A recent Sky News article about the cat "meat" trade in China infuriated animal-loving Americans—and rightfully so. It's estimated that 10,000 cats—most of who are stolen from their caregivers—are sold and eaten every day in one Chinese city alone. But as sickening as this is, we must not overlook the terrible cruelty—and incongruity—in our own culture.

It's no more acceptable to eat a cow than it is to eat a cat. Although cows, chickens, pigs, and other animals who are commonly killed for food may not be as familiar to us as the cats and dogs who share our homes, they feel pain and deserve compassion just the same. Yet, many of the people who are appalled at the Chinese cat meat trade don't blink an eye at thought of eating steak, pork chops, and other animal flesh with euphemistic names that distance them from what they're eating.

On the whole, the murder of farmed animals doesn't arouse nearly the same outrage and disgust as the murder of cats, dogs, and wildlife. Even some of the most otherwise caring people have a laissez-faire attitude about eating flesh from cows, chicken, turkeys, pigs, and fish.

Why the disconnect? Consider these facts about farmed animals, and how closely some of their characteristics mirror our own: 

• Cows have impressive long-term memories, and sometimes hold grudges against other cows or people who treat them unkindly. Researchers at Bristol University have pointed out that cows have best friends and cliques, and that animals lick one another as a sign of affection. The longer cows know each other, the longer they groom one another. They mourn the death of those they love, and shed tears over their loss.

• Chickens form strong family ties and also mourn when they lose a loved one. When they’re not on factory farms, hens will lovingly tend to their eggs and “talk” to their unborn chicks, who chirp back.

• Pigs communicate constantly with one another; more than 20 vocalizations have been identified for different situations. Newborn piglets learn to run to their mothers’ voices, and mother pigs sing to their young while nursing. They snuggle close to one another and prefer to sleep nose to nose.

• Turkeys like to chirp, cluck, and gobble along to their favorite tunes. "Poultry" scientist Tom Savage says, “I’ve always viewed turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings.”

• Fish rub against one another as a sign of affection, and males will sometimes woo potential partners by singing to them. Fish build nests to raise their babies, complete with hiding places for them to feel secure. 

I don't need to go into the traits of cats; many Care2 members live with them and know that they're individuals with distinct personalities. Some are aloof, some are social, and all should be treated with compassion—just like other animals. The next time you're spending time with your cat—or dog—and cooking a chicken, ask yourself why you pet one animal and eat the other. See www.peta.org to learn more fascinating facts about animals and what you can do to make the world a kinder place for all of them.