Does anyone else eat fish and poultry but not bigger animals?

[WhatTheHalleBerry]

So in my youth I was vegetarian for a good few years, that was a long time ago. I've never felt comfortable with eating meat but struggled to be veggie long term.

For about 8 years I haven't eaten pork. I just don't like it, the taste or the thought of eating a pig. I've never eaten lamb or goat.

I did eat beef (though not mince because again, just don't like it, use quorn substitute)

But lately I've been in contact with baby and adult cows and I just can't eat beef anymore.

So I don't eat pork, lamb or goat and want to give up beef.

I just don't feel as strongly about fish and chickens (I don't like turkey or duck, I only eat chicken)

Does anyone else feel like this?

Chickens do have personalities, ask anyone who keeps them. One of the cruellest industries is the egg industry, snd lots of vegetarians eat eggs. Take a look at the Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/share/1AdY3oZnPN/?mibextid=wwXIfr if you are in any doubt.

I think the “kindest” meat to eat is probably game like pheasant or venison.

FWIW I eat meat, fish and chicken, although I often think I could happily be vegan, but I feel like I need the protein. Doesn’t mean it sits easy with me though.

I feel a little like you, OP. Mammals are different from fowl or fish, imo - more like us. I haven't eaten lamb for years. I feel guilty about eating any meat though. I have a few vegan cousins and am very inclined to agree with their ethical view of eating.

Did you ask your friend any more questions on that? Very weird.

@WhatTheHalleBerry do you eat rabbit?

Chickens have a lot of personality. They have friends and everything. Some are colossally stupid, others remarkably bright for such little brains. They can come when called and learn tricks.

Octopus are some of the most intelligent things on the planet. Eating them is barbaric. They are remarkable problem solvers and learn so much in their short lives. Have you seen clips of them outsmarting sharks by grabbing shells with their suckers and disguising themselves as part of the reef? It's amazing.

Lots of flexitarians choopse not to eat one or other categories of animals. Whether it's because they are cute or you know some of them, everuyone draws their own lines.

I don't think I'd feel bad eating lamb and mutton because sheep are dull, whereas pigs and cows are much more interesting. But as it happens I hate the taste, so I stick to a mostly vegetarian diet.

Mackerel, though, practically throw themselves onto fishing rods with no bait at all. They are clearly suicidal so there's nothing wrong with eating them.

I’ve kept hens as pets for years. They have massive and individual characters, and really defined personalities. They can be truly loving, or absolutely hateful (yes Rose that’s you, she hated me for all of her 10 years)

they have their own little quirks and habits.

your criteria is really odd.

@WaitedBlankey you say you wouldn't feel bad eating lamb because sheep are dull, is that really what you think when the lambs are bouncing and leaping about in the fields?

I hardly eat any meat because I don't like the way the animals are raised or slaughtered. Sometimes I get a craving or feel that my body needs it, but it's once every few months. If dh gets fish from the fish and chip shop I'll have the tail bit, but I feel sorry for the fish. I used to keep pet chickens, so don't like eating chicken either. I can't manage to go vegan though because I feel so ill.

Ive been veggie for 30+ years ie all my adult life. I dont understand how you can differentiate like that - eating small animals = ok. Big animals = not ok. But........ I have my own cognitive dissonance in that Im happy to eat eggs and cheese and cannot contemplate becoming a vegan full time (I do eat vegan meals quite a lot though)

my own personal choice is pescatarian with very limited dairy as I believe it is horrible for animals - but difficult to avoid. I don’t like eating birds but in any case I’ve suffered food poisoning from chicken, so it’s a big no no. Overall I think it’s good to apply some sort of ethical thought to what we each consume. My preference is for a vegan diet but unfortunately I can’t tolerate it at all, try as I might.

Newborn lambs are very cute - most baby mammals are very cute - but that's not what you're eating when you eat lamb. For a start there's not enough meat on them to be worth it.

In the U.K. "lamb" means under 1 year old (in the US it's under 15 months). They aren't adorable bouncy springing things at 8 months old, they're just slightly smaller sheep. And I find sheep dull, incurious animals. They have pretty good memories and aren't as stupid as they are portrayed but they are the dullards of the farm animals.

(I think only turkeys are as stupid as we think. They really are dumber than a sack of hammers)

I don’t eat lamb, purely because I don’t like it, not for ethical reasons. If I was going to do anything ethical regarding eating animals, I’d give up dairy as that’s the cruelest industry.

I'm vegan now but I gave up chicken first after watching Highs Chicken Run all those years ago! Felt so sorry for them.

I'll try any sort of meat, though I do like to know that the animal has had a reasonably natural life, not factory farmed indoors its entire life.
I've tried horse, alligator, snails, frogs legs, jellyfish, candied grasshopper, duck's tongues - all sorts of stuff - though some I'll not eat again. IMHO jellyfish was horrid, duck's tongue not good, and, given the amount of meat on a frog's leg, not justifiable to kill the poor creatures.

WhatTheHalleBerry -
Fish and birds just don't seem as sentient.
Tell that to a parrot.

Ok its interesting that how bad you feel eating a certain animal is based on how interesting you think it is.

Or crows

While I eat all meat YANBU OP, just eat what you are comfortable eating.

Everyone has their own parameters. Vegans say no to everything, omnivores might say yes to everything, everyone else falls somewhere along the line. I tend towards vegetarianism with occasional exceptions.

My Must Not Eat criteria are intelligence and personality; a sense of internal life. I'd no more eat an octopus than I'd have a dolphin steak or a chimp burger. I couldn't get that worked up over a prawn. A mantis shrimp is fascinating but not exactly a gripping internal life (as far as we know so far).

Other peopler go for cute or fluffy or size (as in the OP's title) or by phylum (mammal vs fish vs bird vs molluscs) or by "that looks gross so no way."

If you eat meat, how do you decide which is ok?

My best friend says (and has said for many years) that she is a vegetarian who eats chicken - no other meat and no fish. Thing is, she also doesn't much like most vegetables either. We have been telling her for years that the word(s) for this would be "fussy eater".

Yeah, not as sentient at all 🙄

No. I could never.

Birds are very intelligent. They are tool users and adapt very well to their environment..

Hypocrite. Birds, especially, and fish are sentient beings with their own feelings and personalities.

I eat chicken, duck, goose, turkey, quail, pheasant, fish and sea food.
Couldn’t eat animals or ostrich despite eating other birds.
I have tried for years to work out why I wouldn’t eat certain things and the only thing I can narrow it down to is I only eat things without eyelashes.