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).
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| Stray cats living in my sister-in-law's garden |
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1. https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Statistics/Pages/Market-research-statistics-US-pet-ownership.aspx
2. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2012-01/13/c_131358233.htm
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