Because of this project, I now respect cats a little more than I have previously. I am a dog person and will always be, but after learning the history of the domestication of cats, I will agree that cats have been quite valuable to society. This new-found respect was highlighted recently over Thanksgiving break, when I found out that there were several little mice living in our home. After several (very frustrated) failed attempts at catching them, I silently conceded that I wish I had a cat to catch them for me.
The topics and the things we learned in class did not surprise me much. As a senior in animal sciences, I had already been exposed to most, if not all, of these topics. However I still enjoyed class, even though a lot of the lectures made me sad or want to cry. The issues that impacted me the most were violence to animals, pet loss/owner grief and the 'Mine' documentary. It is really upsetting to see any kind of violence that inflicts pain on an animal, because they are so undeserving of it. It is also very painful lose a pet that you've bonded closely with, and it's even worse when you have to leave them behind due to a natural disaster. I think that the emotional toll that this takes on people is extremely underrated and ignored, making it harder to cope with.
Overall, this course re-informed my beliefs that animals are deserving of respect and humane treatment. From the lectures on animal emotion and intelligence, it is clear that we simply cannot ignore the fact that at the very core of it all, they are just like us: living, sentient creatures with one ultimate goal in life - to survive.
As human beings, we currently recognize that we are set far apart from all other non-human animals. We place ourselves above all other life forms due to our incredibly complex nature and intellectual abilities. We are at the top of the food chain, and therefore this "justifies" our use of animals and animal products - for food, labor, clothes, etc. We have for so long depended on the use of animals for survival that I believe that we cannot survive for long without them. However, I also recognize that animals are sentient creatures who deserve as much humane treatment as possible. Being at the top of the food chain does not justify animal abuse, cruelty, or inhumane treatment. As such, I propose that humans be mindful of animal use for human benefit. We should always attempt to adequately provide for basic needs (food, water, shelter, veterinary care) and avoid or minimize pain or trauma, especially for animals that are used for human entertainment (circuses, rodeos, etc.).
Living conditions: cats being sold for meat should have their most basic needs met and be provided adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.
Source of animals: cat meat consumption should be regulated especially in regards to where these animals came from to avoid the illegal practice of stealing pets.
Slaughter of animals: the slaughtering of cats for consumption should be as humane as possible (ie. quick and painless).
All these steps could be accomplished with the establishment of an official regulating body that oversees the industry (like USDA). I believe the main problem is that this trade is unregulated, which leads to inhumane practices.
I am writing to you today in regards to your recent campaigns against the dog and cat meat industry in China. I believe that your concerns about the mistreatment of these animals are correct. Since there is no regulation of this 'industry,' people are getting away with the inhumane practices of keeping these animals in small, cramped environments and not providing for their most basic needs.
It has been shown that cats and dogs are not suitable to be raised and sold commercially, for the simple reason that it is impractical and unprofitable to meet their most basic needs. Unlike livestock, cats and dogs have higher requirements in terms of space and physical activity. Since it is costly to adequately provide for them, farmers would have no incentive to do so. This leads to the physical and mental suffering of the cats and dogs being sold for meat.
However, the proponents of cat meat consumption do have a couple of valid points. For one, it would help decrease the number of stray and abandoned cats, which have been documented to cause problems with spreading disease and disrupting the local wildlife. Another point is that although you may see the consumption of these 'companion animals' as immoral, you should not try to force others to see it that way as well. Many do not see the difference between eating a cat and eating a cow; they are both animals and are edible.
I am writing to you today in support of your 'industry.' I know that you have been receiving increasing amounts of protests and pressure from people, native and foreign, to end your 'cruel and immoral' practice of selling cat meat for human consumption. I would like you to know that I support the consumption of cat meat and that you should not fold under your opponents' pressure.
