Eating Cat Meat in China
A lot of people HATE the thought of eating dog (or cat).
But, I’m not going to lie to you…
… dog can be really delicious.
Note: Keep in mind that this is not an article about whether it’s right, wrong, or ethical to eat dog or cat meat; This is simply an article about eating dog and cat meat.
As a world traveler and adventurous eater, I keep an open mind (and mouth) wherever I go.
When I was in China, I was able to have a few meals that not only included dog meat… but also cat meat! But let’s first talk about dog…
Eating Dog Meat in China
Eating Dog Meat
Spending time in Guangxi Province (southern China) I was able to enjoy meals that included dog a number of times.
A few local Chinese friends were just as excited as I was when they discovered that I too was a fan of the prized meat.
Dog meat has been eaten for thousands of years…
… and NOT just in China.
Central America, South America, Polynesia, Europe, North America, Africa, and of course parts of Asia have all been recorded as dog devouring continents (YES, in most parts of the world dog has been eaten).
But as of now, the most famous dog eating nations are China (Guangdong and Guangxi provinces), Korea and Vietnam.
Dog is a delicacy in China, it’s not an everyday meat like chicken or pork – it’s a fragrant meat that’s enjoyed on special occasions with friends and possibly beer. Dog meat should be eaten with respect.
Dog soup, braised dog, dog stew, stir fried dog and dog meat hot pot are all typical and common Chinese dishes.
Eating Dog Meat – Dog Meat Clay Pot
What Does Dog Taste Like?
It’s a red meat, quite fatty, and extremely fragrant. Take a cross between beef and mutton, add extra meaty flavoring, and you’ve got the taste of dog.
The braised dog I ate was cooked in a clay pot along with huge cloves of garlic and chillies, it was mildly spiced with a splash of soy sauce and I detected a hint of cinnamon or anise in the mix.
Braised on high heat in the clay pot, the dog was cooked so the chunks of meat were extremely tender and slipped right off the bone.
If Kobe beef is the superlative beef of the world, dog is the crème de la crème of all meat!
It was so tasty and delicious that if it wasn’t for the “psychological thought of eating dog”, everyone would probably love it.
After eating dog meat, beef tastes flavorless.
Cat Meat Hot Pot
Eating Cat Meat
Just like dog, cat meat has been eaten around the world. Nowadays cat is still enjoyed in parts of Peru, Switzerland and of course, China!
I’ve only eaten cat meat once, and it was alright, but definitely what I would call a little on the bizarre side.
I had no idea what to expect when I ordered a braised cat meat hot pot in China. I honestly was thinking the meat might be similar to chicken, but it surely wasn’t.
My preconceived thought of eating cat was blown away.
It arrived at our table, a giant intimidating wok medley of slow cooked spices, garlic, chives, and tons of little bite sized chunks of cat.
There must have been a half a cat in this dish!
My nose detected the delights of star anise and dried Sichuan chillies.
Yes, that’s a cat tooth.
How Does Cat Taste?
Searching through the hot pot was a little bit disturbing, I could notice the various parts of the cat, like its entrails and even its teeth mixed throughout the dish.
The meat was not like chicken at all, it was a light colored red meat – not that deep dark meat like dog.
It tasted slightly similar to pork, yet full of weird little transparent fish like bones and with an ever so slight tinge of sour aftertaste.
I will say one thing, the boneless chunks were a lot easier to eat than the little boney pieces. The cat intestines were surprisingly good, tender and flavorful – some of the best intestines I’ve had.
Overall, the cat hot pot was tasty, but definitely not my favorite meat I’ve tried in this world.
Dog vs. Cat
In this gastronomic sampling of Chinese food, I’d have to go with dog. The meat was much more tender with a pleasant flavor. Cat on the other hand was average and not something to really look forward to eating.
If you’d like to see some graphic butcher photos, click here (but don’t say I didn’t warn you).
What are your thoughts?
Would you eat dog or cat meat? Have you already tried them?
oh my. i mean, good for you, mark, for having andrew zimmern-like courage. just reading how you described it got me a little cringe-y already.
