A man, a cat, and a walk in a public park. It should have been simple. Instead, it became a reminder of how quickly joy — even something as wholesome as walking your cat — can be weaponized against LGBTQ+ people.
Jerome, one half of the beloved social media duo behind @lupininlondon, recently shared a video that was very different from the cat-centric content their followers are used to. Known for celebrating feline joy, calm companionship, and gentle therapy cat moments, Jerome and his partner Jacques instead posted footage documenting a confrontation that quickly escalated into verbal abuse and homophobic slurs.
The reason? Jerome dared to walk his cat at a park.
Source: @lupininlondon | Instagram
Meet the Cat Dads of London
Jerome and Jacques have been together for eight years and are proud dads to two famous felines: Lupin, a Russian Blue, and Rajah, their Bengal; both adorable, both harmless.
Source: @lupininlondon | Instagram
Their account, @lupininlondon, currently boasts around 140,000 followers, many of whom turn to their content for softness, escapism, and joy — a reminder that the internet doesn’t always have to be loud to be meaningful.
Which is why their latest post landed so hard.
“Being Threatened… Because I Walked My Cat?”
In the caption accompanying the video, Jerome laid out exactly what happened:
“Being threatened, sworn at and called slurs because I walked my cat into a public space?”
He explained that the man involved had been hostile toward them before, often asking them to leave whenever he saw them in the park. This time, it escalated.
According to Jerome, the man claimed the park was a dog park and insisted Jerome shouldn’t be there with his cat — despite Rajah being on a lead and fully under control. The man’s dogs, notably, were off-lead and showed no reaction to the cats.
Jerome wrote that he entered the park, attempted to avoid the man as he always does, and was still met with aggression.
“This person is always hostile towards us whenever he sees us here.”
Standing Up After Years of Normalized Bullying
In the video, Jerome speaks candidly about something many LGBTQ+ people — especially queer people of color — understand far too well: bullying becomes something you expect.
Source: @lupininlondon | Instagram
He explained that as a gay man and a person of color, he has become used to harassment. That familiarity doesn’t make it okay — it just makes it common.
But this time was different.
After being called a homophobic slur, including “f*ggot” and “c*nt,” Jerome chose not to stay silent.
“I don’t think anyone should have to go through that,” he said in the video, adding:
“I will not tolerate it anymore.” He went on to say, “I want people who go through this to understand it’s not okay, to call it out for what it is, and to realise there is often intent behind these actions.”
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The Emotional Fallout
Speaking to PinkNews after the incident, Jerome shared just how deeply it affected him. He said he and Jacques had experienced uncomfortable encounters with the man before, but it had never escalated to this level.
“It took me a while to process it,” he said. “It didn’t feel real, even when he said it. I almost blacked out and couldn’t really fathom what had happened.”
After going home and watching the footage back, Jerome said he felt both shocked and unsurprised.
“Because I know there’s that side to people, especially right now,” he explained.
The emotional impact lingered.
“It was shocking. It shook me up. I didn’t feel like leaving the house the day after. I felt very emotional. It’s not okay.”
The incident has since been reported to the Met Police.
Cats, Queerness, and Public Space
Jerome also used the moment to speak on something bigger than himself: visibility.
“More and more of us are going to walk our cats on a lead,” he wrote, expressing hope that dog owners could be “as friendly and accommodating” as many already are.
There’s something quietly radical about that statement. Walking a cat on a lead isn’t just about pets — it’s about who gets to take up space, safely and without fear.
Why This Story Resonates
This isn’t just a viral clip. It’s a snapshot of how quickly everyday joy can be met with hostility — and how powerful it is when someone chooses to say no more.
Jerome didn’t just stand up for himself. He stood up for every queer person who has ever been told to shrink, move along, or disappear — even when they’re just walking their cat.
And that shouldn’t be revolutionary. But right now, it is.
REFERENCE: Pink News