MIAMI, United States. – In the midst of the deep food crisis that the island is going throughthe sale and consumption of cat meat has become a desperate solution for many families, according to a recent report published by the Cuban media The Touch with support from the Food Monitor Program (FMP).
The investigation is based primarily on the testimony of a man identified as Dairon, who, during his adolescence, dedicated himself to hunting and selling cats in the province of Guantanamo.
“Beef and pork were too expensive for me to afford, and the chicken in my quota was not enough for more than a week,” Dairon explained. Over time, he said, some neighbors found out about his business and began placing orders with him, making him one of the many cat meat merchants in Guantánamo.
Dairon also alluded to the fact that the severe food shortage This is not the only reason behind the marketing of cat meat in Guantanamo. There is a popular belief that soup made from the cat’s head can cure neurological diseases and arthritis.
“Everyone has a case; a grandmother or an aunt who was sick one day and got better with cat soup. It is a miracle recipe,” Dairon said.
Until a few months ago, cat meat was sold secretly to a very specific consumer market. However, at the end of February 2024, explicit advertisements on Guantanamo social media promoting cat meat went viral, mainly in “Revolico Guantánamo” groups on Facebook. Although the images used in the posts did not show cat meat, the sale was real and present in the province, according to The Touch.
Dairon explained that cat hunters usually look for animals in the surrounding area, regardless of whether they have an owner or are strays. “I don’t feel sorry for these animals at all because in the end it is meat like any other, it looks a lot like rabbit,” he said.
On the other hand, the naturalization of this phenomenon has generated concern among animal protection societies and pet owners in Guantanamo. Mayte, caregiver of two felines and active member of BAC (Animal Welfare Cuba), told The Touch: “It is impossible to let the cats out into the garden to play because they are stolen.”
According to those interviewed, the proliferation of people who hunt, steal, kill and consume the meat of pets reflects the magnitude of the crisis in the country. Neighborhoods such as La Loma del Chivo, El Bayamo and Polvo en el Viento are known in the Guantanamo city for being centers of cat theft and sale, as well as their consumption.
Asked about his opinion on the future of this activity, Dairon concluded: “Nobody will stop the sale of cat meat. For many, it is just another option that is on the table and that they have to take if they want to eat a main course at lunch or help a sick relative. If the State does not provide solutions, people have to make do with whatever they have in their hands.”
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