)
paul | walkflypinoy.com recently posted..Why Travel Tuesday: Annapurna Base Camp
Hah, thanks a lot for reading it Paul!
Twelve years ago I spent nine weeks in China for work. During that time I had dinner with new friends in the Suzhou office I was working at. I had a wonderful meal. Afterwards they told me one of the dishes was dog. And while it tasted great I told them that I didn’t want to do that again. If I was starving and was forced to eat it I would to survive but I can’t bring myself to eat dog or cat because I have/had them as pets!
Thanks for sharing Andi, and I fully understand. When thinking about eating dog meat it can be disturbing especially if we’ve had a close pet before.
There really is only one logically consistent choice: eat meat, or don’t eat meat. If you eat cows and chickens there is no real reason to reject eating dogs or cats, other than taste.
If someone finds the thought of killing and eating one type of living creature to be beyond the pale, perhaps it’s time for them to stop eating any living creature.
For my part, I love a tasty meal. Thanks for sharing your culinary insights into this unusual delicacy.
Brian recently posted..Go Big or Go Home: A Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure
Great input Brian. Other than the psychological thought of eating a dog, it’s really the same as eating any other animal. One may have a pet pig and never want to eat pork. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
so the difference between a animals IQ.. how much it understands what is going on … how it is subjected to life and death for our purpose of food not to mention that in China dogs are skinned alive but for the barbarians on this page thats ok… I say why not eat people and you guy would be the first on my table…disgusting homo sapiens…
Hey John. Chickens, cows, pigs, goats, fish… they are too. Did you read my NOTE at the top of this article?
I did read your post about the ethicacy- regardless of that fact, by promoting a culture that TORTURES ITS FOOD BEFORE CONSUMING IT – Is a blatantly irresponsible as the act itself.
Dog also have IQ,like us.They know what is happening.Like us, if we are dogs people will take us or our friends away,kill it and roast it and then cut it’s head off.It’s yicky.
Vietquan, Pigs are highly social and intelligent animals.
All mammals have families and friends and care about what happens to both…and what happens to them.
You are practicing Species-ism (it’s true, Google it
Mark, great article – you may be interested in understanding why we eat cows, pigs and lamb, but not dogs or cats. It is called Carnism and it is fascinating.
http://www.carnism.com/
** All animals (fish and birds) love and cherish their own life…just like you!
I totally agree! Its not ok just because it has been done for thousands of years! Are gladiators still around ? It would be nice to think we have evolved. Dogs and cats are mans friend and pet and are extremely smart and whomever thinks they are not are the unitelligent ones. Especially partaking within a culture that is boldly and openly cruel makes one as barbaric as them and again, I like to think we have evolved. Shameful.
While we are not vegetarian when we are on the road (we are at home) and I am not saying eating meat is bad, but when you really think about it, it’s all a little gross.
I am not sure how a culture comes to value one animal so much over another. We have no problem eating beef, poultry, pork, etc. but dogs, cats and horses are totally off limits. Intellectually, it doesn’t make any sense.
Caanan @ No Vacation Required recently posted..Minds Blown by Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Thanks Caanan, yah, it is a very interesting thought, and you’re totally right. For instance in the US, think about a cow and the next thought is probably either milk or steak or a burger. When thinking about a dog, the thought is definitely not dinner.
I never thought I’d try dog, but then you just said it’s like a richer beef… those words made me melt a little. Red meat is my favorite. However, my dog ollie is sitting right next to me. It’s kind of hard to imagine. I’ll be in China by this time next year, so I’ll have the choice to make for myself! Very intriguing post!
Ava Apollo recently posted..Accidentally Hitchhiking in Costa Rica
Haha, thanks for sharing Ava. If you do enjoy red meat, I’m guessing you’ll probably like dog meat. I honestly think it’s way more flavorful than beef. If you do decide to sample some in China, you’ve got to let me know how you like it!
disgusting that you are a guardian to a companion animal and would consider eating a similar species – you appall me.
