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Although most of the country of China no longer sees cats as food, there are certain areas where they do. They catch and kill cats to eat them. Also, for some reason, they believe that if an animal is tortured while they are being killed, the meat tastes better. Which makes for some horrific deaths. I am a vegetarian and I cannot see why anyone would want to eat any animal. I feel sick thinking about cats being skinned alive and other inhumane practices. There are some more "westernized" citizens who feel that killing cats and eating them is a barbaric practice that should be stopped. Recently, there have been some protests that are causing a culture clash.
The changing opinion is partially responsible to a more prosperous country where a middle class is emerging. Those in the middle class have some extra money to feed a pet. In China there are limits on dogs and size restrictions on dogs so having a cat is easier. It is becoming socially unacceptable to eat cats.
Cat meat is not illegal to eat or sell. It is perfectly legal to catch a cat, kill it and eat it. You can even serve it in restaurants! Many in China and other eastern countries see cats as food- comparable to how our society sees a cow or pig. “We are very angry because the cats are being skinned and then cooked alive. We must make them correct this uncivilized behavior,” said Wang Hongyao, who represented the group, China Small Animal Protection .
The newspaper, Chengdu Business Daily, recently reported people in Guangdong eat 10,000 cats a day. The "cat snatchers" are typically formerly unemployed people who use large fishing nets and are paid $1.50 per cat. Thousands are transported by train from other parts of the country-where they do not eat cats.
Police are reluctant to charge the cat catchers with theft because many of the cats involved live outside and are not technically owned by humans, merely fed and nurtured.
According to an online survey conducted by the website of Southern Metropolis Daily yesterday, 661 out of the 886 citizens who voted considered dining on cats "ruthless", while 207 said it was okay.
Almost 400 said they have never eaten cats, while 170 said they have or want to try.
Sources:
www.baltimoresun.com
www.chinasmack.com
www.chinapost.com
www.animalsasia.org
www.china.org
I would love to try cat meat! Sounds good fried. I can't tell you how much I love eating meat, but I still respect your choice not to eat meat, if you respectmy choice to eat meat. I am a member of PWEETA.
ReplyDeleteI wish others would be vegetarian and I do judge others for eating meat. I think they lack a certain amount of compassion. You though, just sound like a smart alec.
ReplyDelete