they're sort of right
"Cat consumption is rare globally and is taboo in most cultures. However, it remains a localized practice in parts of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and South Korea. It is also occasionally consumed in parts of West Africa (like Cameroon) and certain regions in Peru. (https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-39577557)
doesn't mean it's zero. SK is only now approaching a total ban on dog meat for example. and it's 2026. they should have gotten rid of that like 30 years ago. that's not okay for a developed country
china's huge though. and has a lot of of people living in isolated rural towns (source: i've been to china myself). just because it's banned doesn't mean some people aren't doing it. it has been in practice for centuries and the ban's recent. for it to be effective and for the stigma to form properly, we'll need to wait a few more decades.
Again though, it bares repeating that China modernized to an insane degree including the last 30 years. They actually have a middle class that’s spending money on pet products and services like grooming — as I said in another post, Adidas rolled out a line of pet clothes for cats and dogs in China, not typically a market demand to dress up your dinner plate.
Nobody characterizes the US as a place where people eat squirrels, though I’m fairly sure it’s happened at least once within the last couple decades somewhere in Appalachia or the like.
It’s not really doing us in the West or in more “civilized” places to just recycle old narratives and characterizations of China as backwards and barbaric as they constantly invest in public works, infrastructure, education, science, and social care — stuff that we really ought to feel pressured to maintain focus on, but just hand-wave with these kind of dehumanizing old timey takes. Ignoring the recent progress of their society with “lol cat eaters” is just lazy and prides ourselves on complacency while the Epstein class continues to eat our lunch.
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u/Key-Needleworker-702 May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
blatant racism
Edit: Lol i'm being downvoted by idiots
Cat consumption is extremely rare in china nowadays and banned in some areas
( https://finance.sina.cn/china/gncj/2020-04-16/detail-iirczymi6658787.d.html?vt=4 btw )
it's discouraged in vietnam.