(AP)
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Several dozen protesters in Beijing today urged an end to the "shameful" and "cruel slaughter" of cats for food as they unfurled banners in a tearful demonstration. Thousands of cats across the country have been rounded up recently by traders and transported to Guangdong province; protesters claim they are skinned and cooked alive. The Chinese media have been filled with pictures of cats in cages, rescued enroute to Guangzhou, the provincial capital.
One paper estimates that 10,000 cats are consumed daily in Guangdong. "We must make them correct this uncivilized behavior," the protest leader said, urging the provincial government to crack down on cat traders and restaurants that serve cat meat, although it's not illegal, and has long been common in some parts of China.
