# Mexican restaurants don't serve stray cats. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2017, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680 "2017-03-21T10:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**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:** [March 22, 2017, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/121 "2017-03-22T11:17:24Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Do you really think that this sort of joke–in which cultural minorities are denigrated by folks in mainstream culture for violating cultural norms–is harmless? I’m happy to debate that with you if you really think that, but want to check that you’re committing to that belief first. Denigrated? Your mama’s so fat, she’s got her own postal code! Is that _denigrating_? Against whom? Yo mama? Or against fat people? _Neither_, as no one is literally so fat that one has one’s own postal code. Cats are literally never on the menu of Mexican restaurants, and suggesting that they are is a completely ridiculous notion. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/122 "2017-03-22T14:11:51Z")
I’m ambivalent about some charges of racism. But it’s asininely stupid to assert that ridicule of Mexicans (or Jews or Muslims) is not racist because they’re not “races.” [QUOTE=Shagnasty] You are letting your own bias show. There is nothing inherently wrong with eating a deer versus a cat. It is just the former is perfectly acceptable in U.S. culture while the latter is not. [/QUOTE] Isn’t an accusation, especially if “joking” or untrue, of conduct which is _not acceptable_ in the relevant culture _almost a definition of racism_? ---
**Author:** ![Maurie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Maurie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maurie)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/123 "2017-03-22T14:24:45Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > If I was describing two Mexican restaurants to a Mexican guy and said one was really good and that I think the other one serves strays. I believe the Mexican guy would walk away from the conversation thinking one restaurant was probably good and one restaurant was shitty. I don’t think he would walk away from the situation thinking I was making some sort of commentary about Mexicans eating dogs. You would have to be fucking nuts to jump to that conclusion. This, so much. I can’t imagine how his comment could be seen as racist when he very specifically is talking about how much he likes one Mexican restaurant. That’s basically the opposite of saying all Mexicans eat dogs. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/124 "2017-03-22T15:22:06Z")
> [@Maurie](#): > > This, so much. I can’t imagine how his comment could be seen as racist when he very specifically is talking about how much he likes one Mexican restaurant. That’s basically the opposite of saying all Mexicans eat dogs. Anything can be seen as racist. You just have to squint really hard. ---
**Author:** ![bobtimusprime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/94ad74/32.png) [@bobtimusprime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobtimusprime)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/125 "2017-03-22T15:23:23Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Anything can be seen as racist. You just have to **squint really hard**. That’s racist. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/126 "2017-03-22T15:42:08Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Anything can be seen as racist. You just have to squint really hard. …if you want to be able to ignore what’s in front of you. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/127 "2017-03-22T16:33:05Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Cats are literally never on the menu of Mexican restaurants, and suggesting that they are is a completely ridiculous notion. No one’s suggesting that Mexican restaurants are listing gatos rellenos and tacos el pusstor on the menu. The suggestion is that shady Mexican restaurants are offering and charging beef, chicken etc and serving up stray cat meat instead. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/128 "2017-03-22T18:53:12Z")
My cat’s breath smells like Mexican food. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/129 "2017-03-22T19:16:03Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > My cat’s breath smells like Mexican food. > > Regards, > Shodan My cat’s breath smells like Mexicans ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/130 "2017-03-22T20:17:11Z")
My Mexican’s breath smells like cats. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/131 "2017-03-22T20:35:49Z")
Unless I totally missed it, I can’t believe we’ve gone four pages and no one has brought this up yet. [Cat in the Kettle (parody) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOy2QCssTaI) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/132 "2017-03-22T20:42:02Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Unless I totally missed it, I can’t believe we’ve gone four pages and no one has brought this up yet. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOy2QCssTaI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOy2QCssTaI) [You missed it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20082869&postcount=80) ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/133 "2017-03-22T21:19:08Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I’m ambivalent about some charges of racism. But it’s asininely stupid to assert that ridicule of Mexicans (or Jews or Muslims) is not racist because they’re not “races.” > > Isn’t an accusation, especially if “joking” or untrue, of conduct which is _not acceptable_ in the relevant culture _almost a definition of racism_? Yup. Just like telling a blonde joke is now racist. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/134 "2017-03-22T21:37:18Z")
What does \*\*octopus \*\*say if you blow in his ear? “Thanks for the refill!” What do you get when you offer \*\*octopus \*\*a penny for his thoughts? Change. How do you keep **octopus** busy all day? Put him in a round room and tell him to sit in the corner. They really transfer seamlessly, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/135 "2017-03-22T21:40:22Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > What does \*\*octopus \*\*say if you blow in his ear? > “Thanks for the refill!” > > What do you get when you offer \*\*octopus \*\*a penny for his thoughts? > Change. > > How do you keep **octopus** busy all day? > Put him in a round room and tell him to sit in the corner. > They really transfer seamlessly, don’t they? cephalopodist! ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/136 "2017-03-22T23:41:22Z")
Gesundheit. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/137 "2017-03-23T00:06:23Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > Gesundheit. Nazi! ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/138 "2017-03-23T01:16:24Z")
Yahtzee! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/139 "2017-03-23T01:27:48Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > Yahtzee! My brother wrote a Yahtzee game for the computer years ago. Freeware. People sent him money. I always wondered if they would, and they did. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680/140 "2017-03-23T01:54:29Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > No one’s suggesting that Mexican restaurants are listing gatos rellenos and tacos el pusstor on the menu. The suggestion is that shady Mexican restaurants are offering and charging beef, chicken etc and serving up stray cat meat instead. Yeah, and like I said upthread, real life Mexicans _in Mexico_ express this same concern. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-restaurants-dont-serve-stray-cats/782680.md?page=8)