The consumption of cat and dog meat have a history that pre-dates the notion of keeping them as pets. This notion is the primary argument against cat meat consumption, especially in the western world where cats are revered as 'part of the family.' As a result of this cultural notion, eating such animals is condemned. However, this is not a justifiable argument to ban the consumption of cat meat in China. There is nothing inherently immoral or cruel about eating cats. It's only because of societal constructs that it is viewed as abominable by many. In Islam, pork consumption is prohibited yet you do not see Muslims trying to ban pork consumption for everyone else. I am a strong supporter of the "live and let live" philosophy.
Eating cats has two very important benefits to it: it provides a cheap and viable source of protein and food for poor families who cannot afford other meats, and it helps eliminate the cat overpopulation problem. In the United States, stray and feral cats roam the streets and cause problems for the community, and hundreds of thousands of animals sit in animal shelters or are euthanized because there are simply not enough homes for them. In China, there are many impoverished areas with many hunger-ridden families who cannot afford enough food to sustain themselves. Cats are abundant and therefore cheap; cat consumption seems like the most logical solution.
However, there have been reports that the cats in your trade suffer from inhumane living conditions. such as cramming a large number of cats in a small cage, lack of veterinary care, and some even question the source of these animals (some are stolen pets). While the eating of cats may not be inherently cruel, but subjecting them to harsh treatment is. It is impertinent that you try to give these animals enough space, food, water, and medical care as long as they are still live, sentient beings. Your humane treatment will give people one less reason to protest.
The consumption of cat meat and the use of domesticated cats as food is not very widespread, but it is common enough in some places to create controversy with animal rights groups. There is a common misconception that cats are commonly eaten in Asia, particularly China, but the fact of the matter is that cat consumption is taboo in most areas, except for a few. These places are the Guandong and Guanxi provinces of China. There are other cultures that have been known to include cat meat on their menus as well, including Vietnam, Korea, and parts of South America.
Many people from Western cultures are particularly aroused by this topic, because the western culture places such a high value on cats as companion animals. To us, to think eat cat meat is often abominable and revolting because we see them as part of our own family. For those who do consume cat meat, it is completely normal and they see no difference between eating a cat and eating beef or chicken. Especially in the poorer parts of Asia, cats are seen as a valuable and abundant food source, not companion animals or family members. But it should be noted that even in cultures that eat cat meat, people still may have cats at home as companion animals.
There are those who are against eating cats (and dogs, for that matter) because they believe it is morally unethical, and then there are those who are against it not because the eating of the meat itself is unethical, but the conditions the animals are raised in are often extremely inhumane. My personal opinion on this topic leans towards the latter; I have no issue with people eating cats, but if there is going to be such an industry, there should be regulations that require adequate food, shelter, and veterinary care.
Historically in Europe and in the United States, black cats are seen as unlucky or "evil" because it was once thought that they were associated with witches. It was once believed that witches could turn into black cats, or that they were "familiars" of witches. This myth started largely in the Middle Ages, when people began to associate the nocturnal creatures with being the "supernatural servants of witches" (Glenda Moore). This obviously had a very negative effect on how the public viewed the species. Because of these superstitions, cats were killed alongside suspected "witches" at the stake in widespread "witch hunts" of Europe that took place in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. The association of black cats and witchcraft is still strong today, as can be seen from the abundance of black cat imagery in Halloween themes. Even in modern times, some people still believe that it's bad luck to have a black cat cross your path.
Black cats are still commonly associated with Halloween and witches.
Cats are heavily featured (alongside dogs) in one of my childhood favorite movies, Cats and Dogs (2001). In this film, cats are the villains of the world, trying to get rid of their long arch enemies, the dogs. Through antics and delicately-crafted plots, the cats unsuccessfully try to make all humans allergic to dogs so they can take over as "man's new best friend." Although unlikely, a message that the film could have intended is that cats are "evil" and dogs are "good." It may also reinforce the idea that dogs are loyal and honest while cats are conniving and untrustworthy. However, I don't think these are actual messages intended by filmmakers since I think they are just trying to make a comedy for kids. It makes perfect sense to pick these two species for the plot of the movie, since cats and dogs are typically seen as natural enemies, and are the two most popular companion animals today.
