If a culture has superstitions, they are bound to include the domestic cat. The domestic cat attracts superstition and has done so for many centuries. It is no different in Vietnam. But also, in Vietnam, there are many other superstitions. They are, I would have to add, a superstitious people. It has to be said that superstition is born out of ignorance or to put it kindlier, a lack of education. I have to confess that it upsets me writing about cat meat which is based on a superstition that it is good for health.
Mythical beast
I’ve just read about 13 superstitions in Vietnam and none of them relate to the cat except, in passing, one does 😃. It concerns a mighty mythological beast who was like a lion, dog, dragon all rolled into one. Apparently, the beast has a large mouth but no bottom! In this way it can retain all the luck and none of it can escape! It is called Tỳ Hưu. As it is part lion it can come within this discussion, just about!
Sexism!
My research also indicates that, without being critical, there seems to be a degree of sexism or misogynism in Vietnamese culture because there are two superstitions relating to women both of which bring bad luck.
It is bad luck to see a woman when you first open the door in the morning. That, to me, seems sexist. The author of the article that informs me of this superstition also questions whether it is sexist. It is! As superstitions normally go back a very long way in history, and as in ancient history women’s rights were much less than they are today, it doesn’t surprise me that this superstition denigrates women.
On the same topic of women, pregnant women are bad luck in Vietnam. And menstruation is also a time of bad luck. That is very unfair I have to say. But back to cats. Oh, I forgot to tell you that students should not have a haircut before exams because if they do, they’ll fail!
Cats bad luck – dogs good luck
Another source tells me that dogs are good luck while cats are bad luck. Unsurprising that one. The author speculates that the sound that cats make i.e. the meow is similar to “nghèo” which in Vietnamese means “poor” whereas dogs bark and this sound is similar to “giàu giàu” which means “rich” in Vietnamese. That genuinely is a superstition because it is very illogical!
Another reason why cats are bad luck in Vietnam is because dogs are loyal to their humans and they believe that cats do as they please. Because of this their presence is associated with misfortune and loss. Unfair again as cats don’t just do as they please. That is a very outdated thought.
Cat meat
I have to reluctantly say that in Vietnam they eat cat meat and there is a lot of superstition surrounding this cultural practice. Some Vietnamese believe that eating cat meat repels bad luck. To put that another way, it brings good luck because it pushes away bad luck. And other Vietnamese people believe that eating cat meat brings health benefits particularly when they eat the flesh of a black cat. Of course, there is no scientific evidence to support this cultural practice which to Westerners seems very unpleasant.
Vietnamese toddler drinks liquid of dead black cats to protect from coronavirus
I’m also told that eating cat meat is not a widespread practice. But you will see quite a few photographs on the internet of cooked domestic and stray cats hanging up on market stalls for sale. Or you will see people eating cat meat at food outlets.
As you might imagine, it is not prohibited in Vietnam. It is, incidentally, specifically prohibited in most countries of the world.
There appears to be a growing demand for cat meat which is disappointing. I would like to see demand going in the opposite direction. I’m also told that those people who eat cat meat do so at the start of every month to ward off bad luck for that month.
In order to feed this superstition (excuse the pun) cats are stolen from the streets and from the homes of Vietnamese citizens on a regular basis. It seems that they are killed in an unregulated way such a drowning. Here is a photo which appears to support that suggestion.
Zoonotic diseases transmitted to consumers
There is a fear of the transmission of rabies to consumers of cat meat. And there are other zoonotic diseases in cats that might be transmitted to people with the risk exacerbated because of the cultural habit of eating cat meat.
The World Health Organisation tells me that rabies kills more than 70 people in Vietnam annually although most cases are caused by dog bites.
Monkey stuff – horror
A superstition in Vietnam which is not about cats but about monkeys is horrific. You may have heard about it. It is called Nao Hau. It is eating the brain of a live monkey. They subdue the monkey with alcohol or some other method and then they break open the skull and eat the monkey’s brain while the animal is alive. The superstition is that this has great potential health problems for the people and of course it kills the monkey.
I have read that people have contracted rabies in this way and they are exposed to other diseases. At least one superstition underpins this practice which is that eating a monkey’s brain can cure impotence. They might believe that it also cures other illnesses and conditions. Either way, there is no science to support it but there is very clear science which supports the health dangers to the people participating in this cultural practice. And common sense tells us that it is a form of gross animal cruelty.
Dog meat
As you might also imagine, Vietnamese living in Vietnam also eat dog meat. Although I’m told that some people want to stop this cultural habit because it does present a less than modern image to people in the West. And it seems that some administrators in the capital of Vietnam, want it to stop in order to preserve the city’s image as a modern metropolis. Why do Vietnamese eat dog meat other than as a food? Wikipedia says: “Dog meat was linked to Vietnamese masculinity by its perceived medicinal quality to improve sexual performance.” Another silly superstition I am afraid.
Vietnamese woman smuggler carried 127 lion claws and 36 lion teeth in her luggage
