A popular sound to lip-sync to on TikTok is Sandra Oh’s iconic scene from “The Princess Diaries,” and it’s causing animal experts to panic.
The scene stars Oh as Vice Principle Geraldine Gupta answering the phone and saying, “Gupta. Mhm, mhm, mhmm,” before hanging up and going, “the Queen is coming.”
The trend involves people reenacting the scene by grabbing whatever’s closest to them to use as a phone, which in many cases is a pet cat.
The cats don’t ever look like they’re in peril or a dangerous position, but vets are concerned that the trend could lead to a “misunderstanding” about how cats can be handled.
Veterinarian Dr. Jessica May told Insider in an interview that after watching a couple of the videos, she noticed that the cats were not being held properly which could cause issues.
“It is especially concerning to see some cats being held upside down — something that is not only very frightening for the animal but that also puts the pet at risk of head injury if dropped,” she said.
The position could lead to back, spine or skull problems for the cat.
Sam Webster, another vet told Insider that kittens are especially at risk for bruising if they’re not handled correctly and gently.
In response to commenters who dismissed claims of “animal abuse” and said the cats would run away if it were painful, Webster said that cats give very little warning when they’re upset or stressed by a situation. It might be hard for TikTokers to tell that they’re unintentionally hurting their pet.
The trend has also caused tense back-and-forth between TikTokers. When accosted by commenters who were worried about her cat, user young_rai posted, “So y’all get mad at me but don’t get mad when another person does this and the cat literally falls off the bathroom counter? ….”
She’s referring to this TikTok, which has over 3 million likes.
On the other hand, dog owners are less likely to pull this stunt. In videos featuring dogs, the user will typically use their puppy’s paw rather than hold them upside down.
Want to learn more about TikTok? Read about this caption trend on the app that you should keep your eyes out for.
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