A Sydney influencer who was dropped by multiple sponsors last week for joking about killing two cats as a child now says her comments were “twisted” out of context.
Emma Claiir, 28, admitted to the historic animal cruelty on her podcast Just chaotic on April 18.
She later issued a rude apology on social media following backlash from fans, brands and various media outlets.
After nearly a week of silence, Claiir returned to Instagram on Wednesday and now appears to be fighting back against the narrative that she’s a “cat killer.”
When a fan expressed concern for her well-being in the comments section, Claiir replied, “Thank you so much, but honestly, it takes a lot more than a twisted, manipulated narrative to make me disappear.”
A Sydney influencer who was dropped by multiple sponsors last week for joking about killing two cats as a child now says her comments were “twisted” out of context. (Pictured: Emma Claiir)
“Besides, look at my little man. How can anything else matter when he’s so perfect?’ she added, referring to a photo of herself with husband Aaron and their newborn son Jett-Jones.
It’s unclear exactly what Claiir believes was “manipulated” as she apologized in a statement last week for her comments about killing cats.
After initially dismissing the comments as “light humor,” Claiir shared an appropriate apology acknowledging the seriousness of her actions.
While Claiir previously issued a fawning apology for her actions, she has now changed her tune by claiming her story was “twisted” and “manipulated.”
After nearly a week of silence, Claiir (pictured with her husband Aaron and son Jett-Jones) returns to Instagram on Wednesday and fights back against the narrative that she’s a ‘cat killer’
Claiir shared the bizarre admission on her podcast last week after her co-host Kristy Jean asked her to reveal a personal secret.
The mother of one left Jean baffled by admitting, “I killed my cat.”
Chuckling awkwardly, Claiir continued, ‘I didn’t mean to… I was young, I was a child.
“I waved my cat. I thought it was just a hug. And I accidentally released it.”
Claiir shared the bizarre admission on her podcast last week after being asked by her co-host Kristy Jean to reveal a personal secret.
Claiir clarified that the animal died “of fright,” rather than of any injuries from being flung across the room.
After sharing a laugh with her co-host, Claiir added, “I just want to say, I’m giggling about it now, but this happened years and years and years (ago).
“And, like, I was crazy about a little kid.”
Incredibly, Claiir went on to admit that she “also accidentally killed her best friend’s cat.”
“I waved my cat. I thought it was just a hug. And I accidentally released it,” she said of the incident when she killed her family cat
Claiir, who now owns a sausage dog named Douglas, has since received furious backlash from her own fans online.
As the controversy erupted, she was also dropped as an ambassador for makeup brand MCoBeauty and vegan makeup company Lust Minerals.
Fashion retailers Glassons and Princess Polly also distanced themselves from Claiir and said they would not be working with her in future campaigns, according to screenshots obtained by ‘snark’ account Influencer Updates AU.
Claiir was dropped as an ambassador for makeup brand MCoBeauty when the controversy erupted
Fashion retailers Glassons and Princess Polly also distanced themselves from Claiir, according to screenshots obtained by ‘snark’ account Influencer Updates AU (pictured)
Claiir had initially doubled down on her podcast confession, saying it was a “bit of light humor” and that her critics should stop being so sensitive..
“To the people who are offended by my story in today’s Simply Chaotic episode I just shared… It happened 21 years ago. I was a little kid…accidents happen and you all need to chill,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“I hope you’re not the same person you were when you were nine years old (I could have been younger,” she added, before insisting she was “the best multi-cat mom” since the accident.
The mother of one, who now owns a sausage dog named Douglas (pictured), has been met with furious backlash from her own fans online, meanwhile
Influencer Updates AU drew attention to Claiir’s alarming remarks last Wednesdaywhich led to more outrage.
‘What the? I’m not sure I’d consider a conversation about killing two cats “a bit of light humor,” one follower commented.
“I wish I wasn’t listening to that… that’s not humor at all. That is really traumatizing’, another agrees.
Claiir initially doubled down on her podcast confession, telling her Instagram followers it was a “little bit of light humor” and that her critics should stop being so sensitive
Someone else added, “As a child two years old or younger I would have expected it to be an accident, but at nine?”
However, several users defended Claiir, with one writing, “How do people get offended by this? She made a mistake as a small child.’
“Pretty gruesome, but kids are rough, and as a parent I can imagine a kid doing that,” another supporter wrote.
Just hours after her post downplayed the backlash, Claiir released a statement apologizing for making a joke about animal cruelty.
Just hours after her post downplayed the backlash, Claiir released a statement apologizing for making a joke about animal cruelty
“I am well aware that the story was not light humor and in fact very serious,” she wrote in a lengthy post.
“It wasn’t meant to come across like that as it was just a story from the past about an accident (when I was a little kid) but I can see how it came across like that,” she added. .
Claiir said she had “taken some time to reflect on my actions” and concluded it was “not something (she was) proud of” as the incident affected her entire family.
She emphasized that she was definitely “adult” and had been a loving owner of “several cats and dogs” as an adult.
“Again, I sincerely apologize to those affected by an accident that happened in the past and I hope we can leave it at that,” she concluded.
Claiir said she had “taken time to reflect on my actions” and concluded it was “not something (she was) proud of” as the incident affected her entire family.
