Question by whatotherway: Now that Australians are eating feral cat, when can we expect the rest of the western world to join them?
Wild (feral) cat casserole, said to taste like a cross between rabbit and chicken.
Feral cats are not just a serious threat to Australia’s native fauna, but have also been shown to be a major reason for the reduction of song birds in the UK, Europe and the US. As pet cat populations have soared in the western world, wildlife experts have also shown that our pet tabbies are a primary factor in the reduction of song birds and small mammals when ever we let them out.
And where ever we have pet cats, feral cats are soon to follow.
Of course this is most noticeable in Australia, where marsupials have almost been completely wiped out by marauding pets and their wild feral relatives.
So, should we all tuck into cat casserole, become friends of the earth and save the worlds precious wild life?
Any thoughts?
And for those who disbelieve Australians would do such a thing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6974687.stm
I suppose you are right Ariel, and it is the official British Silly Season in regards to news. However on my last contract, I worked with an Aussie in London who told me his mother regularly cooked feral moggie, but she feeds the results to her dogs.
Only three answers so far?
Thanks aussie_witch, I have heard of the guy who hunts and makes skins of cats. Until quite recently, in Germany and Holland you could purchase feral cat skin coats. I think Britain pushed through reforms to make it illegal to sell cat fur. I know that they are also trying to make it illegal to import feral cat skins and furs into the EU. Complete waste of time, as why shouldn’t they be used.
I know that in Vietnam, from my time as a paramedic in the USAF, the Vietnamese will eat cat. Several Vietnamese restaurants in in the Philadelphia area were shut down and the owners prosecuted for serving cat meat.
I wouldn’t have thought it would be wise to eat cat, unless it was very well cooked… too easy to pick up parasites such as Trichinosis.
But historically, humans are so much better at controlling unwanted animals, by eating them than by trapping them. Look at all the animals that no longer exist because they entered the human food chain.
Thought it might be a good idea.
I remember when Nashville had a pigeon problem. Feral birds were fouling paths, roads, side walks, parks, cars and the citizens washing.
After spending thousands ineffectively on trying to cub the pigeon population, the city sponsored a cooking contest for the best recipe for cooked pigeon. At the end of the contest, Nashville no longer had a pigeon problem.
Thanks Susibox, the Nutria is a well known food animal in South America. It’s meat is supposed to be very good. It’s hard to get people to eat something that has rat in the title though. Although I understand that Star has a great following in some Asian countries. It was imported into the UK and sold quite well in some supermarkets until they were required to put the type of meat onto the ingredients list. Star being rats spelt backwards. Even rat is edible as long as it is cooked correctly and doesn’t come from the sewers.
I was curious about this. As a biologist by training, a wild food enthusiast since I was 8, and with strong feelings on maintaining an ecosystem that will support humans, I’ve always wondered why some groups of people are down on one type of food, but willing to eat others.
Feral cats are considered good food in several parts of the world. Yet most people with internet access wouldn’t consider it. Oysters fed humanity for most of their existence, but most Brits and Americans will not touch them and they are considered a rich person’s food, even though 100 years ago, they were the staple of the poor.
None of the answers are best for me, although Ariel comes closest.
Best answer:
Answer by nymphra
eeew.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Tags:Australian, Australians, Birds, eating, expect, Feral, join, rest, them, Western, World
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