Your Pet as Food…What to know in this Worst-Case Scenario

Listen, this is a serious survival preparedness blog…and as “tasteless” as this subject is, it’s something that we’ve all either considered or even joked about. The subject of eating a cat or dog is so difficult to consider that I almost didn’t write this article. However, I’ve been thinking about it on and off for a couple of weeks, and I think that it is something that should be openly discussed. The reality is that most of our domestic pets are not really capable of supporting themselves in the wild long-term. So, if we’re starving…so are they. While no one who I know would do it without a lot of initial denial and reluctance, what would happen if they became the last-resort option to a meaty meal outside of a rat or eating insects?

Maybe it will help to move this forward by reminding ourselves that cats and dogs are not cherished pets in most parts of the world. They represent a big problem and nuisance in many countries, and the fact that they reproduce like rabbits doesn’t help their standing among most of the global human population. That being said, the idea of eating one is a very difficult pill to swallow. But here we go…

Dog Meat

Dog meat is a delicacy in some parts of the world, particularly in China and portions of SE Asia. People have eaten dog for centuries, and their meat has been an additive in a lot of animal food products for years until the recent past as well.

From what I can gather, dog meat is very rich and succulent. Some cook cuts of meat in a manner similar to making a stew whereas others have been known to grill the ribs. There are also people who will cook the whole animal in the same way that entire pigs are roasted over a fire pit. The meat contains a lot of fat, which would probably explain its tenderness, and it appears to taste better than what dogs smell like.

Cat Meat

Cats have been eaten for centuries, primarily in jungle communities or by the very poor. Cats are not a good source of meat due to their small bodies underneath their thick fur. The meat vs bone ratio is very small, and this translates into putting a lot of effort to clean, prepare and cook an animal for a minimal result at the end of the day.

People who have eaten cat also describe having to pick out lots of tiny little bones in almost every morsel of the meat. Couple that with the general consensus that cat meat has a funky and odd taste, and it is easy to see why people prefer other small animals such as rabbit or squirrel. However, cat is usually prepared on the grill or over an open fire with its head and guts removed beforehand.

It’s hard for anyone to really know what they are willing to eat under dire circumstances. However, not excluding dog or cat for food in the aftermath of a SHTF scenario or other crisis is a good way to keep options open.

Just remember that it is critically important that you completely remove the head and organs and thoroughly wash the carcass before cooking. You also want to make sure that you thoroughly cook the meat in order to kill off any potential parasites or bacteria. Finally, never chose an animal that looks sick or acts strange. These are two strong indicators that the animal has rabies.

Hopefully none of us will ever face a situation where we need to consider this meal option. However, it seems that choosing dog over cat will produce a more tasty and bulky meal.