Hillsborough: Bag the cat? Uh, promo might not be good idea

TAMPA - Participating in the latest marketing campaign from the folks at Checkers could get you charged with animal cruelty in the company's home county.

As part of its "Rap Cat" campaign, the Tampa operators of drive-through restaurants is asking its patrons to do just that - wrap their cats in one of their to-go bags. The company is providing paper bags fashioned after a basketball jersey, with a No. 15, a mock gold dollar-sign necklace and slots to cut out for the legs and tail of the cat. The head would stick out of the bag's opening.

"Instruxions" on the bag encourage customers to submit "pics/vids of your cat keepin' it real" to a promotional Web site.

"Caution" the bag reads. "Not all cats will be down with wearing this bag. Do not harm or endanger any cat."

The disclaimer is hardly good enough, say the folks at Hillsborough County Animal Services.

"We just don't think that's an advisable thing," said Marti Ryan, a spokeswoman for the department that polices for such things as animal cruelty. "Cat scratches can be very injurious. Not to mention having cats perform tricks that they are not prone to do by nature.

Beyond that, Ryan said, forcing a cat into a paper bag could be considered "torment," meaning it could open people who participate to a felon animal cruelty charge.

"This is not advisable for humans or the animals," Ryan said. "It's just not a good thing to do."

A Checkers executive responded to a news release from the county with a written statement.

"When our Rap Cat commercials began airing last fall, they were an overnight success," said Richard Turer, senior vice president of marketing for Checkers. "We received dozens of letters from our guests requesting Rap Cat merchandise. Our new Rap Cat Web site, cups and carry out bags are all in response to Rap Cat's popularity and are intended only as a creative extension of our television campaign."

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by David	05/03/07 01:29 PM
Only an idiot would want to put that bag on their Cat. The Cat will jump out of the bag & scratch your eyes out.

by Rap Cat	04/30/07 09:06 PM
Meow meow meow meow meow

by Susan	03/20/07 10:01 AM
You people down there get too much sun on your heads.

by Dave	02/27/07 03:43 PM
Canò019t wait to see Hillsborough County Animal Services crack down on the criminals running Petco, PetSmart, and any other store that sells costumes for pets. My cousin is a felony dog costumer. Donò019t know how she can live with herself.

by Ray	02/26/07 10:36 AM
Checker's already sells cat burgers in a bag, What's the difference?

by Darin	02/23/07 01:49 PM
I love cats. In a bag.

by Tom	02/22/07 05:16 PM
What's this got to do with Anna Nicole's body is decomposing in South Florida? Good one Melinda !

by Gordon	02/22/07 02:40 PM
This is a clever funny add. Many cats are comfortable in bags, and jump in at will. Naturally, do not to force any cat to do something it doesn't wish. And for those of you who think this is inhumane, cry me a river, ... and stay out of Montana.

by Cat Lover	02/22/07 01:59 PM
My cat is really large so I May need to use duct tape to make sure it's good fit.

by Toonces	02/22/07 01:55 PM
This is a great idea. My cat is going to love it, I think. Won't be as funny as tape on the bottom of his feet but Either way will be HILARIOUS!

by RJ	02/22/07 01:02 PM
Please people; letò019s get a brain. I love animals, but this crap is giving Checkers more coverage than they would have gotten if the promotion had been a huge success. Besides, if there were a burger in the bag, my cats would fight you for itò026

by Travis	02/22/07 11:57 AM
It's "your" cat, therefore it's an understanding you are aware of what your cat likes to do. If you know your cat does not like to wear things, then dont do it.

by Chris	02/21/07 08:53 PM
Things have gone too far when this is considered a felony and or abuse. Get a grip especially you PETA types. I wish Checkers the best with this promotion. I hope they add Foie Gras to their menu.

by michael	02/21/07 08:42 PM
Twits. My cat loves to play in bags, ESPECIALLY paper bags. She loves th noise. If your cat doesn't fight you, then go ahead and wrap 'em.

by Amy	02/21/07 07:39 PM
ARE YOU PEOPLE MORONS?? MAKING ANY LIVING THING DO SOMETHING AGAINST IT'S WILL IS ABUSE!!

by Victoria	02/21/07 03:14 PM
Harming cats? Hardly? Any paper bag I bring home after shopping entertains my cat for hours. The cats will enjoy this more than the owners.

by Paul	02/21/07 02:04 PM
Use common sense. Most cats would love to play around in a bag. If you try to put him in there and he resists then you stop. To all those morons boycotting Checkers because of this/switch to Chinese takeout...after all you love cat.

