Date: September 14th, 2024 7:36 PM
Author: https://imgur.com/a/IkQnGlr
We have never had this discussion with cats at any time during their evolutionary history. We have no record of cats being relied upon as source of protein in a pinch. No firepits with cat bones, and no cat bones with markings to show they were butchered.
At the same time, we never invited cats to join us in the first place. They were never fully domesticated, in the sense that literally any cat can survive just great in the wild, if not better than in captivity. Some pigs and goats are able to go feral, but all cats can do it.
That means our social contract with cats is not yet fully formed. There's still room for discussion about what "domestication" really means for cats right now. Right now they are literal parasites, in the sense that they depend on us to provide an ecosystem where they can thrive, but they offer nothing in exchange. In fact they are a net negative for native fauna. So if they end up befriending the wrong stranger, maybe we shouldn't cry too much if they end up on the grill.
(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5594872&forum_id=2Elisa#48089333)