Do I really need to talk to my cat about online safety?

Do I really need to talk to my cat about online safety?
Long gone are the days when we might separate “real life” from “being online.” The Internet has become an integral part of everyday life for virtually all Americans—as well as their cats! The modern cat is just as likely to play with a computer mouse as a living one, and the friendships your kitten makes online will often feel as important to them as the one they have with the cat next door. Whether you like it or not, cats are using the Internet in record numbers, and the infurmation superhighway is here to stay. But be warned: the Internet can be a dangerous place for an unwary cat, and in many ways the virtual world is as perilous as our real one! As a responsible pet owner you must prepare your cat for the dangers of the Internet just as you would prepare them for real-life threats like mean dogs, ghosts, thermonuclear war, and homosexuals.
What are some of the threats my cat might face on the Internet?
When you first warn your cat of the predators who lurk on the Internet, he might think you are talking about a coyote, or perhaps an owl. But the predators your cat will face online are much more dangerous. Cyberbullies, hackers, identity thieves, and sex perverts who will stop at nothing to lure your innocent feline into their depraved web; the Internet is full of those who would harm your fluffy friend. But the greatest threat to your cat is someone you might never suspect…itself! It is your cat’s own naïveté and foolhardiness that is most likely to get him into trouble. Your cat has grown up with the Internet, but that doesn’t mean they know how to navigate it safely. Many younger cats and kittens have an inflated sense of their proficiency using the World Wide Web. Just because they know all the coolest Web sites doesn’t mean they know how to be safe. Hubris and a feeling of invincibility are the things most likely to get your cat—and you—into trouble!