SINGAPORE: Animal rights activists are lashing out at the Chinese government over a recent report that revealed the country consumes more than four million cats annually. They have called on Beijing to end the “deplorable” idea of eating cats and dogs in the country. “Why are they killing, murdering so many cats for food. It is illogical and there are many of us Chinese who are against this so-called traditional practice,” said Liu Hui, an activist based in Shanghai who told Bikyamasr.com that his network is beginning to “gather our forces to make a major protest against this and to help educate people.” The debate over the longtime tradition continues in the country, with many groups questioning the morality of eating cat meat. Regional newspaper Nanfang Daily reported the estimated killing and eating of the cats earlier this month, and added that the number could be on the rise due to the economic struggles facing many Chinese. While not as widespread as some international groups attempt to argue, in rural areas, and among elderly populations, cat meat is a traditional replacement for more “normal” meats. The Daily Activist reported that “cat meat is not popular with youth though, suggesting a paradigm shift regarding the animal.” Mei Zhigang, a professor at Central China Normal University told the online website that for many now, the cat is no longer simply an animal, but “part of human civilization.” Internationally, trading in cat meat is illegal. The government, however, is unlikely to pass any measures to reduce the consumption of the feline, with over 200,000 stray cats in the capital, Beijing, alone. But activists like Hui are hopeful that protesting the idea can help to push it away from the norm. “Our goal is to help create an idea that cat meat should remain where it is, on the animal,” he told Bikyamasr.com. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/nozl2 Tags: Animal Abuse, Animal Rights, Cat, China Section: Animals, East Asia, Food, Latest News
