Cat lovers in China are protesting China's cat meat industry. You red that right: cat meat industry. Apparently, cats are a hot commodity and that's not because people want them for pets:
On Monday, the Southern Metropolis Daily — a Guangdong paper famous for its exposes and aggressive reporting — ran a story that said about 1,000 cats were transported by train to Guangdong each day.
The animals came from Nanjing, a major trading hub for cats, the newspaper said. They were brought to market by dealers on motorcycles, crammed into wooden crates and sent to Guangdong on trains. A photo showed a cat with green eyes peering from a crowded crate.
Some people in Nanjing spend their days "fishing for cats," often stealing pets, the report said. One cat owner in Guanghzou said people are afraid to let their pets leave the house for fear they will get nabbed.
And what are the cats for?
"There's a famous soup called 'Dragon, Tiger and Phoenix,'" Zhu said. "It involves cooking snake, cat and chicken together. In winter more people eat cats as they believe it's extra nutritious."
Haven't heard of anyone here eating cats, but several people have eaten dog.
It's not a supermarket food, but some consider it a delicacy. Even non-eaters generally believe that eating dog can improve the health of the ill. It is also widely believed to improve sexual potency for males.
Many Koreans get defensive when sensing criticism for this cultural practice, altho many Koreans are also personally opposed to the practice.
Before coming to Korea, I had intended to try some dog stew. However, while riding in a train through the back-country, I saw many miserable dogs in small wire cages that were clearly eating-dogs. This turned me off completely.
Another time I had a chance to visit a farm. There were a few dogs tied up, including a puppy. It seemed happy to see the farmer, jumping up and barking, but the farmer just kicked the puppy to get it to shut up.
Dogs and cats may be animals and good source of protein, but they have been shaped over the millennia to have a special relationship with people. This bond taps into our caregiving instincts that are usually extended to children. A callousness to these animals may undermine our overall empathy. That is why, despite real exceptions, dogs and cats are not a source of food for the majority of people around the world, including those within Asia.
Kinda sad to see the holier-than-thous go on about "cats are the same as humans". No. They're not. Duh.