BTW - The dog food ad in the sidebar is pure comedy in the context of this post…
Caanan @ No Vacation Required recently posted..Minds Blown by Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Haha, that’s funny!
I can’t say I’m crazy about the idea of eating either one. But really, I can’t say why, either. It really makes no sense to discriminate between animals, as the other commenters have said.
Bravo to you for writing the post.
2summers recently posted..Winter Through the Eyes of the Melville Cat
Thank you Heather! I actually wrote this post months ago and just finally decided it was the right time to hit publish. Can’t blame you about not being crazy about the idea!
Oh dear. I agree with Caanan here – weird how we can eat some animals, but others not. I guess it’s the emotional bond we have with dogs. Having had dogs as pets all my life, I really couldn’t possibly try dog meat. Ever. But I admire you for trying it!
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Thank you Christina! I think part of the reason I don’t have much emotional problems with eating dog and cat is that I haven’t had them as pets before – only as guard dogs. I fully understand the way you feel though, and it’s definitely alright to never eat dog!
whaha!!!!…. I eat dogs meat but not cat because here in the Philippines dog’s meat is one of the delicacy dish and one of the famous dish is CALDERTA it is like pot roast but i little bit
spicy and it taste like beef and you wouldn’t know it a dog’s meat……
yhum!!.. yhum!!..
Holly crap!!.. right im craving for the Calderata hehehe!!!!..
Glen recently posted..Have You Eaten Dog (or Cat) Meat? You Might Be Surprised…
Haha, thanks Glen! I wasn’t able to try calderta in the Philippines, but I’ll definitely try to find it if I’m ever back in the Philippines. Is it popular in Manila, or in the countryside?
You found cat teeth in it? I think I would have gagged. But I’m definitely not as adventurous of an eater as you and can’t get past the psychological part of eating dog or cat meat!
Laura recently posted..The Zip Code Man in Boulder
Yup, there were some really weird things in that giant cat meat hot pot including teeth, I think I found the roof of the mouth, and some really weird bones. That’s totally alright if you can’t get past the psychological part!
I could not deal with the cat tooth!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..9 Beautiful Reasons To Get Out of Sucre
Haha, it was a little freaky.
In some places in Africa people eat humans, so what’s next…Lets eat humans as well now….or in China baby fetus is a delicacy ..so lets go for it as well…or dolphins….or shark fin soup or Rhino horns or elephant meat ?
Where will it all stop guys…I know due to poverty and lack of food resources we eat fish & meats and its taste as well plus we do discriminate among meats…but if we are allowed to do as we please, it won’t be too long when many Animals become extinct…
I’m no PETA supporter or vegan or anything, I eat chicken & fish but somewhere down my heart, i do regret it and my whole aim is to reduce it when i can and not go over drive to eat everything that i see ..
However, That being said…I completely understand what Mark has said and I respect it and am’i a big big fan of Migrationology…..Nothing personal…Its just my opinion…and my way of looking at dog meat..
Also, I’m not protesting or saying people should not eat dog meat or whatever..Its everyone choice…I don’t believe in laws or banning it etc..its a decision everyone has to make personally..
Thanks.
Jack, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Yes, some things in this world that are being eaten for pleasure have been taken too far. Like others on this article have mentioned, it’s interesting how we’ve classified some animals as edible and others we’ve shunned from eating. Definitely any animal that’s on its way to extinction or that has to suffer as a result of becoming a meal (ex. slicing off only a shark fin) is not something I’d agree with, but as long as the animal is properly butchered and there’s a large amount, it’s up to the individual if they want to eat it or not. Thank you so much for sharing your opinion about this and thanks for reading my thoughts!
you say properly butchered ?? what about the process of torturing the animal for increased flavor then ? as in the Asian cultures you are a hypocrite. Unless you believe that to be properly butchered?
Why did you not comment on the cannibalism aspect? So if you were offered that in Africa would you ???
