CAT-AS-TROPHE AVERTED: Chinese police rescues 1,000 cats from illegal trade of meat

More than a thousand cats were saved by Chinese police from being killed and sold as mutton or pork, at a tip from animal welfare activists, as per state-affiliated media.

The Paper reported that the animals were taken to a shelter.

According to the report, the rescue revealed a criminal trade in cat meat and sparked new worries about food safety.

Activists stated that cat meat can bring 4.5 yuan ($0.61; £0.51) per catty, which is approximately comparable to 600g in Chinese units of measurement. Four to five kittens can be produced by one cat.

The status of the rescued cats—stray or owned—was unknown. They were on their way to the southern part of the nation, where they were going to be prepared as sausages and skewers of lamb and pork.

The Paper claims that for six days, activists in Zhangjiagang observed a significant number of cats kept in nailed-up wooden boxes in a cemetery.

On October 12, when the cats were being placed onto a truck, they pulled over and contacted the police.

On China's Weibo social media network, thousands of angry comments were left in response to The Paper's report that was published last Friday. More thorough inspections of the food business were demanded by some users.

"May these people die a horrible death," said one Weibo user.

Another said, "When will there be laws to protect animals? Don't the lives of cats and dogs matter?"

One user said: "I won't be eating barbeque meat outside anymore."

A student found a rat's head in his dinner at a college in the province of Jiangsu in June, which caused a stir. Before acknowledging that the student was correct, school administrators first attempted to argue that the meat was duck.