Telegram users under fire for putting bounty on viral side-eye cat Mr. Fresh

A group of Telegram users are getting slammed for placing a bounty on beloved ‘side-eye cat’ Mr. Fresh, putting up money for the viral feline’s death.

Mr. Fresh is one of many animals who have won the internet’s heart over the years, first going viral in late 2023 – early 2024 thanks to live streams from ‘Hello Street Cat.’

Hello Street Cat is a Chinese-based application that streams the antics of local stray cats that are fed by donations from viewers, which prompt an electronic feeder to dispense food.

Mr. Fresh is arguably the most famous feline on Hello Street Cat, so named for his tendency to prefer fresh food. He took over the internet thanks to his facial expressions — namely his signature ‘side eye,’ which went viral as a meme on social media.

The kitty sparked a ton of attention toward the Hello Street Cat app… but not all of this attention is positive.

Cat lovers outraged after group puts bounty on ‘Mr. Fresh’

Reports began circulating in February 2024 that a group of users on Telegram, a popular messaging app, were putting up a bounty for anyone who could kill Mr. Fresh.

Instagram page ‘Feline Guardians Without Borders’ provided screenshots of the bounty, which read: “Condition: Kill the internet-famous ‘brother fresh.’ Upon completion, wait for the outcry of at least three cat influencers to confirm the death.”

“Is this just an ill-intentioned joke?” the page wrote. “We can only hope that no abusers would dare to lay hands on this cat, as it is one of the most watched cats by cat lovers through the Street Cat App.”

This isn’t the first time the Hello Street Cat kitties have faced negative attention due to the app’s popularity. The cats have been dragged away from their feeders before, and commenters also claim the feeders have been drowned with water.

Luckily, it looks like Mr. Fresh is in the process of getting adopted after paying a visit to the vet due to eye issues. However, commenters are calling on local cat lovers to watch over the Hello Street Cat kitties to prevent any harm toward them as news of the group’s bounty continues to shock users across the net.