What is not acceptable is the manner in which these animals are raised (captured and sometimes stolen); nor the methods in which they are killed. The fact remains that while some would argue it’s a tradition (eating dogs/cats) there is also the fact that foot binding was also a “tradition” therefore that case that one must hold to tradition no longer holds water as a valid reason for this practice to continue. If a person feels he or she simply must eat a dog then raise it and humanely kill it (a 22 to the head should do the trick)….however by eating at any establishment that serves dog or cat meat one is economically, socially and ethically placing their support behind a vile, cruel and sickening industry that should be abolished.
Wow I like your honest about eating dog and cat meat – I couldn’t bring myself to eat either and the most adventurous thing I’ve eaten is chicken feet! I’m glad you can’t see the dog or cat bones in this post!
Natasha recently posted..Why I Love Portobello Road Markets, Notting Hill
Thanks for reading Natasha! I was just thinking that I’ve read a few other blogs about eating dog and most have mentioned that it wasn’t their favorite and they probably wouldn’t ever eat it again, so I thought I’d just share my honest opinion about it. Did you enjoy chicken feet?
I’ve had dog meat here in Korea. It was roasted or something, with a nice dipping sauce. And, like you said, it’s really flavorful. It was tender and fatty as well. I liked it!
I’ve always had dogs so it was a little weird for me. But I find it pretty easy to try anything by just thinking of it as food. I’m not sure if I want to eat it again, but I have no problem with people doing so.
In Korea, there are pet dogs and there are livestock dogs. They’re not the same kind of dog. It’s all cultural, really. (Also, not many Koreans eat dog anymore).
Rachel recently posted..Travel Techniques: Keeping Up with Your Favorite Shows On the Road
Thank you for sharing Rachel, glad to hear that you’ve tried dog as well and enjoyed it, even though you’ve had pets. I actually went hunting for some bosintang when I was in Seoul a few months ago, but couldn’t find it. I didn’t have a lot of time, but just tried at one restaurant that I had searched for and I guess they had been shut down. Eating dog is becoming less popular in Korea now? Do you think it’s largely the younger generation?
I’ve eaten dog meat and I enjoyed it as well. As for the moral issue, I don’t think there is one. If people want to eat dog meat they can–how would people in the west feel if Hindus started telling us we need to stop eating cows because they don’t feel it’s right. It wouldn’t go over too well and that’s exactly how other cultures feel when we go in telling them to change their diets.
Daniel McBane recently posted..What to do Before Entering a Public Pool in Japan
Well said Daniel. It’s totally alright if anyone decides not to participate in eating things they don’t want to eat, but not alright to look down on those that do.
I’ve eaten dog, stir fried, in China. It was delicous, and like you, I would go back for more.
Never tried cat – that tooth sticking out is freakin’ gnarly dude.
It’s making me hungry.
Great article Mark!
Nate @yomadic recently posted..Best Travel Camera of 2012 : Travel Cameras Reviewed From $10 to OMG
Awesome to hear you’ve eaten dog and thought it was tasty too Nate. Yah, there were a few things in that cat hot pot that I tried to avoid, I set the tooth aside!
The thing that puts me off dog and cat is the health aspect.. dogs being omnivores, cats being carnivores, the chance of picking up parasites and bugs from eating the meat is allegedly higher. This is the reason folks in the UK don’t run around eating foxes and badgers etc, anyway.
Or maybe that’s just an excuse and it really is all about the psychological stuff? (I’ve eaten foal and it was the tastiest thing ever, so I guess I’m not too bad at overcoming that..
Haha, thanks Melanie. Probably depending on how the restaurant got their cat or dog meat (where from), would play a role in the parasites, guess there’s always a little risk involved with eating just about everything. Yum, I’d love to taste some foal, how was it cooked!?
I am pretty sure I have eaten both in the Philippines, at least there is a strong likelihood of it although I never knew. I’m not going to judge people by North American standards just as I wouldn’t want someone in India to judge me for eating cow.
Ayngelina recently posted..35 Things I learned from traveling in Latin America
Oh the joys of mystery meat! There’s nothing like a little surprise dog.
