h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well it's made it onto Snopes. I worry, I really do worry.
Ok maybe some people will have been taken unawares, but really.
Especially as the snopes page as instructions within it as to :
"How could you have known the Bonsai Kitten site was a satire despite its lack of "This is a joke!" banners emblazoned across it?"

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/bonsai.asp
"The Bonsai Kitten web site is a joke, not an actual promotion for the making of bonsai kittens. Investigations by law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have already determined no real cats were harmed in the creation of the pictures used on the Bonsai Kitten web site."
The FBI? Is this some sort of follow on wind up?

You are worried by the fact that there are people out there that wouldn't realise it's a joke and get authorities involved?
Or you are worried by the fact that some people would find such a site funny?
Someone linked to the kitten site elsewhere not long ago, was the first time I'd heard of it... Alot of people were outraged that people would make a joke of animal cruelty... Really some people, they can't get worked up or emtive over Sudan, but a [admitedly not very amusing to me] site about cute little fury thing being shaped will get them furrious.

"You are worried by the fact that there are people out there that wouldn't realise it's a joke..."

Yep. Can't even generalise why they might do this, probably seeing the offence before they check the facts out.

we found it in school in IT the amount of people asking aww is that real thats nasty, as far as i can remember there was even a petition to stop the cruelty

The level of cruelty exhibited by humans to animals is always shocking. Humans have kept other humans locked up in small spaces, and left them to die, perhaps getting them out to torture them. So why is it so strange to think that a human might do this to other species of animal such as a cat?

Yep it was circulated around our school as a petition as well. So many of my friends were mocked for believing it. I thought what was particularly funny was the use of Alessi kitchen implements as the 'tools' required to get the kittens inside.

and to get them out of the jars use a toffee hammer.

"So why is it so strange to think that a human might do this to other species of animal such as a cat?"

Because it is bl**dy obvious! If in doubt, check the snopes page. It has some useful pointers on how to spot such things.

as a matter of fact as far as i can remeber there was a disclaimer at the end and where it said or der your own bonzai kitty kit now it said to not bother as it wasnt real

Stop the madness! Potatoes have feelings too!

http://www.bonsaipotato.com/

Indeed! The vegetables and fruits have a consciousness and harvest time is a holocaust!

I remember seeing that site before I found h2g2 (over five years ago) and people were jumping up and down and reporting it to all sorts of people even then. I have seen it on h2g2 a couple of times as well.

A1113751

It's not new to snopes though, just looks like it's been updated recently. I thought it seemed odd that it had only just appeared, as I'm sure I've read that before.

F19585?thread=242934&post=3115149#p3115149

I did like bonsai babies, but I can't find that one anymore. Maybe just that little bit too sick?

Aww... I kinda feel sorry for the person that wrote that entry.