Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu), March 3 : For most the sight of a little cat evokes affection. The soft pussy is allowed to hop from lap to lap to be caressed and cuddled. But for some tribes in Tamil Nadu, they are best served as a meat!

Believe it or not, cat meat is enjoyed as a delicacy by tribes like Irulas and Boers of Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri District. It is very popular among these rural folk who belong to hilly regions. These people mostly depend on meat for food.

For these people, cat meat is a healthy food. They believe that cat's blood can cure ailments like body ache, pain in the joints besides being an energizing tonic!

"We believe that if we drink cat's blood, it will reduce Polio and body pain, moreover it also gives energy. We drink cat’s blood once or twice a month and need not take injections or medication. Cat’s blood takes away all the pain," said Thimraj a tribal from one of the villages in Krishnagiri.

""We are all farmers and we usually catch both domestic as well as wild cats for food. We catch and eat the cat for good health. When I drink cat's blood, my body feels healthy. You should not think how to drink it but for a healthy living you need to drink cat's blood," said Krishnamurthy, another villager.

Once caught the cats are slaughtered by cutting the throat and the blood is taken out. After that it is tossed into boiling water followed by roasting over fire . The cat is skinned and finally the meat is chopped into pieces and cooked with spices for taste.

Apart from that Iruals are also known for eating rats and they are experts in catching bandicoots and other rodents.

For these tribal villagers, cat meat serves a special delicacy. (ANI)