The Cat's Meat Man: Feeding London's Cats

On January 10, 1901, 250 "cat's meat men" gathered for a grand dinner in London. These were street sellers who sold cheap meat specifically for pets. Just twelve days after this event, Queen Victoria passed away.

A cat's meat man pushed a cart through the streets, calling out to passersby. He sold meat on sticks to pet owners for their cats, as well as to those feeding stray animals. These men were often kind to the strays.

Writer Henry Mayhew studied these men in 1851. He estimated that roughly 1,000 sellers fed about 300,000 cats across London. The job was demanding; one man recalled walking thirty or forty miles every day.

They primarily sold to people living in small houses. Most sellers were poor but respectable individuals. Some were born into the trade, while others turned to it due to illness or failure in other occupations. Some women, often widows, also worked as sellers, frequently using old baby prams as carts.

A diligent seller saved his money, as each man effectively "owned" his specific street route; no one else was allowed to sell there. The job carried inherent dangers. Hungry dogs might attack, and if a cart tipped over, the cats would devour the spilled meat.

People often wondered: was the meat intended for cats, or was it made from cats? This ambiguity terrified Victorian children, who feared their own pets might be sold for food.

In 1871, during the war in Paris, food shortages were severe. People there were forced to eat cat, dog, and rat meat. Such reports shocked the British public.

In 1888, a woman was murdered in Whitechapel, London, and is believed to have been a victim of Jack the Ripper. Her body was discovered on steps leading to a cat's meat shop. The shop specialized in selling horse meat for pets.

Writer Charles Dickens visited a slaughterhouse in 1868, where old or sick horses were killed at night. The work took place after dark because cats preferred fresh meat.

By 6 a.m., the meat was delivered to the sellers. The men spent an hour skewering the meat. By 8 a.m., their carts were full, and they began their daily rounds.

The 1901 dinner was a thank-you event sponsored by a cat magazine. A famous cat artist named Louis Wain was a guest speaker; he served as the president of the National Cat Club.

The dinner was highly popular, with many people seeking tickets. The sellers were delighted, and a duchess helped serve the food, urging the men to report any instances of cats being harmed. A musician performed, and she even brought her own cat to the event.

After the meal, Louis Wain spoke, inviting the men as fellow cat lovers. He thanked them for feeding stray cats. A letter from a princess was read, demonstrating that even royalty cared about felines. The dinner celebrated the cat's meat man, acknowledging his key role in city life.