To use the meat the cat was eating

[Butternutsqoosh]

Heard a noise in the middle of the night, went downstairs to investigate and the cat had got into the pack of diced beef that was defrosting in its packet on the worktop. He's chewed into a corner and eaten some of the chunks. Would you still use the rest of the meat? I could wash it right? It's only for me and DH, DCs eating something else tonight. Although as I'm writing, just remembered it's Valentines Day and I should probably have got a more romantic dinner than beef stew and sprouts!!

[Lweji]

It's diced beef. Not one piece...

[VQ1970]

My mum did do this one Christmas! Our turkey was left in a basin on the kitchen table to defrost. The cat had a go at a section of it so my mum just cut off that bit and around it and we had the rest!

[WonderLime]

I love the comments about how disgusting it. I wonder if these posters ever think about the process of a cow turning into diced meat and how it’s arrived in the little plastic packaging to begin with.

It’s unpleasant to think about, but once it’s cooked it will be fine.

[MrTrebus]

Skanky!! And I have 3 cats. I'd treat the cat for Valentine's and get a nice takeaway for Valentine's as a treat for DH. everyone's happy then.

[LEELULUMPKIN]

I once served up a freshly roasted joint of beef that 10 mins earlier had been headed out my back door clamped in the jaws of one very happy Border collie dog.

No one noticed (except a now very pissed off looking Border Collie dog) nor did any one die.

Go for it.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

It's a chunk of dead cow. Having a cat nibble on it before it's cooked wouldn't put me off.

Actually, this. I was all ready to say to feed the rest to the cat and have something else for dinner; but thinking about it like this, the cat isn't really adding anything more gross to the essentially decomposing flesh of another animal. (And I like meat and dislike cats!)

[Fairenuff]

Why aren't you going to tell your dh OP?

[charlestonchaplin]

And you lot wonder why people don't trust the hygiene in pet owners' and especially cat owners' homes. Why would you want to leave your precious child in the home of a childminder with cats?

[BarbaraofSevillle]

I would and have done, but in my case, it was chicken. I just rinsed it off (cat threw it on the floor) and cut off the chewed bit.

I now put all defrosting meat in the microwave or kitchen cupboard to prevent a reoccurence.

[BarbaraofSevillle]

I really don't see what the harm is. We have lots of cats and they sleep on the bed, kiss and cuddle us and go on the worktops.

No our house is not operating theatre sterile, but I wipe up before cooking as well as after, as I know the buggers will have been up there in between. We are both very healthy and have never suffered any effects due to the cats being part of our lives. What do people think will happen?

[floriad]

I would try to fond the parts she actually sunk her teeth into but I'd definitely use the rest.

cook it a bit longer / on higher heat than I usually would,? (if that's possible with the kind of dish you're making.)

There are probably worse things on your average chicken or in any sausage.... Which is why humans (usually...) cook meat instead of eating it raw.

(well, it's one of the reasons.)

[morningconstitutional2017]

Cut away and discard (or give to puss) from the bitten corner and cook the rest really well - you'll probably live but the thought of it may make you gag. Plus of course any word of this misadventure must never pass your lips as the mere thought of it ... or throw it out for the hedgehogs and start again.

[ohfluff]

DD ate chocolates last week that the cat had mauled. She's perfectly fine.

[HotCrossBunFight]

One Christmas the cat got into the defrosting turkey. We still ate it.

[floriad]

one of my grandmother's dogs once jumped on the already fully set Christmas table.

We were in the sitting room drinking mulled wine and eating cookies and she apparently decided to take her chances.


She actually managed to not trip anything / put her feet between the dishes. (intelligent dog)


I think my grandmother took away the plate the dog was actually caught eating but we still ate everything else on the table. (Christmas at my grandmother's are many small hot and cold dishes / things, not a traditional British Christmas lunch / dinner)


And no, we didn't get sick.

[cupcakemania]

Might as well. It's disgusting though no more disgusting that eating the inside of a dead animal.

[Thursdaydreaming]

I would! Just cut off the part the cat bit. Like PP said, it's the days/weeks old carcass of a dead animal so I don't see the point of being precious. It could have any bacteria in it, which is the point of cooking it.

[SukiTheDog]

Ummm... no. Give it to puss and get a nice takeaway 😺

[TimeIhadaNameChange]

Mine was once delighted to find a defrosting fish on the side. She'd ripped a hole in the bag it was in and was gaily licking up the blood that was coming from it. I just cooked it and all was fine.

There was another time I'd made a tres leches cake, spilt a bit of the cream mixture on the floor and so asked my cat to clean it up for me. She willingly obliged then, when my back was turned to get the meringue topping from the other side of the kitchen, decided to be ultra helpful and clean the cream mixture from the cake as well! I did cut off the corner that she'd licked and was about to throw it away, but decided it was a waste and ate it instead. I'm still alive (I think!).

[amusedbush]

Meh, sharing is caring

I may have taught my dog to take food from my fork without his mouth touching it

[Chickenagain]

Caught my bulldog licking the raw Christmas cake mix out of the cake tin. I'd put the tin on a low interior wall (barn conversion) and fell asleep while the other cake baked. Woke up to slurp slurp slurp.

[HildaZelda]

Just cut off the bit that kitty got at. Cooking will kill off anything else and it'll be fine.
For all of you that are shocked and horrified at the thought of it, all I'll say is you don't know the half of what goes on in a restaurant kitchen or in the stockroom of a supermarket! (Speaking from experience)

[BertieBotts]

It is a bit gross. I'd probably chuck away the chewed chunks but cook the rest. If it was a big piece of meat, cut the tooth marked part off.

[ScreamingValenta]

Cat gets the chewed bits; cook and eat the rest. I did this when one of my cats got at a steak and all was fine.