A recent investigation proved that many of the lamb kebabs here in Beijing are actually cat meat. No-one was scandalised that they’d been eating cat, just that they’d been paying for lamb.
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Wow, that’s interesting! I guess cat meat would be cheaper or there’s more of a supply of it in Beijing than lamb? Though cat meat is a little lighter in color, when ground and mixed with some seasoning I can definitely tell how it could pass as lamb.
mark: Wow Mark. That is very courageous of you to eat dog or cat meat.
mark recently posted..smile more policy
Thanks Sully! Would you ever eat dog or cat?
mark: I would try dog meat rather then cat meat for the simple reason that dogs seem to have more meat to bone ratio than cats.lol
sully86 recently posted..The Casual Vacancy
That is a very true observation Sully!
Great article! Thanks for writing it despite how vulnerable this topic is for hate mail.
I’m definitely on the you eat meat or you don’t category. Perhaps it’s because I have no qualms in going to eat fish right after I go to an aquarium, and guinea pig is high on my list of foods I’d like to try, even though as a child, the only pets I was allowed were guinea pigs. I’ve also heard that these animals are purpose-bred, which always makes me feel a little better about eating them. Do you know if that’s true?
Thank you Erica! Definitely a touchy article, and it’s been really interesting to read the opinions and thoughts of others. Like you’ve said, it’s a matter of association and emotion. Someone with a pet fish may never want to eat fish, yet that same person may be inclined to eat dog, and vice versa. Cool to hear you want to eat guinea pig. Do they eat it in Japan? I had a “cuy” in Peru years ago and it was delicious. I guess it depends on where you go, but countries that eat a lot of guinea pigs, I’m sure they purposely raise them, not just strays.
Loving this post! It’s really just a case of what you’re used to isn’t it? Like how green ketchup never caught on because it just ‘seemed wrong’. I’d try dog if I had the opportunity, but I’d find it hard to stomach any dish where the teeth and entrails are included!
Arianwen recently posted..London south bank: a farewell to remember
I appreciate it Arianwen, and it really is about what you’re used to and what you grew up with. Being willing to try or experience things from another culture can sometimes take us out of our comfort zones, and that’s one of the joys of traveling. Glad to hear you’d try dog, you can definitely avoid the scary bits!
I’m sort of impressed that you were actually able to get served! The entire time my Dad was in Korea he asked for dog meat, and no one would willingly serve a white, American man! I suppose it’s possible his friends weren’t accurately translating his wishes
Also, I don’t think eating one sort of meat is in anyway morally superior or inferior to another. There certainly are arguments from abstaining from meat entirely for ethical and environmental issues when one has the choice, but not for one protein over another! Because I’m eating meat right now, I would definitely try either, and was kind of disappointed when I didn’t get the chance in Vietnam. Here’s hoping for China!
Susan recently posted..Thailand and Malaysia Train Travel Survival List
Thanks for sharing Susan. Hmm, that’s strange your Dad wasn’t served, seems like the restaurant would be happy to make a sale? Didn’t have any problems at all ordering dog or cat in China. A few of the times I was with local Chinese who ordered, but for the cat, I ordered. The restaurant owners, if anything were happy to serve it to me. If you go to China, I’m sure you’ll be able to get some. I agree fully with your meat eating philosophy!
Interesting article. I knew these animals were eaten in China but had no idea of how they were prepared. I think this article offers great insight into some Chinese provinces eating habits (even though it is a sensible topic on other places). I have heard so many stories of people eating different types of meat in Latin America. By the way, my uncle went to medical school in the Dominican Republic and he had to keep his cat inside at all times. I guess you know why.
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Hey Ruth, thanks for sharing. Yes, the norms of what’s typical to eat and what’s not is greatly varied from culture to culture, country to country. Hope you uncle was able to hold on to his cat!
When I lived in Vietnam there was a dog/cat restaurant nearby, I never went there though after hearing numerous reports of pets going missing from the large compound where all the rich expats lived!
