Chinese Dealers Killing Cats for Food

I was astounded and disgusted when I read a recent news story detailing the gory realities of how some people in China are killing and eating cats. People like to joke about cats being killed behind Chinese restaurants, but I've never actually thought that there could be an actual tinge of truth in that statement.

It turns out that cats are actually a sort of delicacy in some parts of China. They round up cats, cage them, and transport them to butcher shops where they are beaten, strangled, and even boiled alive, according to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Some places breed cats, like cattle, just so that they can be slaughtered. People who own cats in certain provinces have to keep their pets inside at all times because trappers come around and nab whatever cats they can find, even if they belong to someone. Stray cats never had a chance.

There is one province in China called Guangdong that is well known for these practices. They make a popular soup called Dragon, Tiger and Phoenix, with cat meat as one of the main ingredients (the Tiger).

A group of Chinese animal rights activists have been vehemently protesting these practices. These protesters estimate that over 5,000 cats have been rounded up and killed in just the past week. Butchers in China are selling cat meat for about $1.32 a pound, and dog meat for about 95 cents a pound. The Chinese butcher interviewed for the news story stated that "Cat tastes a bit like lamb... Young cats are tender" as if this was just like any normal discussion you'd hear on the Food Network.

My question is, why is this information just now being released to the mainstream media? Why does it take a group of 40 protesters to bring attention to this problem? Do they not have enough meats to eat already, that they have to add helpless cats and dogs to the mix?

According to PETA, there are absolutely no laws protecting animals in China because they are simply not valued. I think it's about time that the Chinese government is pressured to do something about these low down and unnecessary practices.

And I'm sure some will probably say, what makes this any different from killing defenseless chickens and cows. My answer is, have you ever had a chicken or cow come curl up on your stomach and go to sleep? The two just can't be compared.

I can only pray that the increased media coverage of this inhumane behavior pushes the Chinese government to finally take an official stand against killing cats for food in their provinces.