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AITA for asking my boyfriend's dad whether he planned on eating his pet cat?

· 3 min read

Last weekend, a 19‑year‑old lady (yes, she’s still legally a teen—no, not the legal kind) finally met her boyfriend’s parents for lunch. The guy had warned her that his folks were “a little bit weird,” so she came armed with a mental list of “What Not to Say” and a thick layer of self‑respect. The first thing that happened: the parents started making jokes about her age. “You’re so young!” they laughed. “What’s next, a senior citizen?” The comments were like a bad sitcom punchline that never landed.

Then the conversation drifted to pets. “I’ve got rabbit‑s for a living!” she announced proudly. The dad, who apparently had an allergy to “any animal that isn’t a dog or cat,” instantly pivoted to the classic, “Are you raising them for food?” She was flanked by a family cat, and in a moment of spontaneous rebellion (and a dash of “you’re an adult, you can question everything”), she shot back, “Well, are you raising that cat for food?” The dad’s response was a perfectly timed, “Don’t talk back.” The lady felt infantilized and creeped out, so she excused herself, left the table, and vowed never to return.

The Comments (because Reddit is the best comedy club for drama)​

  • “If the boyfriend isn’t even standing up for you, maybe you should find someone else.”
    The commenter suggests she should ditch the guy because he can’t protect her from his weird parents. A classic “find a better life” approach.

  • “Pisses me off, every time you say you have a pet rabbit people always like to make a ‘hilarious’ rabbit stew comment… Right back at you.”
    A fellow rabbit‑lover shares the universal horror of rabbit stew jokes. The comment ends with a shrug: NTA (Not the Asshole).

  • “Yep. I had someone doing work at my house and he asked if my rabbit tastes good... He didn’t earn his tip due to his unprofessional comments.”
    A side‑story of a rabbit‑tasting incident that turns into a lesson about respecting people’s pets.

  • “They do it for any mammal other than a dog or cat.”
    Someone explains why the rabbit‑steak joke is so popular, citing a lifetime of experience with animals.

  • “Seriously. I have a bearded dragon and I’ve had people ask me if I know what they taste like.”
    The commenter counters that the joke can hit anyone. A reminder that no pet is safe from culinary curiosity.

TL;DR​

A 19‑year‑old tries to impress her boyfriend’s parents, gets roasted about her age, gets grilled about her rabbit‑raising habits, and ends up leaving after a cat‑talk showdown. Reddit says: “You’re not the asshole, but maybe find a boyfriend who can protect you from weird parents.”