I personally don’t have a problem with it, I eat beef, pork, lamb and chicken so what is the difference really? In Sweden where I live now they regularly eat moose and reindeer. It’s also not uncommon to find horse meat. It’s just a case of what you’re used to I expect.
Thanks for this post, I can see it might make some readers upset but I say kudos to you for keeping an open mind to new things. I just hope it wasn’t somebody’s pet….!
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed this post! When I was in China, there were plenty of people with pet dogs, I think I may have even seen someone eating dog with their pet dog sitting by their side. Pets disappearing is a little suspicious and we can hope they just ran away! Thanks for sharing about Sweden, I would love to sample some horse meat!
I have eaten dog in Sakhon Nakon Thailand, mainly Vietnamese in this part of Essan, then in the Philippines and finally in Vietnam. In Thailand it was one that we hunted and killed, it was a native wild dog very similar in looks to an Australian Dingo, then we brought it home and prepared it for BBQing. We also made a spicy soup out of the intestines which was absolutely delicious. The meat was very tough and very chewy but considering we had only shot it that morning no wonder. All meats need to by hung for a period to tenderise. In Cebu it was slow cooked in a clay pot and melted in the mouth. In Hanoi I ate two styles, BBQ and roast. BBQ was tough but roast was delicious, crisp on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. While I am on the subject Rodent is another meat you need to try. Click on link to view video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6yUG39xSVs Hope to catch up in BKK in a couple of weeks.
Awesome Pierre, thanks for sharing your food adventures. I’ll definitely be willing to eat dog on another occasion and in another country to see how it tastes and how it’s prepared. The Filipino version especially sounds good, cooked in a clay pot so it’s nice and tender. Thank for sharing the video, I’ve never had rat, so if I come across it someday, will have to sample!
Good post. I never heard about eating cat meat. I was traveling in the south of China for 3 months and didn’t see it–but that doesn’t mean I didn’t eat it or they didn’t have it!
The only time I had dog was cooked by a Korean family in Uzbekistan. And yes…it was tasty.
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Thanks for sharing Stephen. I guess it really depends on which province in China you’re in. I’ve heard that it’s very common in Guangdong Province, and where I ate cat in Guangxi, it wasn’t all that common, but I just saw it at a few places (and in the market) and took the chance when I saw it. Glad to hear you also thought dog was tasty!
When you talk about eating dog meat is it any specific breed of dog or does anything go? ‘Cause one would guess the meats can taste different according to the type of dog… Big vs small, etc?!
It’s funny how the psychological side of things really counts when putting something in your mouth.. I read “There must have been a half a cat in this dish!” and felt “YUCK” when I have ordered things like “half grilled chicken” hundreds of times! I hear the argument of “you can’t compare dogs/cats to chicken when it comes to eating them because chickens are stupid but dogs are smart… And cute” but the truth is that a lot of other “cute” animals are eaten and no one gives a damn… Rabbits, sheep, etc.. I understand all of this from a rational point of view, still, I don’t think I could get myself around to try dog or cat.. Same as I couldn’t try the famous roasted guinea pig when we were in Ecuador..
Interesting read though, thanks Mark!
Zara @ Backpack ME recently posted..A Chiloean Cottage
Cool sharing your thoughts Zara. I didn’t even think about the comparison about ordering 1/2 a chicken, yah, that’s such a common way to eat / order chicken, and no one thinks anything of it, yet ordering 1/2 a cat would be pretty unheard of! Really is how we grew up, what we’re accustomed to, and what previous emotions we are attached to. That’s totally acceptable to not be be able to push yourself to eat dog or cat… but guinea pig is pretty tasty too!!
Mark, I’m so absolutely FASCINATED by this post, that I actually did a post on this post on my blog. You sir, ARE THE MAN!
http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2012/07/05/eating-dog-cat/
Pomai recently posted..Eating Dog & Cat
Pomai, this is so cool, thank you so much for not only reading and leaving a comment but actually writing an entire post about your thoughts on the subject. I really appreciate it!
