This is a not a question for practice but for philosophical debate...
PETA will LOVE this one.
Is there an ethical difference between eating beef and eating cat?
I'm not discussing flavor or other food quality issues... just ethics.
2007-02-03 14:53:08 · 9 answers · asked by Ecofreako 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
dodo by that logic it would be more ethical to eat a cat than a sardine.
2007-02-03 15:10:11 · update #1
I think since we tend to anthropormorphize cats as family members, the thought of eating a cat creates a reaction akin to cannibalism. Cattle on the other hand are thought of as just cattle.
2007-02-03 15:08:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats are not eaten in western culture, it's other cultures that view cats as food. They can eat cats if they chose. They don't view cats as pets, so it makes sense to them.
Now if my neighbour started eyeing my cats as something tasty to barbeque, then that would be wrong.
We breed cows here for meat and other products. That's why we eat them. They are also a better food source than a tiny cat.
2007-02-03 23:16:40 · answer #2 · answered by Wendi lu who 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know why you would want to eat a cat... not much there to eat. Since it's not part of our culture, people probably wouldn't react well to you eating a cat. I supose the cultures that eat dogs wouldn't care if one was to eat a cat... As far as the person that said cows are not pets. I beg to differ.
2007-02-03 23:21:23 · answer #3 · answered by Jessica 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A dead cow feeds more people than a dead cat. So, yes.
eta: In terms of mental function, level of "cognition", capacity for pain etc, mammals > fish. As for cows and cats, I answer with the presumption that they are relatively similar in those aspects.
Wendi lu who, is it's wrong because your cat is your "property" or is it wrong because cats as food is taboo?
teemug: pigs are omnivores. some humans eat cats. appeal to nature holds no weight.
2007-02-03 23:05:59 · answer #4 · answered by dodo 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I guess it would be a moral one Cats are pets Cows are not. We drink cow's milk and eat their meat. I know I personally would never eat a cat or drink milk that came from a cat. I hope this helps.
2007-02-03 23:01:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I dont think a question of ethics arise here. we eat many animals which are kept as pet...but the fact of the matter is, one doestnt eat a carnivore...we all eat herbivore...even the animals like tihers,lion,etc, hunt only herbivores....so there is a 'natur-al' diff n not an 'ethic-al' difference'
2007-02-03 23:20:53 · answer #6 · answered by teemug 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
cats have been trained to be pets, beef has not, when beef goes in a litter box then start the debate, otherwixse, weird
2007-02-03 23:00:58 · answer #7 · answered by kristen 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i don't even like to eat beef,but sometimes i have to, i just cant see cats feeding too many people at once, and we have always know cats as pets, i just cat see us eating our pets.
2007-02-03 23:00:30 · answer #8 · answered by kat_luvr2003 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
how about eating Humans (Cannibalism), dr. lecter? (asks Jodie Foster)
i think it has to do with like eating dolphins, like humans, cats are a higher intelligence (obviously higher than you) don't F with them
i bet you are one of those who eat monkey brains, and hit a tied up monkey on the head and eat his brains out while he is alive like asians, move to their country, catch their diseases, you'd probably love their immorality and ruthlessness
2007-02-04 01:48:07 · answer #9 · answered by Courageous Capt. Cat 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