Meet the Parents (2000) and its sequel, Meet the Fockers (2004), are movies intended for adults and in which a cat is involved in a small part of the plot. Ben Stiller plays Gaylord "Greg" Focker, who is meeting his girlfriend's parents for the first time (in the sequel, his girlfriend meets his parents). His biggest obstacle is impressing her father, Jack Byrnes, an ex-CIA agent. Jack has a cat named Mr. Jinx, whom he loves like his own family member. In both movies, Mr. Jinx provides a point of contention between Greg and Jack (or between the two families).
(skip to 1:14)
Again, I think a cat was used specifically for this role because of its perception in society as being more mischievous and "evil" (Jinx seems to intentionally make Greg's life harder) in nature. As with the other movie, I don't think that the use of a cat in this role had any intended messages other than for the purposes of comedy.
In the movie made for kids, cats are very much anthropomorhized by having the ability to speak and do human-like activities, such as taking on the role of "secret agents." They use technology and tools and are capable of planning an evil plot. In the movies made for adults, the cat is slightly anthropomorphized - it seems to have a slight understanding of what the other characters are saying or doing and even knows how to use the toilet, but for the most part it remains in the role of an animal.
I think one of the most notable cats in literature is the Cheshire Cat from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (1865). In this fantasy tale, a young girl named Alice falls down a rabbit hole into a nonsensical world filled with talking, anthropomorphic animals. One of these characters is the Cheshire Cat, known for his wide, mischievous grin. He appears and disappears randomly and likes to goof around. He is characterized as a very non-serious, playful, and sometimes trouble-making character. I believe that his character contributes greatly to the "madness" and "insanity" of the Wonderland world fantasy, as he truly seems to be the "maddest" of all the characters.
I think that the author specifically chose a cat to represent this character because cats seem to be the troublemakers out of all the commonly depicted animals. Whereas dogs are loyal and honest, you can never be too sure of a cat's intentions. A common perception of cats today is that they are more independent and tend to do as they like. In addition, a great number of people associate the cat with "evil" intentions.
The Cheshire Cat, as depicted in Disney's adaption of Alice in Wonderland
The most obvious example that comes to mind when thinking about the domesticated cat in art history is the use of cat imagery in ancient Egypt. The most common form of art through which the cat appeared was through the form of a statue or figure, such as the example depicted below.
Bronze statuette of Bastet, circa 664-30 BC
The cat was a very important animal to the ancient Egyptians. Some of their gods were cats or were very cat-like, given physical and temperamental attributes of cats. The artwork shown above is of Bastet, an ancient Egyptian goddess that represented maternal love and protection. She also possesses soothing and nurturing qualities. This is shown by the four kittens that sit at her feet, and by the items that she holds in her hands - a sistrum (a musical instrument) and an aegis (a cult object with protective qualities). The name 'Bastet' literally translates to "she-of-the-ointment-jar" may also be an indicator of her protective quality, since ointments are used to protect health against disease.
In modern art, depictions of cats are common. It seems that one of the perks of being one of the most popular companion animals is that you are integrated into art in all kinds of fashions. A quick Google image search came back with millions of results, ranging from realistic interpretations to depictions of flying poptart-cats. A popular trend seems to be the "remaking" of famous historical art pieces and including cats in them. One such example is shown below, in which Salvador Dali's famous "melting clocks" painting is redone to include a few furry companions.
In this painting, cats are depicted as your typical lazy and aloof pet, as many cats today are known for lounging around in sometimes hilarious postures. I think the inclusion of cats in the remake of such famous paintings indicates how much the domesticated cat has been integrated into our society. By depicting them in very recognizable reconstructions of famous artwork, we elevate them to a 'higher status' as companion animals. By giving them artistic significance, we recognize how culturally important this species is to us.
