Chinese Police Save 1,000 Cats and Expose Illegal Feline Meat Trade

According to state-affiliated media reports, police in China have saved over 1,000 cats from being slaughtered and sold as meat, thanks to a tip from animal welfare activists. The authorities intercepted a truck carrying the felines in the city of Zhangjiagang. The rescued cats were taken to a shelter. This operation exposed an illegal cat meat trade and raised concerns about food safety. Activists estimate that cat meat can sell for around 4.5 yuan per unit, with one cat providing four to five units of meat. It is unclear whether the rescued cats were strays or pets, but they were being transported to the south of the country where they would be served as pork and lamb skewers and sausages. The news of this rescue operation received significant attention on China's social media platform Weibo, with many users calling for stricter inspections of the food industry and expressing outrage at the treatment of animals. This incident follows a previous food safety scandal in June where a student found a rat's head in his meal at a college in Jiangsu province. Initially, school authorities denied it was a rat's head, only to later admit the student was correct.