Animal services are up in arms about a Tampa-based fast food restaurant promotional stunt asking customers to dress their cats in specially designed take out bags.

The bags were invented after Checkers restaurant saw that Rap Cat, a cat puppet used in Checkers advertising commercials, was gaining popularity.

The bags have holes for the legs and tail of the cat as well as a head hole in the bottom of the bag. The bag is designed to look like a baseball jersey with a gold chain like the Rap Cat character. Checkers is asking customers to send in photos and videos of their cats in costume.

Hillsborough County Animal Control said this is a matter of animal cruelty.

Marti Ryan with Hillsborough Animal Control said, "It appears to be an exercise, I'm sorry, in ignorance. So if you try to put them in a paper bag and make them dance and take pictures, they're going to exhibit a typical fight or flight response. And if they fight, you're going to get hurt," he says.

Checkers representatives say the bags are all in good fun. A disclaimer on the bag reads, "Not all cats will be down with wearing this bag. Do not harm or endanger any cat."