The New York Times has published a story about older women getting swindled by con-men on Internet dating websites, and it’s well worth reading, but, more importantly, what on earth is going on with that lead photograph?

Really, the piece is horrifying and excellent:

Many of those targeted are women, especially women in their 50s and 60s, often retired and living alone, who say that the email and phone wooing forms a bond that may not be physical but that is intense and enveloping. How many people are snared by Internet romance fraud is unclear, but between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2014, nearly 6,000 people registered complaints of such confidence fraud with losses of $82.3 million, according to the federal Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Older people are ideal targets because they often have accumulated savings over a lifetime, own their homes and are susceptible to being deceived by someone intent on fraud. Most victims say they are embarrassed to admit what happened, and they fear that revealing it will bring derision from their family and friends, who will question their judgment and even their ability to handle their own financial affairs.

“That would ruin my reputation in my community,” said a woman from Pensacola, Fla., who spoke on condition of anonymity. She lost $292,000, she said, to a man she met online in late 2013, but she has kept it secret from her family and friends.

But like...what’s the deal with the cat?

Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.