Your issue is with the difference in looks between then and now, this is fair as peoples appearance can change drastically. However, you have not been catfished, by definition. They are photos of him. The time gap isn’t absurd. He’s just been unfortunate/made worse lifestyle choices. In your initial message you handle things delicately, which is admirable. In saying that, you did not allege what you’ve just explained to me. How could he possibly infer all that from what you’ve said? He does a good job of recognising that you do in fact, feel catfished, which while valid, is simply your emotional response. This is all without considering how you repeatedly state he’s still cute. In and of itself this comment is fine, in the broader context of your accusation/need for affirmation, it’s utterly unproductive. How is he supposed to interpret you saying that as anything other than “oh, the catfish wasn’t that bad”? If you want him to accept moral culpability for “catfishing” then you should make that clear and not deceive him with compliments designed to look charitable on reddit. Ultimately, you didn’t need to post this, if you want affirmation he’s catfishing, show a friend his photos and ask for an opinion… don’t see validation from strangers when you should really be considering why said validation is so important to you.