Cat Convention 'Confused' After Jake Lang Turned Up Shouting About Furries

Organizers of the Seattle cat convention expressed confusion after Jake Lang, a pardoned January 6 defendant, showed up shouting that the family-friendly gathering was actually a "furry" event sexualizing children. For those unfamiliar, "furries" are individuals who are drawn to anthropomorphic animal characters, often through costumes called fursuits.

While the furry fandom can sometimes include adult content, it is not inherently a sexual fetish. The Sea-Meow Convention, which organized the event, provided a statement to Newsweek, detailing that the event staff was initially "quite confused" when Lang showed up. They had no prior knowledge of who he was or the reason for his appearance.

A video of the incident, posted by Lang, has gained significant traction online, inadvertently turning a minor dispute over cat costumes into a broader controversy surrounding the conservative activist. In the video, Lang confronts attendees, accusing the convention of promoting "homosexual and transsexual ideas." The clip has amassed over 6.5 million views on X (formerly Twitter) as of the writing of this account.

Several people wearing full-body cat costumes, participating in a cat-themed costume contest, can be seen outside the venue, dancing near the entrance. The organizers clarified that these costumes were part of a cat-themed contest rather than a separate furry gathering. An X Community Note attached to Lang's post directs users to the convention's own website and independent listings for more information.

The Sea-Meow Convention, described as a "festival of all things cats," aims to bring cat lovers together while supporting feline organizations and promoting animal welfare. The convention has called for an apology from Lang, emphasizing that the event is an all-ages celebration of cats and cat culture, featuring local shelters, kitten meet-and-greets, over 100 vendors, feline-care workshops, adoptable animals, bingo, and face painting.

Organizers accused Lang of inadequate research, suggesting his actions either stemmed from negligence or a deliberate attempt to generate social media engagement. They urged him to apologize for his profanity-laden outburst in front of a family-friendly environment that included children.