Am so ashamed

yayi

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As a few of you know I live in the Philippines and am very active in the animal welfare movement concentrating on the native cats and dogs. Last night a local TV station featured the slaughter of stray/feral cats to be eaten as a side dish in a drinking session. It is common to see men hang around small kiosks drinking beer with a required "pulutan". Dog meat was the common "snack" but the eating of dog is against the law and thankfully it is being enforced more than in the past. Now it seems the drunkards have resorted to cats.
What made it worse, they interviewed a "sociologist/anthropologist" and he said eating exotic food is healthy.

Man, in times like this, it feels like I am fighting a lost cause.

If any of you have Filipino-American acquaintances, please ask them to write to their families at home and help stop this terrible practice. You love cats - please help protect them wherever they are!
 

katachtig

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It may be slow, but as long as you are there trying, I believe you are making a difference. I'm sending vibes to help you along
 

carolpetunia

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I'm just at a loss, Yayi... you may have noticed this subject came up in another thread just the other day... and yesterday, one of our own members posted there that she didn't see anything wrong with eating cats if they were raised for food (which I never dreamed was being done at all -- even in the most backward and oppressed parts of the world, I cannot imagine it).

I admit that all this hits me harder than most, because I'm a lifelong vegetarian and don't think it's right to eat any animal. But cats? It just defies all comprehension.

Anyway, you certainly have no need to feel ashamed. You know better, and you're trying to fight it.
 

heavenangels

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OMG I think this is so disgusting
why would animal lovers or not eat DOGS or CATS I wish I had the power I would prosecute to the max
unfortunately all we can do is pray. The animal rights laws in most state are worth
however I will never give up on helping any 4 legged friend
 

kitties4ever

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OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I continue to be traumatized by knowing that this practice exists and is accepted. DISGUSTING!!!!!!! And so upsetting to me. Some might have seen my reaction to another poster in another thread indicating that she had eaten cat before and that she didn't see anything wrong with it. I DO NOT AGREE!!!
Sick sick sick!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep fighting that good fight, yayi! Between this and what's going on in the middle east, I don't know what is WRONG with the world now days.


Ok, I'm going once again try to let this go....



Originally Posted by yayi

As a few of you know I live in the Philippines and am very active in the animal welfare movement concentrating on the native cats and dogs. Last night a local TV station featured the slaughter of stray/feral cats to be eaten as a side dish in a drinking session. It is common to see men hang around small kiosks drinking beer with a required "pulutan". Dog meat was the common "snack" but the eating of dog is against the law and thankfully it is being enforced more than in the past. Now it seems the drunkards have resorted to cats.
What made it worse, they interviewed a "sociologist/anthropologist" and he said eating exotic food is healthy.

Man, in times like this, it feels like I am fighting a lost :
 
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yayi

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Originally Posted by yayi

If any of you have Filipino-American acquaintances...
Thank you for your uplifting words. I feel much better now.


I forgot there are also TCS European, Canadian etc. members so for you please talk to your Filipino-European/Canadian... you know what I mean.

Again, thank you katachtig, jugen, CarolPetunia, heavenangels, and kitties4ever
 

goldenkitty45

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Guys, while 95% of us find this horrible (me included) you have to remember that not everyone in the world views "food" in the same way. You don't see those from India, putting us down for eating cows!

People in some tribes eat things we would not even DREAM of eating and feel is gross. Lets put it in perspective here.
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

You don't see those from India, putting us down for eating cows!
I imagine people in India do feel that way, though -- and rightly so, I think. We just don't hear about it.

The thing is, sure, there are cultural differences involved, but those differences don't make the practice any less abhorrent. And if nobody stands up and says, "This is wrong," then the practice will never be called into question, and those cultures will not evolve toward more humane practices.

(Please note that I'm including America as one of the cultures that needs to evolve... because, as I said, I believe eating animals is wrong and we'll all evolve out of the habit eventually.)
 

theimp98

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Yayi, if i remember right, it is mostley the people from the hills that come down to the cities a couple of times a year? or so i have been told in the past.

i say it again, in this thread, in 10+ years i have never seen anyone eat cat.
i wont go into the dog stuff in a couple of countries.

but really,there does seem, to be a hugh lack of understanding others outside of what we(the west) see as a norm. I will have you know, that many will make fun of the food we eat, Not to mention the huge size many americans are getting now. The fat nation, what a thing to become famous for.

and carol, i am sorry but that first post you made in the other thread smacked me of racism. Yes i read the other post you made, it did not help.
You did manage to upset several Asian TCS members. Many here are making the same mistakes that was made a long time ago, You expect others to live by the rules you know, and anything different must be hated.

oh yea, and if i was not supposed to eat meat, then it would not taste sooooooooooooo good!!!!
(as i finish up my prime rib)
 

luvmy2cats

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That's so sad. I think probably the main problem is that they see cats as food and not pets like we do. Keep up all your good work. It may not seem like much but if you could change a few people, then they can spread the word, and it will move on down the line.
 

catsarebetter

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The thought of eating housepets is ...well...I'll go with difficult to comprehend, as well as completely stomach turning to me. I personally could not do it, but I have to play a bit of devils advocate here and say that ethically I can't say that eating a cow or a pig or a chicken is okay (especially considering how the current industry goes about the mass production) but for someone to eat a cat or a dog or any other animal (barring those that are endangered or such)..

I completely understand where you're coming from, and I wish you the best of luck in fighting it, but as a meat-eater I can't say that one animal has more importance than another, provided that there's not a possibility of extinction. If I was a vegetarian, then I could say across the board that eating cats, dogs, or any animal is wrong, because it would be wrong in my opinion all the way around, not just due to a specific species of animal.

