Culinary Poll #56: Cats on the Menu

[Shel T]

Rogov wrote:
'In what manner is dining on cats related to decorum'
Extrapolation, decorum is appropriateness of behavior and my choice is the 'culture' that eschews dining on cats.

[Scott Lancer]

There are two reasons I didn't select Absolutely, no hesitation.

1. Hate cats. Hate hate hate cats.
2. Allergic. Couldn't get close enough to skin it.

[Shlomo R]

Definitely not, first and foremost for religious reasons, which are so ingrained that I cannot make a determination on any other basis.

[Neil Courtney]

I think I'd find it hard to eat something I'd had a personal relationship with but having had pet lambs, pet goats, and hand-reared calves as a child didn't put me off eating the meat of their fellows. I was quite fond of the chickens in our backyard pen when I was a kid, gave them all names, noticed that they all had their own personalities. But I seem to recall we ate a number of them.

On the farm we always had a flock of chickens to eat the scraps and provide eggs for the breakfast table. When they stopped laying it was into the cooking pot for dinner. Us three kids would always be watching as Dad dispatched them on the chopping block. I don't recall ever eating a pet lamb, but Dad probably wanted to on occasion. Pet lambs are a menace in a flock of sheep.

[Matilda L]

Pet lambs are a menace in a flock of sheep

I had a pet lamb called Claude when I was about four. I say I had a pet lamb, but I think my father was fonder of it than I was. When it grew up to be a big pig-headed wether, much given to eating my mother's prized carnations, Claude was taken down to the farm and put in amongst the other sheep. He died of old age at about 15 years old.

[Shuki Yashuv]

You and I are so lucky Rogov. Yesterday, if you had asked the Lady of the House this same question, the wee bonny lassy would have fed you to ther cubs and left your carcase in the Judean Hills for my vines as fertilizer. And you have to admit she does have some sense of humour.
shuki

[Daniel Rogov]

Shuki, Hi....

First of all, a very warm welcome to the forum!!! You will be a most welcome member.

For those not in the know, Shuki is the owner-winemaker of the Agur winery, and indeed I visited there yesterday (notes to be posted later today on the wine side of the forum).

As to being fed to the cubs, I forgive your lovely Scottish lass because she does, after all, make such delicious scones.

Best
Rogov

[Daniel Rogov]

My vote was that I would certainly eat the meat of cats. Now….before the majority who voted and spoke up pounce on me, let it be stated loudly and clearly that I am not advocating dining on our pet cats, dogs, chickens, sheep or horses. On an entirely personal level for example, I have never and will never perceive any of the dogs that have called me their own as potential meat. Nor do I perceive the cats, squirrels or birds that we feed in our garden as future meals. Indeed we tend to anthropomorphize pet animals more than we do others and for many that makes the thought of dining on domesticated animals more "difficult". On the other hand, when it comes to the meat of shall we say "strangers", I have no problem whatsoever. Call that open-mindedness or call it rationalization as you like, but the simple truth is that I have no compunctions when it comes to dining on the flesh of any animal that I find tasty.

One important point raised by Matilda is that the flesh of carnivores is often neither as tasty nor as appropriate in texture as the meat of herbivores. Then again, so are their differences in the flesh of animals that have been raised free-range or penned in unbearable and inhumane circumstances. I suppose its much a matter of pedigree (and thus dining habits of the animals as much as of ourselves) as well as to moral questions of how they were raised and eventually slaughtered for our dining benefit.

As to those who reflected revulsion even at the thought of dining on cat meat – although we do not agree, I respect your feelings. I shall avoid the temptation of future polls regarding the meat of horses, donkeys, snakes, dogs, sea slugs, snails and other-such. And of course we shall diligently stay away from the issue of whether we would dine on human flesh.

Best
Rogov