In China, police rescues 1000 cats from being killed and sold as mutton or pork

More than a thousand cats were saved by Chinese police from being killed and sold as mutton or pork, according to state-affiliated media. Police in the eastern city of Zhangjiagang stopped the truck with the cats after receiving a tip from animal rights advocates.

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.