I am glad that you did a post about this.. I admit. I personally have never eaten a dog or a cat… and I’m from Korea! People have this misconception of dog meat. A lot of people tend to think that all Koreans eat their puppies! It’s so silly. I wish people were as open minded as you are. How come you can eat certain things here in America (that Koreans will never eat) but when they hear about dogs being eaten, it’s like a crime. Anyway… I don’t eat dog because I think it smells bad. Something about it kind of turned me off. But your photos on this post look amazing. It makes me want to try it…
I never learned how Chinese people eat dogs and cats so this is definitely fascinating.
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My god, this is really amazing. This is something that I have not tried and will find it really really hard to eat. I am sure the Chinese will eat anything that moves but I will have this give dog meat a huge miss.
Shalu Sharma recently posted..What to buy in India?
Hey Shalu, thanks for reading this article, and glad you found it interesting!
I’ve seen dog on the menu in China, but couldn’t bring myself to eat it. I imagine if I was welcomed into someone’s home and they served it to me, I’d be able to do it. I always joke that it depends on the breed. If it was a poodle, I could do it. If a labrador, wouldn’t be possible (even though I imagine most dog meat in Asia is mutts).
It is interesting what culture finds certain meats acceptable. It’s always interesting traveling in India where 99% of people couldn’t conceive of eating beef, but I look at every cow with a grudge because I can’t eat it!
Alex recently posted..Responsible Travel: The Full Moon Party
Hey Alex, haha, thanks for sharing your insights about the subject. Haha, looking at the cows, I understand. It’s a matter of perspective and what you’ve been brought up with.
Shame on you.
To those that promote this barbaric cultural behaviour you disgust me as being part of the same species.
There comes a point, where it does begin to feel just that way, Barbaric… no holds barred, everything goes… there should always be a LIMIT… ALWAYS.
MKeyes recently posted..Welcome Back!!!
Okay, all of the above is fine and dandy. To each his own. My problem is that I’m an American living in the UK. I simply LOVE most all Asian cuisine. It was part of my weekly diet in the US – we ordered from a well and trusted restaurant.
Also, considering how much Pork and Beef I’ve cooked thru out my life. I know it when I see it. Chicken as well – dark and white meat.
Now, living in the UK, hubby, I, family – ordered a very BIG Chinese dinner from a restaurant our kids just loved ordering from. We gave them a go. I’m a Pork rib eater… love it love it. Also, Beef dishes.
Now here is the problem. When our food arrived, it looked wonderful, it smelled wonderful, it TASTED wonderful… but I was disturbed by something. The pork RIB BONES didn’t match my memory bank. The consistency of the meat on it, did not match what was in my memory bank. The beef strips of meat, was the WRONG texture. I kept fighting against how nice the food tasted against this meat that just didn’t MEET with what I knew about my favorite meats.
I looked up into my son-in-laws face, and down at his plate, he was picking at it, moving it around. I said… “You don’t like it?”
He said, “Something is not right about this meat.”
And then I knew… I wasn’t the only one…I put down the TOO SMALL ribs I’d been eating, and felt ILL. We did a long and thorough search on the internet and found the MATCH for our meat. There was no doubt, it was DOG. This happened over 2 years ago, maybe 3 now. We, hubby and I haven’t eaten Chinese since.
This happened in the UK… England, Central…
Now, we’re jonsing for some Chinese. And we’ve decided to go strictly with Prawn dishes, can’t slip anything in as that! I went thru an ANGRY year following that event. As I am an African-American woman, and my husband is WHITE English… I am not a racist, BUT I was pissed off at this cultures thinking that it was okay to pass this meat off and those ordering would never know.
GIVE ME… the choice! DON’T slip it in on me. Just because it may taste good, does not mean I WANT to eat it. Yes, it may be all in the head… but we found as well when searching out what some cultures feel that it is okay to eat – is aborted human embryos. Sorry… there is a REASON our minds are set up with BOUNDARIES. I respect my boundaries, it helps me to maintain a certain degree of humanity and I do stress a degree.
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I made a mistake with my above comment – I said aborted human embryos, that was wrong… I meant. Fetuses, fully FORMED babies that is easy to see to the naked eye that these are human-beings.
