Jamie Lynn Spears clarifies comments blaming Tesla for the 'devastating and tragic' death of her cats
Jamie Lynn Spears called out Tesla for the death of her pet cats, claiming a feature of the car led to “unfortunate” incidents, then walked back on her comments.
“I know that there’s just bigger things to worry about in the world right now but somebody’s gotta let Elon Musk know that the Tesla is a secret cat killer and it’s a problem that we’ve really got to fix,” the Sweet Magnolias star said of the company CEO in a deleted social media video published by TMZ. “We have now lost — I don’t even want to tell you how many cats — because they don’t hear the Tesla crank and unfortunate things happen and it’s really devastating and tragic for everyone involved.”
Jamie Lynn, who is the younger sister of Britney Spears, explained that the electric car’s hushed feature startled her cats. She didn’t explain exactly what occurred, only that situations have ended badly. “So, since the Tesla is so quiet, maybe he could make one of those noises that bother cat or animal ears when it cranks up, so that way, they know something’s happening and they aren’t caught off guard and things don’t end in a very tragic way,” she said.
Unlike gas-powered cars, electric vehicles don’t make much noise, providing a more tranquil experience for the driver. However, some say the feature may endanger vision-impaired people who rely on sounds to safely cross streets. According to the New York Times, new regulations last September require U.S. electric cars to make a sound when moving slower than 18.6 miles per hour.
“So, Elon Musk, let’s figure this out,” she said. “I mean, you owe me a couple cats. And yes, I’m fully aware that there’s some user error involved in this, but I’m just saying, you know, collaborate, save some cats’s lives.”
She then wrote “RIP Turkey” on a video featuring her daughter Ivey, 2. "Turkey, your little kitty cat, went where?" asked the mom. The toddler, whom she shares with husband Jamie Watson, appears to say, “Turkey went to Jesus.” Jamie Lynn also has a daughter named Maddie, 12, with ex-partner Casey Aldridge.
Later, Jamie Lynn shared an update on the media coverage of her video. “Not that it matters, but this is a bit misleading,” she captioned a screenshot on Instagram.
“I did not run over any cats,” she wrote. “Tesla is not to be blamed, and was never intended to be. User error is admittedly involved. We always check for animals before moving a vehicle.”
She added, “I was only making a suggestion about something I think would be extremely helpful, and the geniuses at @Teslamotors are the best to go to for said issue.”
Jamie Lynn’s final word was the following photo caption: “Here’s ya quote. I friggin love my @Teslamotors.”
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
