Have you ever seen "Snowball" the 87 pound Monster Cat?!?

[Up2Late]

I was just going though hoax debunking site, and I found this picture. It is fake, but it's so well done (and kind of funny) that I though I should share.

<http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/snowball.html>


Cordell Hauglie with 'Snowball'

An image of an enormous cat (approximately the size of a large dog) being held in the arms of a bearded man began circulating around the internet in early 2000. The picture immediately attracted attention—how could it not?— because it didn't seem possible for a cat to be that large. But the chance that the cat was real couldn't be ruled out either. Like all the best tall tales, the monster cat balanced delicately on the razor's edge of credibility.

At first the picture stood alone without explanation, but by the time it was featured on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and ABC's Good Morning America, someone had written an explanatory narrative that accompanied it. According to this narrative, the image showed 'Snowball,' a monster cat owned by Rodger Degagne of Ottawa, Canada. Mr. Degagne had supposedly adopted Snowball's mother (a normal-sized cat) after finding her abandoned near a Canadian nuclear lab. She later gave birth to Snowball, who proceeded to grow into the oversized, 87-pound cat which 'Mr. Degagne' was shown holding.

Both Snowball's story and her picture were fake. In May 2001 Cordell Hauglie, a resident of Edmonds, Washington, came forward to admit that 'Snowball' was actually his daughter's cat. The cat's real name was 'Jumper,' and it only weighed twenty-one pounds.

<http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/snowball.html>
(more at link above)

[Blue-Jay]

1. Isn't that pic a hoax?

[Up2Late]

2. Yes, I said that in my post.

Hey did you see the new (Proposed) Signature line rules? They suck, and I think (if passed) they would make you (and me too) eliminate you Squirrel picture.

[Blue-Jay]

4. My sig is fine.

It's a bit smaller because Skinner hates squirrels. He's afraid that a squirrel will run up his leg and bite him on his wackawacka.

(I keed, I keed...)

[Up2Late]

7. Did you have to make the picture smaller?

i.e., is that the size they said is O.K.? (what is it size limit, 500ppi?)

Don't get me wrong, that's one of my favorite sig photos on DU.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

3. There *are* cats that big,

as some DUers could show you, but they don't look like that.

And I don't know much about cats, but its posture looks all wrong for being held in that position. Not very convincing.

[Blue-Jay]

6. Yes. They're called "cougars".

Although, I've seen bigger "cougars" in Canada. They were very friendly.

[Up2Late]

8. Are you talking about the "Maine Coon" cat? They are very big house

cats. I think they grow until about 2 1/2 years and average weight of 22 Pounds (9.97 Kilos). Here's some pictures:




Misha visiting Nikki in Arkansas
At 2 1/2 years age



Here's the web page these pictures come from:

<http://www.verismocat.com/htmscripts/petscomp.htm>

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

5. My cat Monty weighs 21 lbs.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

9. Spot was 26 lbs.

RIP, pal

[Up2Late]

10. That's a very cute picture of Spot. RIP Kitty

I haven't had to face that yet, but with a 14 year old cat (and 2 who are 7yrs), I know that day is coming soon.

I hope you don't mind me asking but, do you have another Cat now? They say, it's best NOT to leave that void, just hoping that it will get better.:hug:

[HEyHEY]

11. That's the thing outside my window!