Jake Lang accused a Seattle cat convention of grooming children, but the event was actually helping rescue cats: ‘We’re just dressed as kitty cats’
That's a cat-astrophic misunderstanding.
Jake Lang went to Seattle looking for what he called a “furry convention.” Instead, the far-right activist and pardoned January 6 rioter found himself confronting people at an event dedicated to actual cats, including kittens waiting to be adopted.
Lang filmed himself outside the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall over the weekends. In a video posted online, he accused the event of grooming and sexualizing children, claiming that organizers were exposing young attendees to a sexual fetish.
The people he confronted tried to explain that the gathering was a cat convention. At one point, a staff member told him, “This is a convention for cats.” Lang continued questioning why people were wearing animal costumes, while another person offered a much simpler explanation: “They’re dressed as kitty cats.”
The footage quickly spread online, as Sea-Meow’s real purpose is to celebrate cats—with a marketplace, expert talks, costume contests, and an area where visitors could meet adoptable kittens. Its official event listing also described it as an all-things-cats festival at Seattle Center.
The incident is another appearance in the public spotlight for Lang, who was among the January Capitol rioters pardoned by President Donald Trump in January 2025. He has since continued to attract attention through political stunts and confrontations, including a January appearance at a pro-ICE rally in Minneapolis.
Sea-Meow was raising money for cat rescues
The programming of the convention included more than a hundred vendors, cat-themed activities, and appearances by well-known figures in the feline community, including kitten rescuer Hannah Shaw, known as Kitten Lady, and cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy.
Sea-Meow also had a charitable component. The event’s organizers said 15% of ticket proceeds would be distributed among its kitten adoption charity partners. Those organizations included Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle Humane, the Alley Cat Project and Feral Care, which supports cats that are difficult to place in traditional adoption settings.
The event Lang accused of grooming children was also helping fund animal welfare organizations and connect adoptable kittens with potential homes.
A cat convention and furry fandom are also fundamentally different. Furry fandom centers on anthropomorphic animal characters and creative expression, often involving costumes. It is not inherently sexual, and wearing an animal costume does not establish that someone is participating in a sexual activity. In fact, furry conventions have even become unexpected networking opportunities, bringing together people through shared interests.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
