why do we eat one type of meat but not another?

[jhu]

why is it "acceptable" to eat a cow but it's not "acceptable" to eat a dog? eating pig is ok, but eating cats arent't. what's up with that? meat is meat

 

[John]

Eat your meat?

 

[jhu]

some people are actually limber enough to do that

 

[vi edit]

Emotional attachment and social dogmas.

Many people treat their pets as if they were their children or an extension of the family.

 

[jhu]

so if cows were a common pet, we wouldn't be eating cows

 

[Mister T]

Major Reason:

Economies of Scale: A Cow or Pig is going to have a hell of alot more meat that a dog or cat.

Historically, farm animals were Cows and Chickens because they produced eggs and milk.

Cats kill mice
Dogs help you hunt

Thats why you dont eat them

 

[jhu]

but if you wanted to what's preventing you from eating dogs or cats (other than money)? how about horses? we really don't need horses for transportation now that we have cars

 

[Double Trouble]

There is nothing that prevents you from eating other kinds of meat like cats etc, other than what MisterT already mentioned. We've grown accustomed over the years that certain creatures are good to eat while others are not. Different cultures have different standards, so it's ok to eat one kind of meat in one culture but not in another -- for example, cows are not eaten (as far as I know) in India.

 

[vi edit]

jhu, like I said, emotional attachment and social dogmas. People have the family dog sleep at the foot of the bed everynight.

People have the family pet waiting to greet them at the door when they come home from work. People love taking the dog for a walk on nice afternoons.

Dogs and cats almost have a "personality". Horses, pigs, and cows just don't seem to have the "personality" and provide the companionship that dogs and cats do. To many people, eating a dog or cat would be the same as eating ones own child.

Ever read A Modest Proposal?

 

[StageLeft]

Its all culture. If I was hungry I'd eat a horse, or even a dog. P0or doggie ;(

 

[gnognugs]

vi_edit is right, besides, cat tastes like crap!

 

[osage]

Cat, the other white meat

 

[Dedpuhl]

I heard horse meat is too stringy.

I want to open up a restaurant called "Animals of the World." I would cook ANYTHING.. :disgust:

 

[gnognugs]

Haha, I'm so st00pid! I just realized, I love cat

 

[jhu]

i like snake. snake blood wine is also pretty good

 

[kami]

Cows and Pigs taste good! LOL can't believe you suggested Horse meat. I forget where I read that, but it's supposed to be nauseating.

 

[Azraele]

It's cultural. Human behavior evolves. I think the meat market today has to do with certain economical factors as well. Cows, being domesticated, are easy to herd and provide lots of meat per animal. If people ate mostly rabbits, the industry would have a hard time slaughtering enough to meet the meat demand. Pigs are also big meat providers, as are turkey. Chicken, being small, seems to be the exception.

 

[gnognugs]

There is a large ostritch farm near Chicago. Also a bison farm. All for eating.
There are still people bought and sold in this world for food.

 

[osage]

horse meat is something of a delicacy in parts of Europe, used to be anyway.

 

[Elledan]

<<If people ate mostly rabbits, the industry would have a hard time slaughtering enough to meet the meat demand. Pigs are also big meat providers, as are turkey. Chicken, being small, seems to be the exception.>>

If you've seen how those chickens are treated, then you'll never eat chicken again.

While alive, they're impaled on iron hooks, their head is ripped off, their feathers are removed and then they're further processed (removing the guts etc.) which is just too bloody to tell here.

Seeing how a cow/pig is killed is almost fun compared to seeing the above.

Killing and slaughtering a cow goes more like this:
The cow/pig is killed either by an electrical current or a bullet through the head. Their head is chopped off and they're hung upside down to let the blood out of the body before it coagulates. Then the carcasses are divided in a left and right piece after the guts have been removed. Further processing follows after this.

Seeing how efficient those processes are, there aren't much animals we couldn't use for meat. Only animals that are much smaller than chicken wouldn't be profitable.

 

[pamchenko]

Jules: Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfreakers. Pig sleep and root in poop. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eat nothin' that ain't got enough sense to disregard its own feces.
Vincent: How about a dog? Dogs eat their own feces.
Jules: I don't eat dog either.
Vincent: Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules: I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent: Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, it'd cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules: Well we gotta be talkin' about one charmin' motherfreackin' pig. I mean he'd have to be ten times more charmin' than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I'm sayin'?

 

[urbantechie]

I think because those animals are domesticated and thats why we don't eat it. Who would want to eat dog or cat anyways? :disgust:

 

[gnognugs]

Like I said before, I love cat:Q

Chicken factories actually contaminate the ground, and rivers, lakes, etc. with blood. YUM

 

[Soybomb]

<< The cow/pig is killed either by an electrical current or a bullet through the head. Their head is chopped off and they're hung upside down to let the blood out of the body before it coagulates. >>



Actually the way it worked a few years ago is you'd stun the cow with current, then slit its throat with a knife, hang it upside down, it was &quot;stunned&quot; but its pumping heart helped move the blood out until it died.

As some standup comic once said &quot;we won't eat the cute animals.&quot; Have you ever heard a cow called cute, how about a cat? I rest my case

 

[IJump]

<<Emotional attachment and social dogmas>>

In certain cultures, dogs are both pets and food. Certain types are pets, certain types are food. We are just not accustomed to eating dog. I tried to get some once while I was in Korea, but was not able too. The method of slaughtering animals to eat over there is definately interesting to say the least.