I'm so sorry that you're facing this, and I really hope that you succeed in your mission. Good sent your way.
 

dragoriana

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I'm in Australia, and while it isn't the norm to eat felines, i know there are many different cultures in this country, so i don't know what goes on in every household


I also know that out in some parts of the country that there are people who shoot ferals and hang them off fences/trees. I know that ferals can kills wildlife, but surely there is a more human way to control them, and not to show them off like you've won a trophy.

*sighs*
 

catsarebetter

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Originally Posted by Dragoriana

I'm in Australia, and while it isn't the norm to eat felines, i know there are many different cultures in this country, so i don't know what goes on in every household


I also know that out in some parts of the country that there are people who shoot ferals and hang them off fences/trees. I know that ferals can kills wildlife, but surely there is a more human way to control them, and not to show them off like you've won a trophy.

*sighs*
No animal should be treated that way.
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by theimp98

Many here are making the same mistakes that was made a long time ago, You expect others to live by the rules you know, and anything different must be hated.
I do not expect others to live by the rules I know. I myself depart from the rules of my own culture, for heaven's sake.

And I am not so tragically narrowminded as to feel that "anything different must be hated." There are countless practices in cultures all over the world that are so radically different that I could never understand or engage in them -- but that's not the same as hating them. Diversity is good! The only cultural practices that deserve hatred are those that do harm.


Originally Posted by theimp98

and carol, i am sorry but that first post you made in the other thread smacked me of racism. Yes i read the other post you made, it did not help.
You did manage to upset several Asian TCS members.
I am profoundly sorry to hear that. The feelings I expressed have nothing at all to do with race -- they relate to the cultural practices of a nation, not to the ethnicity of that nation's people.

Nonetheless, I'm truly sorry that anyone from China (or elsewhere in Asia) thinks I meant any ill to them by what I wrote. I hope they will bear in mind the context: as cat lovers, we have all been outraged by the use of poisonous substances in food produced by Chinese manufacturers. They've killed thousands of beloved pets in order to make a little more profit on their products. Surely anyone can understand my anger about that; I'm sure most pet owners share it.

And on the heels of that, to learn that cats are raised for food there... it was just more horror than I could handle. I had to say what I felt about those manufacturers, and about a cultural practice that appalls me. But I did not say one word against the people of China. It was not about the people.


In retrospect, I should have realized that the distinction was probably too subtle to survive translation through this medium -- especially to people who don't know me, who don't know that I've been despised and ridiculed my whole blessed life for being such a bleeding heart as to feel humanitarian love and compassion for literally every person on earth. I preach mercy for serial killers and war criminals -- how could I turn around and despise someone merely for being a different color from me?

I've stood up to defend minorities countless times, starting when I was in ninth grade and a teacher used racial slurs behind the back of a classmate. I've lost friends, and even a job, because I would not stand by quietly while coworkers made racist comments or laughed at racist jokes.

So it's ironic and painful to be accused of racism myself. I may be guilty of of poor communication -- but not racism, not ever.
 

dragoriana

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It's not racism, it's just that cats and dogs are eaten in the eastern world and not normaly in the western. it isn't racist to point out which countries practise this form of dining. it also isn't racist to point out our outrage at this, even if it is normal on the other side of the world. not everyone sees things the same.
 

rosiemac

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I'll move this to SOS, but please let's not get into racism otherwise this will be moved into IMO, or worse, removed completely


Yayi, all i can say is, thank God for people like you who speak up for those innocent animals


Mega heading over to the Philipines for these poor cherubs
 

barbb

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It sounds like someone is trying to make money off the sale of cats now that dogs cannot be used for this drinking game.
It is a sad thing that these poor babies are exploited for income.

In this same vein, I've spent time in Asian countries where cat and dog are available as food - Hong Kong, China, and Singapore- and I don't have the impression that cats and dogs are at all mainstream food items there. My ex is Chinese and he's never eaten cat or dog, not even when he was hospitalized for malnutrition during the cultural revolution.

I just think it is important to bring out that this is not something the vast majority of people in these countries eat.

And at the same time it is sad that a few people are trying to keep these amazing creatures in the human food chain to make a buck
.
 

catgirl2548m

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i thought about this a lot all weeknd and i agree with every1 who told me what i did when i was a kid was immorl. it was absoltuely wrong.


although im not ready to become a vegetrian yet, it makes sens to me that you shouldn eat *anything* that peeple keep as pets. it was just wrong, wrong wrong of me evn tho i was a kid.


im sorry every1. i was just a kid but i should of known better. even more i should not have upset u all as a newbie. ill be good.


im trying to figure otu now what meats are best to eat? i have afriend who has a pig for a pet, so no more bacon or anything like that for me anymore. plus fish. im going to give up fish becuase my sister has lots and lots fo fish for pets.

i think ill stick to cow meat, chicken and deer now since i dont know anyone who keeps those as pets. thx every1 for showing me where i went wrong! ur the best!


@yayi - ur doing great great things. ur an inspration.

 

katz4life

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All you can do is keep trying & trying...unfortunately we will never be able to stop people from eating whatever animals they want. Some places in the world have their ways of eating & we have our ways of eating.

We know we will never eat a cat or a dog. I even have a hard time eating beef, pork, or chicken. Eating animals grosses me out because I can't get over that i'm eating their muscles.

We see our cats as family members, not as our meal. But there are many others who see it the opposite way. We can only change people who want to be changed. Just keep trying, thats all you can do...
 
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