Outraged animal lovers around the world are filling their friends' inboxes with e-mails decrying the Bonsai Kitten, a web site that offers to sell custom-shaped cats. Inspired by bonsai plants, the web site claims that kittens are raised inside specially-designed glass bottles while their bones are still young and malleable. After months of "shaping", the final cat is contorted beyond belief and available for sale to upscale clientelle around the world.

But it's all a joke. A cruel joke to be sure, but it is definitely a joke.

Here's the original e-mail:

This version was collected on Jul 22, 2001: