to wonder why we don't eat dogs and cats?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Why do we eat pigs cows and sheep and various birds, but not domesticated animals like dogs and cats? Who made the conscious decision in history NOT to eat the abundance of animals we keep as pets.

Plus why do we only eat herbivores and not carnivores.

[sethstarkaddersmum]

I understood that you are more likely to get diseases and parasites from animals that are carnivores.
That doesn't explain why we eat pigs not dogs, but maybe it's because pigs are just yummy.

[anonymousbird]

I have no answer to your question.

But you can have my stupid mutt. Free to the first bidder
Plus any cat she catches (if I don't eat it first...)

Ah, flaw in my plan, I need the stupid mutt to catch the blaaady bastard cats.

Stupid mutt survives, purely as a tool mind you.

When she has found enough cats, she's in the pot too.

YANBU. I conclude

[TanteRoseAliveAndKicking]

they eat dogs in Korea...

[Merrylegs]

Because my dog eats other dog's shit. TBH that thought alone would put me off his drumstick.

[MadreInglese]

not much meat on them I would imagine

although looking at my fat cat you'd get some fair steaks out of him!

[PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice]

its about our sensibilities - these animals were not introduced as meat, but as pets - pampered pooches for the gentry etc etc, or working dogs for farmers/hunters. they are friends, you dont eat friends LOL

we DID used to eat rabbits, and farm them for meat, but since they have been widely known as cute cartoon characters and fluffy pets, most of us don't fancy eating them

[GypsyMoth]

in other countries they eat these animal!!

also tho,why not sparrows,starlings,crows etc....but we eat pigeons...

and why snails and not slugs??

[sherby]

No idea, maybe because we have used dogs for hunting etc so they were more useful than a pig/lamb?

Cats don't have much meat, probably not worth the hassle

[sethstarkaddersmum]

our old gardener had a pet pig. It would wait for him outside shops.

[PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice]

& don't foget guinea pigs are a staple in south america, but to our kids they are pets not food

[Iklboo]

Hugh Ferntree-Whitsunday tried eating slugs once, prepared the same way as snails. Apparently, they tasted very, very vile and even he wouldn't eat them.

[otchayaniye]

In China my friend's neighbour ate her dog!

They also do eat dog in Korea, but it's seen as a machismo-led post-booze (and are they the biggest pissheads in the world) meal.

Plenty of poverty stricken Chinese/Russian (I only mention those as I've lived there) have eaten them. Mind you, some Chinese will eat a chair leg if you cut it up nicely and braised it.

[mousymouse]

cows are awfully cute, too. just look at those eye lashes :o

[sherby]

Its the same with horses isn't it. We are quite a horsey country so we don't see them as food stuff

The frencies luv em

[otchayaniye]

I think generally they are not viewed as a staple source of protein because it's impractical to raise them in substantial enough numbers.

Ever tried herding cats?

[sethstarkaddersmum]

My brother lives in Japan and is puzzled as to why they don't eat frogs and didn't even in post WW2 famine apparently. (Except one old man he knows there who was given one to eat by his mum as a cure for bedwetting.)

[otchayaniye]

Hunan frog stew is fantastic

[FingandJeffing]

Partly about large scale domstication, herd animals etc (poss with sheep and cows) and that input on a large scale is less as they only need pasture. Dogs and cats need meat to make more meat therefore it makes less sense to cultivate. Partly also that eating alot of carinvore meat is bad for you as it concentrates nasties up the food chain.

[wb]

Well, neither tastes very good imo.

They are eaten over wide areas of Nigeria, esp. in the ex-Biafra region where people learnt to eat anything during the war/famine.

Baked cat is a delicacy in Madagascar.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

lol at the image of herding cats

I know they eat horse meat in france and belgium, but I think it is regarded as rather declassé and eaten by the poor, and only in small numbers (probably equivalent of jellied eels).

Yes I know also they eat dog in Korea. They also eat deep fried spiders and durian fruit in Thailand. Which to us is mad.

I just wondered in times of poverty why people didn't just throw Rover in the pot.

I wonder what dog tastes like. i imagine it must be a different taste, meat from a carnivore.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Oh that makes sense Fing.

[otchayaniye]

"They also eat deep fried spiders and durian fruit in Thailand. Which to us is mad."

They don't eat spiders them in any number in Thailand (they do like other deep fried insects, such as locusts), but do in Cambodia. Its something they used to do in Pol Pot's time and they got a taste for them.

Now durian is lovely, amazing flavour, wonderful texture and I don't even mind the smell when I'm not pregnant.

[sherby]

I'd eat cat or dog in a famine

Damn right I would

[otchayaniye]

My husband's had dog. He was tricked into it after a night boozing on soju in Seoul (wsa puking the street by 8pm along with a host of other businessmen in suits) by a malevolent Korean colleague. Didn't understand Hangol and was more or less paralytic. So unfortunately doesn't really remember what it tasted like.