# kittens as fishbait? Wtf? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585 "2003-07-29T03:32:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/1 "2003-07-29T03:32:40Z")
Ok, I was told today about something VERY disturbing, and Im looking for confirmation whether such a thing actually happens or whether I was being put upon. Apparently this persons uncle would use kittens as bait to fish for Musky or some such fish up in northern ontario. Would hook live kittens onto a hook and toss em in the water. Is such a sick thing possible? I know nothing about fishing so Ive no idea about the relative size of these fish so I couldnt tell if what she told me was even possible. Anyone know if it such a thing is/has been done? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/2 "2003-07-29T03:38:09Z")
I highly doubt this is true, seeing as kittens are rarely available as a natural food source for fish. Methinks you’ve been suckered. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/3 "2003-07-29T03:43:55Z")
Well what are you supposed to do when you get tired of your Bonsai Kitten? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/4 "2003-07-29T03:48:14Z")
I think they got the Musky part wrong; perhaps Dogfish? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Slartibartfastt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@Slartibartfastt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slartibartfastt)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/5 "2003-07-29T03:53:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Live kittens used to lure giant catfish > LIVE kittens are being used as bait by professional fishermen hunting giant catfish for European restaurants. [http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html](http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/6 "2003-07-29T04:15:23Z")
[Yes I would say](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000067.jpg) [that one of those](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000071.jpg) [could eat a kitten](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000096.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/7 "2003-07-29T04:46:15Z")
Those aren’t musky, [but](http://www.wishboneresort.com/musky.jpg) [these](http://www.muskymania.com/photos/pete01.jpg) [are.](http://www.websterlakemuskyclub.com/images/record%202.jpg) . Muskellunge, or muskies are closely related to northern pike, and are an aggresive predatory fish that can get pretty big. They’ll eat duckings and small rodent-sized mammals if they get a chance, so yeah, they could definately eat a kitten. But there are just so many other ways (both less dimented and more sporting) to catch them that _if_ anyone ever used baby kitties as bait they’d be some weirdo hermit living out in the bayou - so no, it’s certainly not mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/8 "2003-07-29T06:12:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*[Yes I would say](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000067.jpg) > > [that one of those](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000071.jpg) > > [could eat a kitten](http://xvella.free.fr/photos/great/000000/00000096.jpg) \*\* Jesus H. Christ. I had no idea freshwater fish could get that large… I’m never going swimming again. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/9 "2003-07-29T06:30:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cat Fight \* > \*\*Well what are you supposed to do when you get tired of your Bonsai Kitten? \*\* I was thinking the same thing! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/10 "2003-07-29T06:46:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slartibartfastt \* > \*\*[http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html](http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html) \*\* Well, if that’s true – it’s right up there with the puppy dogs being offered up as someone’s dinner in the Orient. And, if it’s NOT true – why the hell post it?? Or, if it IS fact – why the hell post it? I’ll save you the trouble of responding, since I’m off to bed. Bye now, ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/11 "2003-07-29T07:14:56Z")
“Well, shor, Bab. I hear they’re rising this mornin’ to tabby kittens, dontcha know.” They might be… they might not be." “Got no decent kitty lure. Have decent picture hanging wire, ya betcha, but no cat-bait.” “No worries. Here’s two gray ones, right out of the shelter. The way they wriggle the muskies will think they’ve died and gone to heaven.” “Bab, we’ll shore have a good fry with Marge tonight, ya betcha!” ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/12 "2003-07-29T11:04:19Z")
I hope I’m not wandering too close to Great Debates or anything here, but I’ll just factually point out that many Asian cultures eat dog which seems sickening and offensive to us. However most of us eat beef, which is offensive and sickening to Hindis. Not to mention pork, the eating of which can be offensive to Jews and Muslims. Of course there’s a moral problem if someone steals a pet to use as fish bait, but aside from that a feral animal is a feral animal and a raised-for-slaughter animal is a raised-for-slaughter animal. To reguide where I’m going with this, does anyone know the result of the case several months ago of a pet shop owner accused of feeding kittens to his snakes? This was a slow-news-day-national story when it came out, but I have no idea who won, and won’t bother to point out who I hope won. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/13 "2003-07-29T11:56:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slartibartfastt \* > \*\*[http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html](http://heraldsun.news.com.au/printpage/0,5481,6741856,00.html) \*\* This has UL written all over it and Astro’s photos have “Photoshop” written all over them. Reminds me of the guy holding a huge cat in his arms. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/14 "2003-07-29T12:18:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > … and Astro’s photos have “Photoshop” written all over them. Not at all. The European catfish can get quite big. Just take a look [here](http://www.fishguide.se/specimenfiskar/mal/index_mal.html) (I don’t think you’ll need a translation into English). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/15 "2003-07-29T12:28:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*This has UL written all over it and Astro’s photos have “Photoshop” written all over them. Reminds me of the guy holding a huge cat in his arms. \*\* Ummm… you must not be a freshwater sailor. Look up “sheatfish” or “wels catfish” in google. > [@](#): > > Definition: \Sheat"fish`, n. [Cf. dial. G. scheid, schaid, > schaiden.] (Zo["o]l.) > A European siluroid fish ({Silurus glanis}) allied to the > cat-fishes. It is the largest fresh-water fish of Europe, > sometimes becoming six feet or more in length. See > {Siluroid}. [Then check out this fishing website where I got the pics](http://xvella.free.fr/index.html). > [@](#): > > European catfishing (wells catfish). > Collection of catfishing photos and MPG movies in Europe (France, Spain, Italy, …). Check [this one out](http://www.pescare.com/siluro/Album/AlbumYuri/2big.jpg) They are _not_ Photoshopped. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/16 "2003-07-29T12:33:06Z")
Catfish reallt can get to those dimensions - no problem. The issue is that although “live bait” is common enough in several rural places, the bait used is what the fish would usually eat. A Catfish (or Musky) isn’t going to know what the fuck a kitten is. You’d have more success if you just put a small live trout on a hook. The “thrashing” effect would be just as effective and far more likely to entice a predator - since as they are animals, they are frightened of what they don’t know. Note: they only resorted to eating ducks and rodents when all the other fish were gone… ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/17 "2003-07-29T12:33:59Z")
Or just check Snopes. > **[Keep on Noodlin'](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/keep-on-noodlin/)** > > Do photographs show fisherman with giant catfish caught by 'noodling'? Wasn’t doubting you Diceman, I rememberthe story from ages ago. Bear in mind, these guys catch them with their bare hands. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/18 "2003-07-29T12:34:22Z")
I have heard that fishermen are not always truthful in their tales. ---
**Author:** ![Dragline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@Dragline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragline)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/19 "2003-07-29T12:56:36Z")
There are swimming lures for fish, a duckling with spinner blades for feet and several mouse-like surface lures that work fairly well. I even caught a largemouth bass in Arkansas that had a mouse in its stomach - yuck. Anyway, excess newborn kittens make good crabtrap bait. What the hell, people drown them anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585/20 "2003-07-29T12:58:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dragline \* > \*\*…What the hell, people drown them anyway. \*\* People may drown them, but it would take a pretty strong stomach to impale the little guys on a hook… euch… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kittens-as-fishbait-wtf/191585.md?page=2)