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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Apr 2020

How to remove ikitties.com

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Alice Woods · Likes to teach users about virus prevention

iKitties.com – a cat-themed website that users are forced to visit due to adware infection

iKitties.com

iKitties.com is a seemingly harmless site that focuses on fluffy human friends – cats. While there is nothing unreliable about the website itself, it has been caught in taking part in adware campaigns recently, and users reported on several social media platforms[1] that they started to get iKitties.com redirects seemingly out of nowhere.

However, the iKitties.com redirects and other intrusive browser behavior does not come from the website itself but rather from a potentially unwanted program installed on the computer unwillingly. While ads, redirects, pop-ups, changed settings of Google Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox, and other symptoms can be associated with any unwanted software, the particular suspicious activity surrounding the iKitties site was traced to YouTube for TV (otherwise known as YT TV) browser extension.

Name iKitties.com
Related app YouTube for TV (YT TV)
Type  Adware, browser redirect 
Infiltration  Adware programs can be downloaded on third-party sources (quite often, users install PUPs unintentionally due to software bundling), installed after being tricked by scams or even obtained from official sources
Dangers  Redirects and ads that are displayed by some adware programs can be less than secure: users can end up on malware-laden, scam, phishing, or other malicious sites. As a result, they might infect their machines with malware/other potentially unwanted programs, disclose sensitive information to third parties, suffer financial losses, etc. 
Symptoms  Intrusive ads appear on all visited websites, redirects bring to random websites (in some cases, malicious), web browser settings are changed to something else 
Removal To stop iKitties.com redirects, adware should be eliminated from the system. For that, terminate all suspicious browser extensions and unwanted programs on the computer – do it manually as per instructions below or employ anti-malware software
Optimization For best results, users are advised cleaning their browser by resetting them and then applying repair software FortectIntego

Just to be clear – the so-called “iKitties.com virus” is something that less IT-savvy users came up with – the website is legitimate and has no malicious indicators. Besides, none of the AV engines detect it as suspicious/malicious on Virus Total.[2] Nevertheless, it does not mean that people do not have a problem with it, as many are keen to remove iKitties.com redirects from their Macs or Windows machines as soon as possible.

Adware is deceptive software that is usually downloaded unintentionally from third-parties, when users are keen on looking for a freeware, for one reason or another. Such software allows free installation and usage, although it uses different monetization methods, such as ads. Many programs use such schemes, although some PUPs, such as iKitties.com adware, can be quite intrusive.

Due to the abuse nature of monetization principles used by adware in the early years of its existence, regulations were implemented over time. As a result, reputable download sources do not allow apps to serve intrusive, malicious, suspicious, or otherwise controversial ads. Nonetheless, some apps still remain on official sources like Chrome Web Store (iKitties ads related app YouTube for TV) – this is because they change the behavior over time.

Several users complained on Chrome Store, asking for iKitties.com removal:[3]

ikitties.come started popping up due to this extension, not worth it anymore sadly unless you want random ads suddenly out of nowhere.

used to be a brilliant addon, but has now turned to adware. AVIOD. very concerned why I was suddenly getting ikitties.com and dudetube.com, needs to go. DO NOT INSTALL

Keep in mind that YT TV is not the only app that can be related to iKitties.com redirects and other unwanted browser activity. For example, users might end up on scam sites that claim malware infections – these typically urge them to download scareware apps and later spend money on them. Other scam scheme involves visitors calling fake tech support after they are notified about alleged viruses on their computers.

iKitties.com redirects

To uninstall adware related to iKitties, you should check all the installed apps on on your device. If you find something suspicious, terminate it immediately as per instructions we provide below. If you recently installed YouTube for TV extension – get rid of it immediately and use alternatives for the functionality. Also, if you experience issues in Windows systems (lag, crashes, errors) that were caused by adware/malware, employ FortectIntego to fix them.

Ways to avoid potentially unwanted programs

As a general security practice, experts[4] always advise to rely on official sources for software downloads, although, as you can see, some apps manage to slip past Google's defenses and have to be withdrawn only after thousands of users download malicious apps.[5] And Google is not the only industry giant which security fails sometimes – Apple's App Store also had to remove malicious apps after letting them in. In such cases, there is very little that users can do, except of trusting the technologies implemented to protect them from harm.

However, this is nothing in comparison to sites that populate software cracks, cheats and pirated programs – these are extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all times. Additionally, there are also plenty of third-party sites that host legitimate apps, although using them might cause installation of programs users did not intend to install in the first place. This is because sites like Softonic, File Hippo, CNet, and many others run the software bundling business model, meaning that they receive commission when promoted software is installed.

Thus, to avoid unwanted programs, you should always pay attention to the installation process of a new app – here's what to look out for:

  • Additional apps hidden under Recommended/Quick installation options, so make sure you pick Advanced/Custom settings
  • Pre-ticked boxes
  • Misleading deals/offers
  • Fine print text
  • Misplaced buttons, etc.

Get rid of pesky iKitties redirects

As previously mentioned, the term iKitties virus is not correct, as the website itself does not perform any malicious actions. Nevertheless, redirects to it can be extremely persistent and many users are willing to remove iKitties.com from their browsers once and for all.

For iKitties.com removal, you should first check if you have an associated browser extension installed YouTube for TV/YT TV. If you have, simply right-click on it and select Remove from Chrome – the annoying redirects and ads should stop after that. If you do not have this extension installed, however, means that the intrusive browser behavior is associated with an unknown adware app.

iKitties.com redirects from YT TV

To get rid of it, simply follow our manual guide below and then scan your device with anti-malware software just to be sure that nothing malicious is left. Besides, you should also reset the installed web browsers (guide below) if AV software flagged something.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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