. One earlier use exists: WordSpy's first citation for the word is an Urban Dictionary entry for 'Kittenfish' from October 2016, so it is fairer to say Hinge named and popularized the term than that it invented it.

The key word in Hinge's definition is well-intentioned. Most kittenfishers are not trying to con anyone. They want a first message, and they picked the photo from a good year.

How kittenfishing differs from catfishing

Catfishing is the bigger lie. Dictionary.com defines a catfish as "a person who assumes a false identity or personality on the internet." Its kittenfishing entry says the term comes from the 2010 documentary Catfish. Hinge drew the line in its 2017 post: "Unlike traditional catfishing, in which the person has assumed a completely different identity, kittenfishers craft profiles that cast themselves in an overly-positive light."

Jonathan Bennet, founder of Double Trust Dating, told NBC News in July 2019 that kittenfishing is "catfishing light," adding: "While you're not pretending to be another person, you're still misrepresenting yourself in a significant way."

Ask whether this is the same person shown in a flattering light, or someone else. The first is kittenfishing. The second is catfishing, and it can be the start of a scam.

How common is it?

Small stretches are common, and big ones are rare.

• Hinge's own survey. In a June 2017 survey of its members, "38 percent of men report being kittenfished, as do 24 percent of women," while "only two percent of men and one percent of women" admitted doing it to someone else. Height and weight were the most common, and some said a date had lied about their job, education or age. Hinge did not publish a sample size.
• Measured research. A 2008 study by Toma, Hancock and Ellison, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, measured 80 online daters in person and compared them with their profiles. In that study, 81% had at least one profile detail that did not match what researchers observed, and almost half had lied about their height. The gaps were small: on average 2.09% of actual height, 5.5% of actual weight and 1.4% of actual age.
• Photos. In a follow-up study of 54 dating photos in the Journal of Communication (2009), Hancock and Toma found independent judges rated about one in three photos as inaccurate. Women's photos were judged less accurate than men's, and were more likely to be older or retouched.
• What daters expect. In a Pew Research Center survey of US adults from October 2019, 71% of online daters said it is very common for people on dating platforms to lie about themselves to appear more desirable, and another 25% said it is somewhat common.

The 2008 researchers noted that many of these small deceptions "would be difficult to detect face-to-face." The study also found a few extreme lies, including a 3-inch lie about height, a 35-lb lie about weight and an 11-year lie about age.

Signs of kittenfishing before you meet

None of these proves anything on its own. They are reasons to look a little closer.

• Photos that all look alike, or all look old. Psychologist Sharone Weltfried told NBC News in 2019 that kittenfishers "may also use outdated or greatly filtered images of themselves." Few recent photos, the same angle every time, or heavy filters are worth a second look.
• Details that don't add up. Psychologist Ana Jovanovic told NBC that "You may notice contradictory details in their stories," or a match who can't answer a simple question about a topic they claim to love.
• Vague answers about work or background. Jovanovic also said they "may avoid telling you specifics about their job, experience, background," because the specifics may show the truth.
• A profile that seems too perfect. "Be skeptical of things that seem too perfect and manicured," physician Bruce Y. Lee wrote in Psychology Today (updated September 2026).

What to check before a first date

Hinge's 2017 post quoted one survey respondent: "This is why I look people up on Facebook, or reverse image search them before the date."

1. Reverse image search their photos. The FTC suggests you "Do a reverse image search of the person's profile picture." With Google, results can show "Websites with the image or a similar image." An older copy of the same photo dates it; the same photo under another name is catfishing, not kittenfishing. Our reverse image search guide walks through it step by step.
2. Read what the photo badge confirms. On Tinder, a short video selfie is compared with the profile photos, and Tinder says the check mark is "not a guarantee of the authenticity of the information provided by another Tinder user." Hinge's Selfie Verification "confirms a user's photos match their face," and Hinge says "it does not confirm their name, age, or other identity details." Bumble's help page says Photo Verification is mandatory in the USA, and its separate ID Verification checks age and photo. None of the three apps' help pages, read on October 6, 2026, says its check confirms height, job or education.
3. Ask for a short video call. Tinder's safety tips say "A phone or video call can be a useful screening tool before meeting." Hinge gives the same advice. A recent face on a live call settles most photo questions.
4. Ask specific questions. Ask about their job or their weekend. Real answers come easily. Keep it friendly and ask the way you would on any first chat.
5. Look at their public profiles. Tinder suggests "doing your own research on a potential match to confirm they're who they say they are." A public profile with recent photos can show what they look like now. Our guide to finding someone's social media by phone number covers how to do that.

Then plan the date the usual way: a public place and a friend who knows where you are. Our first-date safety checklist has the rest.

When it is more than kittenfishing

Kittenfishing is about flattering details. Two things move a match out of that category.

• The photos belong to someone else. That is catfishing. Report the profile in the app and stop replying. If you want to know when a fake profile becomes a crime, see is catfishing illegal.
• They can't meet, and they ask for money. The FTC says romance scammers "create fake profiles on dating sites and apps," then "make up a story and ask for money," and that "Scammers say they can't meet you in person." Its rule: "Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven't met in person." For more on the excuses, see will a romance scammer meet you in person.

If a match has asked you for money, or you already sent some:

1. Stop sending money, gift cards or crypto.
2. Call your bank or card issuer.
3. Keep the messages, profile name and payment details.
4. Report the profile in the dating app.
5. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to ic3.gov, the internet crime reporting center run by the FBI.
6. If you are in danger, call 911.

Is kittenfishing a red flag?

Not always. Most people choose their best photos, and the 2008 study found the gaps were usually small. A match who is an inch shorter than their profile says is not a reason to worry.

It matters more when the gap is large or the lie is about something you care about, such as a job that doesn't exist. Then it becomes a question of honesty. Hinge's own advice cuts the other way too: "make sure your own profile accurately represents who you are."

A quick check before you meet

TrulyWho shows a match's public accounts, photos and work from their email or phone in about a minute, and checks whether their photo appears on other pages. Reports leave out dating and adult sites.

FAQ

What is the difference between kittenfishing and catfishing?

Kittenfishing is a real person flattering their own profile with old or filtered photos, a rounded-up height or a stretched job. Catfishing is assuming a false identity, so the person is not who the profile says. Hinge called kittenfishing "Catfishing Lite" when it named it in 2017.

Who came up with the word kittenfishing?

The dating app Hinge named and popularized it in a post published on June 21, 2017, and Dictionary.com and Wiktionary both credit Hinge. WordSpy lists an earlier Urban Dictionary entry for 'Kittenfish' from October 2016.

Is kittenfishing a red flag?

Small stretches are common and usually harmless. A 2008 study of 80 online daters found most profile gaps were small. A large gap or a made-up job is worth asking about before you meet.

Does a photo badge mean the profile is accurate?

No. Tinder, Hinge and Bumble use a selfie check to confirm the person matches their photos. Hinge says Selfie Verification "does not confirm their name, age, or other identity details," and none of the three apps' help pages says the check confirms height, job or education.

How can I tell if a match's photos are old?

Run a reverse image search on each photo and look for older copies online, look at their public profiles for recent pictures, and ask for a short video call before you meet. Tinder and Hinge both call a video call a useful screening tool.

Can kittenfishing turn into a scam?

Kittenfishing itself is not a scam: the person is real. If the photos belong to someone else, or a match you have never met asks for money, that is catfishing or a romance scam. Send no money, keep the messages, and report it to the app, ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.