Which Countries Eat Cats in 2025?

Country Highlights

Vietnam

For many years, thousands of stray cats in Vietnam have been snatched and sold to food vendors, households, and even restaurants. Vietnam has an extremely lucrative underground black market trade for cats and dogs. It is often made into a stew, or as a soup. It does not stop there, as cats can be skewered, served with lemongrass, served with ginger, or even marinated in coriander and chile. Many of the dishes seem to be prepared in the same way pork would be, and is considered a delicacy in Ho Chi Minh city.

It is illegal for consumption in Vietnam but is still practiced to this very day. They are called “little tigers”. The demand for this delicacy is high and has an unusual effect on crime rates. House pets are often stolen from their homes in the country, or even from neighboring countries of Thailand and Laos, which are then smuggled into specialty Bucher shops. The few cat owners who hold these animals as pets in Vietnam know that the cats must be indoors at all times since strays are picked up and turned into “little tigers”.

China

Unsurprisingly, China is one of the largest consumers of cat and dog meat in the world. It is not just black market vendors that sell these types of meat, they can be found in various provinces and regions throughout China. They are prepared in many different ways and seen as a delicacy. The meat can be considered great for health as there is a common belief that metabolism is improved. It also helps to cool oneself down during summer and heat you properly during the winter.

It is prepared as a soup, steak, or combined with vegetables and rice, and served with seasoning and toppings. Chinese thieves fuel the cat meat industry, where an unfortunate number of over four million kittens are eaten each year. There is not much official enforcement against the eating of cats and other pets, but rather, the rules are more against the thievery and burglary of pets and stray cats.

Australia

Surprisingly, many regions and vendors sell felines as a delicacy to their customer base. Australia is known for having the highest abundance of wildlife, even in urbanized locations, and stray cats are not exempt from this categorization. Australia does not have a specific rule for slaughtering cats for consumption, which leaves a gray area for those who are preparing these animals for meals. Australia also has a large influx of foreigners each year, which come to migrate here to work seasonally.

Although it is not illegal, there is a large black market that extends itself from Asia into Australia for cat meat. The law does not prohibit you from eating cat meat but does prohibit theft and the encroachment of animal abuse or inhumane practices. If killing the animal caused unnecessary pain, or was not killed instantly, this may be interpreted as a legal offense and could be prosecuted under the full extent of the law.