Bachelorette Katie Thurston Explains Why Kissing "Connor the Cat" Was the Most Painful Moment to Rewatch

The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston dissected her June 7 premiere and explained why kissing "Connor the Cat" was the toughest scene for her to watch.

By Ryan Gajewski Jun 08, 2021 7:21 AMTags
Watch: "Bachelorette" Katie Thurston Tells Which Guy Stood Out Night One

The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston is dishing about her premiere episode, and let's just say the cat definitely does not have her tongue. 

During her visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday, June 7 following the launch of her season earlier that evening, host Jimmy Kimmel asked what it was like to watch her first episode as the lead. 

The 30-year-old standout from Matt James' season of The Bachelor shared that she watched the premiere by herself. In explaining why it felt uncomfortable to watch, Katie said, "I've never seen myself make out with so many guys." 

Jimmy followed up by asking which moment from the episode made her "skin crawl the most," and as it turned out, it wasn't exploring Jeff's RV, although she did get to that soon enough. 

Instead, her response was, "Kissing the cat," a reference to Conor Brennan, a contestant who showed up in a feline costume, given that Katie is such a cat lover. During the premiere, the pair enjoyed a steamy make-out session that led to the Bachelorette getting his cat-nose makeup all over her own face. 

photos
We Did a Deep-Dive Into All of Katie Thurston's Bachelorette Suitors

Jimmy guessed that Katie chose this moment because she "really got in there," to which she simply replied with a laugh, "I did." When the host said he's never watched video of himself kissing someone, she informed him, "You never want to." 

Katie said just as much to E! News during our exclusive interview with her from earlier in the day. "I can't watch it with my family or my friends, seeing myself make out with all these guys," she admitted to us. "I just need to be alone and embrace it and process it myself." 

Jimmy then brought up the infamous RV visit, during which Katie had complained to the camera that the vehicle's untidiness was a turnoff, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, Jeff was quickly sent packing. 

ABC/Craig Sjodin

After Jimmy mentioned the dirty clothes that were apparently on display, Katie added, "He is also the skin salesman. Red flags everywhere!" When Jimmy pointed out that Jeff was essentially pitching Katie on a life in the RV, she quipped, "That's not my fantasy, no." 

And as for the fact that Katie will now be inextricably linked with vibrators, given that she brought a sex toy to her limo entrance with Matt, she told Jimmy, "People send me enough vibrators to last me a lifetime." She added she has even started giving them out to friends as gifts. 

In addition to appearing on the talk show, Katie also live-tweeted her premiere, which included her picking up on the fact that Bachelor Twitter seemed particularly taken with Greg Grippo, who earned her coveted First Impression Rose

"Twitter when Greg gets the first impression rose," Katie posted during the episode, adding a GIF of a stadium full of people cheering. 

In other words, not only did Connor the Cat not get the First Impression Rose, but he also got called out on late-night TV. Sounds like a certain contestant might currently be licking his wounds. 

For E!'s full coverage of Katie's season of The Bachelorette, click here

Get the latest bachelor headlines & top stories. Sign up for Bachelor Beat!