Poll: Is it morally wrong to eat cats and dogs?

[Anarchemitis]

We already kill cows, pigs, chickens and fish on an industrial scale every day to feed people.
No, I do not think the government should reposses all animals which are kept as pets.
No, I do not think the adoption or acceptance of animals of any sort as pets should be prevented in the name of food provision.
Additionally, No I do not think that killing animals is morally wrong. Animals are animals. If one should develop an emotional attachment to [a] certain animal in particular, that's their prerogative. But if seen necessary, I would have no qualms with eating cat or dog meat.

However, there are many drastic improvements that could be made on the current models and systems that consist the modern economy of food, that if properly implemented with Food in mind instead of Money, the Earth is more than capable of sustaining many more centuries of human population growth.

 

[The Heik]

Personally, this may be because I don't have any pets of my own but I wouldn't have any problems with eating a cat or a dog more than I would with say a sheep or a pig. While the UK I've never seen anywhere that serves either if I ever go to China and get the opportunity to try some I probably will. However, I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks as I know a lot of people get really emotional about pets and wouldn't want to see a distant cousin of their beloved Mr. Cuddles in a burger, which I can kinda understand.

So Escapists, what are your opinions?

There's nothing really wrong with eating any animal, so long as it's properly prepared. The only reason why the western world (in this case, west of India) doesn't eat cat and dogs is because the animals had more uses as pets than as food, and several generations of that role in our lives has that value ingrained into us, so we generally don't eat them. It's the same case with India and cows. Cows serve more use alive than dead, so after several generations, they've become sacred because of that value.

 

[AlkalineGamer]

Cats and dogs (especially dogs) are valued much higher in our social heirachy than other animals. (atleast over here they are)

Si i'd say: slightly, more so than say a pig.

 

[Zantos]

Not morally wrong, and I think I accidentally ate cat once so if I did not even that bad tasting.

Little bit wierd though.

 

[RatRace123]

It's not wrong. I'd never do it since I value them more as pets, but still not wrong.

 

[Wierdguy]

Why would there be? Eating a dog or cat is no different from eating any otehr animal. Id probably eat cat if given the oportunity, and I have a cat as a pet.

 

[Atheist.]

Is it MORALLY wrong? No.

Biologically, though, it's a bad idea. You generally shouldn't eat carnivores - they're likely to cause infection. Even omnivores are a little iffy, hence why you have to cook chickens and pigs longer than you do beef.

Dogs are actually omnivores with a carnivore bias.

Eating dogs and cats in the west is generally considered taboo. It doesn't conform to the social mores we have established. Since morality is part of the subjective reality we call live, it's held in the eyes of the beholder.

I personally do not find it morally objectionable to do so. Western society as a whole probably does.

I suppose in this context, I am an immoral person. At least when it comes to this specific topic. (At least in the society I live in)

On the other hand, I'm not really interested in trying it either. I imagine cats taste horrible. Dogs probably don't taste that bad, but I really doubt it's easy to obtain dog, short of killing it yourself. I'm pretty sure doing this just for dog meat would carry a horrible social stigma. So I'll pass for now.

 

[StellarViking]

Speaking as a pet owner, I could never eat a cat or a dog. At the same time, if I had a pet cow or a chicken or something, I'd find it more difficult to eat one of those as well. It's a culture thing, I know that if I lived in India I'd have the same issue with cows.

However, speaking as a man who was born in the Ozarks and grew up in the Southern Appalachians, most cats are too small to be good in anything other than a stew, and any dog or cat at any size would likely be too gamy or too stringy because of how active they typically are, which would make them too lean.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Depends. Sparky the beagle? Yeah, don't eat that. The dog that's been bred on a farm with hundreds of other dogs for the express purpose of eating? That's fine. Pigs make rather good pets, and I wouldn't eat Babe, but my bacon sandwich was raised to be a bacon sandwich, so it's fine for eating.

 

[ThatDaveDude1]

Eating anything, in and of itself, is always ethically neutral. It's a process of muscle spasms which eventually result in acid formation and (hopefully) waste expulsion, nothing more. Whether it be cow meat, pig meat, cat meat, dog meat, or even human meat is irrelevant.

 

[Communist partisan]

No, no and no!

They are just lucky humans found some kind of use for them, in other cases they would been screwed like the rest of the animals on this planet.

 

[AnkaraTheFallen]

There isn't anything morally wrong with it... I just wouldn't want to though.

 

[spartan231490]

Personally, this may be because I don't have any pets of my own but I wouldn't have any problems with eating a cat or a dog more than I would with say a sheep or a pig. While the UK I've never seen anywhere that serves either if I ever go to China and get the opportunity to try some I probably will. However, I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks as I know a lot of people get really emotional about pets and wouldn't want to see a distant cousin of their beloved Mr. Cuddles in a burger, which I can kinda understand.

So Escapists, what are your opinions?

Personally, i wouldn't eat one because I would be worried about the taste(carnivores have a very different taste than grain or grass fed animals) and because I think dogs and cats are more useful as companions than as food(because of their intelligence) but I don't think it's wrong. I wouldn't eat octopus or calamari either, but that doesn't make it evil.

 

[Brandon237]

No, but by the same standard, neither is eating human meat.

I have grown up with them being pets, companions, family. So I would not eat it myself and do see it as cannibalism to a degree. I will not say that, objectively speaking, it is morally wrong. But I would look down on anyone who did it.

 

[RabbidKuriboh]

eating a PET is wrong simply because you are eating something that is loved and loves in return, but in a life or death situation...........I'd resort to canabalism first, and yes I'm serious

 

[Gudrests]

Nothing wrong with it, just depends on the culture. We eat steak here all the time...in India tho....HELL NO...and common. lets face it now.....it tastes like chicken...everything tastes like chicken

 

[Ace of Spades]

No, it isn't wrong, it's just unappetizing for a lot of people. Dogs and cats are the cute domestic animals that have been elevated to the status of pet/companion instead of dinner.

 

[Floppertje]

Personally, this may be because I don't have any pets of my own but I wouldn't have any problems with eating a cat or a dog more than I would with say a sheep or a pig. While the UK I've never seen anywhere that serves either if I ever go to China and get the opportunity to try some I probably will. However, I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks as I know a lot of people get really emotional about pets and wouldn't want to see a distant cousin of their beloved Mr. Cuddles in a burger, which I can kinda understand.

So Escapists, what are your opinions?

Personally, i wouldn't eat one because I would be worried about the taste(carnivores have a very different taste than grain or grass fed animals) and because I think dogs and cats are more useful as companions than as food(because of their intelligence) but I don't think it's wrong. I wouldn't eat octopus or calamari either, but that doesn't make it evil.

why would dogs and cats be more intelligent than other animals? I'm pretty sure sheep can make fine pets too, any animal can be trained. and you can get horse meat no problem.
I agree though, I wouldn't eat cats or dogs (or octopus), but it's all between my ears, I have no rational reasons for not eating them.