by cats in sacks	02/21/07 01:57 PM
leave any paper sack on the floor and it wont take any cat but 5 min or less to get in side of it, same thing witha box

by Melinda	02/21/07 01:05 PM
Anna Nicole's body is decomposing in South Florida and we are talking about cats in paper clothes!!! Get your priorities straight people!!!

by Sarah	02/21/07 10:48 AM
Yo, Marti. LIGHTEN UP!!! My kids dress our two cats in doll dresses and puch them in a doll stroller. You gonna arrest them??? Over my dead body! Besides, my cats love the attention. It makes you there slave and they're "down with that".

by Dean	02/21/07 10:13 AM
Having a couple of cats I know they they'll let you know in a hurry if they're down with it. I know mine would. One would have fun and the other would not, and let it be known...I have some marks to prove it. Fries anyone?

by Rayanne	02/21/07 09:51 AM
Pretty Harmless but I think what they are concerned about is promoting other types of behavior. This isn't the first time though, Remember the Checker's commercial 10 yrs ago where the cartoon Woman hit a cat and it splattered on the windshied?

by Sharon	02/21/07 09:13 AM
Interesting that Hillsborough Animal Control thinks putting a COSTUME on a cat is cruel, but Hillsborough police think arresting a rape victim is acceptable. Someone needs to examine their priorities.

by Marti_Ryan	02/21/07 08:10 AM
Sorry, I'm only doing this because Ronda Storms isn't in the news any longer, and Hillsborough needed the press. Seriously, what's the difference between this and putting a halloween costume on a cat? Let's charge all of those people with cruelty!

by WENDIE	02/21/07 03:45 AM
WELL,WE CERTAINLY DONT WANT TO PUT A MERE CAT'S WELL BEING OR COMFORT BEFORE CHECKERS PROFITS,NOW DO WE? MONEY FIRST WITH CHECKERS,I GUESS. ILL NEVER BUY THERE AGAIN!

by Nancy	02/21/07 12:37 AM
I think this whole "cruelty" thing has gone too far. I'm sure my cats are more mad at me for neutering them than putting a Checkers bag on them! To those that are boycotting Checkers, better for me, shorter lines :0) Bang your drum for a better cause

by James	02/20/07 11:37 PM
For all those who think this is funny or condones it. F*** You. What the hell is wrong with you thinking a cat is just some plaything? Try this on a larger cat & see what happens? Domestic cats are vunerable due to their samll size. Try a big cat...

by James	02/20/07 11:33 PM
WTF??? Whos Dumda** idea was this? My cat @ 15lbs. solid would rip me to shreads if I tried this on him. Whoever's idea this this is need to be procescuted for inciting cruelty to animals. Never mind what idiot actually tries it. No Checkers for me.

by BirdAdvocate	02/20/07 10:26 PM
Sounds like an adventure!

by I LOVE MY CAT!	02/20/07 09:40 PM
Put a paper bag out and my cat would live in it! Especially if it smells like food. Note the CAUTION: Not all cats will be down....DO NOT HARM OR ENDANGER ANY CAT! Stated clearly!! Isn't there anything else these "advocates" could be wasting time on?

by Lauren	02/20/07 07:49 PM
Not the best idea, but pretty harmless, unless Fluffy has some killer claws. These bags are pretty thin and if kitty wants out, kitty will easily get out (if you can get him in it in the first place). No harm no foul. Can't wait to see some pics!!!

by david	02/20/07 07:09 PM
cats love bags that smell like meat, as long as there are no hot fries in the bag i dont see how this would harm a cat. I've had cats my whole life and they love bags, but i dont know too many that eat a checkers

by Cat-owner	02/20/07 05:49 PM
My two cats would love it. It's the same thing as putting a sweater on a dog.

by Ron	02/20/07 05:46 PM
I will be buying more at Checkers. I think it is a good campaign. People dress up animals all the time. Go cry at the pet store. But the best part is: People say they wont buy any more Checkers because of a bag. But buying the gutted cow to eat is OK

by Paul	02/20/07 05:37 PM
I personally think the rap kitty thing is hillarious! If I had a cat, he'd be sporting the bag for sure. Its just a bag, its playful, how can this possibly harm a cat? You cat people are nutz if you think this is cruel. This is funny.

Bag the cat? Uh, promo might not be good idea

It might be a felony, animal advocates say.