Boundaries, limitations, “Conscience” exist for a reason. Once they are GONE – so are the things we might do to one another.
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Thanks for writing about this. I appreciate your honesty. When I was younger, I used to go to “cheap” Chinese restaurants in Toronto and we laugh now and then about the possibility of having eaten cat or dog. I don’t know if I have ever eaten it, but thanks to you, I won’t be rushing out to try it. (Since you told me what it tastes like, I’ll let my imagination do the rest.)
Hi Diana, thanks a lot for the comment. Haha, glad the description has cured your imagination!
I’d like to think I’m open-minded enough to try it. If someone took me out to eat knowing I would be okay with eating dog, I’d eat it. But I don’t think I’m psychologically there yet to be able to ordering it myself. Weird tricks that our minds play on us.
I fully understand Lai, our minds are powerful!
Bravo for tolerance. We need more tolerancy like the ones you showed.
People in my country are very sensitive to this issue because the majority of us love and care for cats, even stray ones. So when cat-eating illegal immigrants came and cats start going missing, you can guess how angry people are. It’s their right to eat cats in their own countries, but in our land, killing cats is a taboo. Except out of pity, like euthanasia, of course.
Yes, like other people said, it’s likely people are gonna go as far as eating human corpses in the future, but who are we to degrade them? Should note that I oppose torturing living beings though (since some people tend to think eat=torture).
And because I love cats more than humans, I’m really glad that you didn’t find cat meat tasty.
Hey Yozora, thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts!
Mark it’s funny how you reply to all those in favour of cat and dog but not to those against it. Cows and pigs chickens sheep and goats are not sentient beings.. Ie not understanding and have that higher level of consciousness as dogs cats and dolphins do. Recently dolphins were re classified as sentient. By your standards Mark, and all the other greedy loonies that agree with you it should be okay to eat aborted babies, human foetus and humans dead or alive. As you say – all animals are intelligent and that includes humans so can you please comment on the eating of human? After all there’s A surplus of stock. Why not eat our dead relatives? Saves funeral costs isn’t it? Sicko.
Nancy, I also think it’s funny that I mentioned in a big bold statement at the top of this article that it is NOT about anything other than what dog and cat tastes like, and people still leave unnecessary comments. I also don’t consider humans to be animals!
I sense a troll. Since cats are known to be one of the dumbest animals amongst us. Unlike dogs, they can not even understand cause and effect. In addition, pigs have higher cognitive capacities over dogs and cows over cats. The idea that they are not sentient is as unscientific as it is unscientific to say as water bears passing the mirror test.
actually i ma an korean. the bad thing is korean eats dog meat too. chinese and both koreans eat dog meat. i never ate one and i am ashamed of it
I had often wondered about whether or not I had unknowingly eaten dog meat before when ordering from a few different Chinese restaurants, but thanks to your article, I’m fairly sure I haven’t. I had always been curious about people who did eat dog meat after my 2nd grade teacher mentioned she had tried it on a flight to China back in the late 80′s.
I would agree with one of the above posters in the fact that omnivores, and carnivores, accumulate more toxins and parasites in their systems than herbivores. I think I remember reading somewhere that was partly one of the bases for the Jewish food laws being the way they were. That is anthropologically (historically), and not necessarily because of religious beliefs.
As to people talking about eating meat being wrong… Almost all known forms of life subsist on currently or formerly living organic materials. Even plants are “living beings”.
Hey, thanks a lot for leaving a comment. Wow, served dog on a flight to China, that’s a great experience! Yes, health-wise it probably is best to at least reduce the amount of red meat you eat!
Most likely the little bones in the cat were its whiskers
What about cows in India? Is it not bad to eat beef there?
When I spotted this article I knew right away that the comments would be interesting. I couldn’t eat dog unless I really had to, I thought I might be able to try cat, but after seeing your picture of the cat tooth and description of the taste and bones I’m not so certain.
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Haha, yah, they are both quite interesting, and people can get quite emotional at the subject.