KK began the story of his nickname, but I feel it is too shameful for him to finish.
While it does begin with the kitten picture, that’s not where it ends.
Way back when KK and I were paid to make fun of people assist people with all their computing problems, “we” got a “new” “boss”. As part of the new guy’s hazing, KK attempted to be a l33t h4xx0r and change the start page and background of the new guy’s computer where he couldn’t change it back.
It was amusing and we all laughed. Eventually, the transgression against the new guy’s computorial demesne was not to be forgiven so easily. Lo, one day when KK was swabbing the poop deck of the Anti-Frozen Professor (har har), the new guy came in and enacted his plan.
KK’s wallpaper was changed to the image he posted, and his home page was changed to a (now defunct) page about kitten killers. In addition, The new Guy locked down the registry and permissions so that KK could not change it back. When he returned, KK enjoyed a hearty laugh with the rest of us. But then he tried to change it back, for lo — KK’s computer was the Problem Account Testing computer, and was used daily by random members of the campus.
KK struggled valiantly to undo the changes his vicious enemy had done, and succeeded. At least partially. KK was able to remove the vile background, but could only replace it with a blank white screen. Hours passed, then days, and finally weeks passed with KK staring at that stark white background, and every time he opened his web browser, he was mocked by the page that faced him. Such was the sting of this that eventually he broke, and asked the New Guy to change the page back.
And that was when KK received his name.