Why are people against eating dogs and cats?

A society that keeps dogs and cats as pets will tend to not eat those animals.
It’d be taboo to eat them in America. Dogs and cats are very popular pets where turtle and rabbits are not as much.

I’m not really against it, it’s just not apart of my culture so I find it odd.
There are plenty of cultures who think it’s odd/wrong for us to eat pigs.

They probably don’t taste that good.

Cultural norms. Cats and dogs (in western culture) have long served no other purpose than as a pet, essentially a family member. Dogs and cats are merely more commonly kept as pets than rabbits, for example. I suspect that you would find that people who keep rabbits as pets probably don’t eat rabbit meat. (Horses and guinea pigs are also eaten in other cultures.)

Some cultures eat dogs. I’m told that cats aren’t very tasty. And we raise dogs and cats primarily for utility and companionship, not for food.

Like @dpworkin said, we value cats and dogs for their companionship.

People tend not to eat animals they view as having distinct personalities. To many meat eaters, a cow is that big stupid animal out in the field and is, aside from markings, indistinguishable from any other cow. Even someone who doesn’t particularly like dogs knows that they have emotions and personalities.

because they’re soft

both the people and the dogs and cats

It’s a pet hate of mine.

Kind of like stringy chicken.

Plenty of people in the US eat cheval, if they have a Franco-American background. And you can get guinea pig all over midtown NY where the Brazilian restaurants are.

I really don’t know why. After all, I eat women when they get within range…

It’s raining cats and dogs on fluther, eh?

I think there are actually multiple reasons. One, taste. I have heard that herbivorous animals taste MUCH better than those who eat meat or are omnivorous. Second, since we (here in America and such) keep them as pets, for the most part, we have managed to develop an emotional attachment to them. That’s the thing, the emotional aspect of it. It’s not easy eating something you love. Some people who love to go scuba diving and love watching fish refuse to eat fish. Some people who are vegans feel emotionally close to animals in general and consider them on the same, if not close or similar, level to humans. Those who have no other protein source besides cats or dogs will eat cats or dogs. I don’t think cows and pigs ever traveled to Asian countries on their own, did they? Either way, I am sure it is also a cultural stigma too, even if someone didn’t keep a cat or dog as pets, they find eating them disgusting because that isn’t the cultural norm. So yeah, multiple reasons. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more than the three I pointed out. The only people I can think of that are totally against it though, would be animal rights activists or Vegans, not like they don’t have a right to believe what they do though.

As for me personally, I would say it is due to the emotional attachment, since yes, I love dogs and due to the fact that I really don’t like eating meat xP

Because they’re so sweet!I don’t know that for sure.It’s just what I’ve heard ;)

Horsemeat has a slightly sweet taste to it.

According to the accepted theory, personality goes a long way.

Because, dogs and cats are 2 of the only animals that seem to have human emotions. You don’t eat man’s best friend. And we have them as pets, so it’s disturbing to think about eating something that you have once raised and loved. Meaning, something you COULD have raised and loved.

I don’t eat rabbits, deers, baby sheep, turtles, etc. either. It’s because they’re cute! Just like I had a ton of trouble cutting open a baby pig for my anatomy class D: The least they could’ve done was not leave his face there to watch me slice him…I felt terrible!

I have often read that carnivores don’t have meat humans would enjoy. That said ,I’d see my dogs and cats in every bite of the meal and couldn’t do it.

People are generally against eating things they love to be alive.

I know some tribe in this world that love to eat cat and dog(Indonesian,Vietnamese,Mongolian,Chinese,etc). It’s their culture and they don’t think they do it for sentimental reason but more for survival. To think about this,why should we allow discrimination for what we eat?,just because people more accustomed to chicken it doesn’t meant we should disagree with other edible food.

I’m against eating a pet cat or dog that’s been raised to feel it’s part of the household. Also, I understand other cultures eat all kinds of animals which is fine with me but I am very much against the belief that causing pain during the killing increases the desired flavor/texture of the kill. Inhumane treatment/killing methods of any food animals bugs me.

I’m against eating meat altogether partially because of this. People pick and choose what they want to eat whether they deem it “cute” or not. There are people in the world who keep cows, cheep, chickens, etc., as pets. Would they eat them? Probably not. Would they eat another animal of the same species since they don’t live with it and raise it and take care of it and see it every day? Probably.

Sure beats eating meatloaf! ;)

I can’t say I wont. Just have not been give the opportunity to try.

I love hot dogs. Cat on a stick is also delish.

My father used to say man is supposed to eat animals because God made them out of meat; If we weren’t supposed to eat them, they would be made of stone or wood. I kind of like to go along with him on that.

@majorrich So by that logic, wouldn’t we be eating each other as well?

Dad never mentioned that. I suppose it would follow though. If I were in a plane crash in the mountains, I don’t think I would have a huge problem eating people meat. Man is an apex predator, so we have our choice of critters to eat. Maurie warriors eat people meat to possess their strength and turn their enemies into poo (the ultimate insult)

@tragiclikebowie we don’t already?

because they’re domestic animals

I guess it just seems unnatural to do so in a society that keeps them as pets to love and take care of. I’m not really against it though.

Koreans have two classes of dogs – pets, and dogs which are bred for eating. They wouldn’t have a “food” dog as a pet, and they wouldn’t consume a pet dog as food.

Imagine the disgust with which Hindus would regard the idea of you eating a T-Bone.

It’s no coincidence that so many exotic restaurants are located adjacent to veterinary clinics.

Historically, cats and dogs are some of the creatures that have lived with us the longest…. & in the west, at least, they’ve only been looked at as a food source in times of famine & hardship. Plus they’re really, cute & fun.