It is apparent that we love cats as much as dogs, and more than all the other common companion animals. We buy them fancy food that imitates the taste of human food, we dress them up, and we spend lots of money on them. We treat them like we would treat our own children (sometimes, I would argue, even better). It is horrifying when we hear of countries eating cats, because we have become so close with these furry creatures. We would much rather slaughter and eat a pig even though pigs are also intelligent animals.
Why is this? Why is it that the western world has become so sensitive to topics of eating cats (and dogs)? I think the answer is obvious, though not 100% rational. We have been trained through our society to view cats as pets (and as even family members), not food. Because they live in our homes, are furry and cute, and (probably) love us, it has become unacceptable to eat them. By putting them up on this figurative pedestal, it's clear that speciesism has worked in the favor of our furry companions.
When I tried to find research on the domesticated cat, I found that cats are particularly difficult to conduct research on. However, I found a couple studies indicating that cats are intelligent and do possess emotion. The first study I found is particularly intriguing because it studied how the domesticated cat is able to manipulate their owners into feeding them by purring/crying in a certain way ("a purr mixed with a high-pitched cry"). In the study, the researcher, Karen McComb, collected recordings from cat owners of their cats crying when they wanted food and when they didn't. She then played the recordings back for 50 human participants (both cat-owners and non-cat-owners). She found that they judged the food-cries more urgent than the non-food cries. McComb explains that "previous research has shown similarities between cat cries and human infant cries," which is why humans might respond more to this specific kind of purr-cry. The conclusion of the study suggests that cats have learned how to "exaggerate [the cry] when it proves effective in generating a response from humans." This ability, of course, is beneficial to the animals' survival because it gets them more food.
The second study I found tested whether or not cats recognized a special relationship with their owners. Japanese researchers observed cats while they played recordings of their owner's voice and recordings of strangers' voices. They found that the cats responded more when they heard their owner's voice and voices that were familiar; they moved their heads and ears towards the voice, their pupils dilated, "which can signal emotions such as excitement." Cats do not really have big outward displays of emotion though, because in their wild ancestors this was a survival strategy. By concealing their vulnerability (such as when they are sick), the animal avoids attracting unwanted attention to itself.
In my personal experience, I recently have moved to a new neighborhood. My boyfriend, who lives around the corner from me, lives next door to his landlady who owns two cats that are free to roam outside. We have "made friends" with these friendly cats, and now every time they see us, they seem eager for us to pet them, running up to us, purring and rubbing themselves on our legs. One day, one of them spent several minutes licking my knee. Just a couple nights ago, one of them followed me back to my house, meowing the entire way. I think he sounded very sad to see me leave. I think these are the most obvious displays of affection.
Domesticated cats are currently viewed in a few different ways. For the majority of western cultures, cats are seen as pets and are accepted and loved as a member of the family. They have become as close to us as dogs have, and are the most popular house pet in the United States (~74 million total cats, or 30% of households have one or more cats). We love them because, like dogs, they are cute, intelligent, and relatively easy to maintain as a companion animal.
However, in other countries where there is more poverty and less food availability, cats are more often a food source than they are pets. For example, it is not uncommon in southern China to eat cat meat, and you can even find them in restaurants. (It should be noted that eating cat meat is illegal in many parts of China and not condoned.)
In some communities, feral and stray cats are a nuisance and are considered pests (like in the case of my sister-in-law, who has tried everything in her power to keep the local stray cats away from using her vegetable garden as a litter box).
The species I chose is the cat. It is a domesticated species.
2. Social History/Domestication
It is hard to accurately pinpoint exactly when cats were first domesticated, but scientists believe that cats were domesticated about 10,000-12,000 years ago in the Near East. The domesticated cat came from Middle Eastern wildcats that were attracted to the mice that inhabited grain stores. As humans began to transition from a hunting lifestyle to more permanent agricultural societies, they began to store food as surplus. Cat domestication was a result of the symbiotic relationship between humans and cats: the humans benefited from having rodent-killers, and the cats benefited from the meals they caught. Then, over time, the cats sort of "domesticated themselves" (Carlos Driscoll) and humans began to select for cats that were more docile.
