On Monday, James Mukangu Kimani was sentenced to three years in prison for slaughtering and selling cat meat to unsuspecting customers in Nakuru town.
When caught, the 34-year-old confessed: "I have ready clients who I have been selling the cat meat to for close to eight years."
“I began this business in 2012 after I saw there was a need for the meat by samosa sellers. I tell my clients that I get the meat from Gioto (a popular dump site) but they do not know it is cat meat,” he told journalists.
[caption caption="James Mukangu Kimani when he was nabbed while skinning a cat on June, 22"]
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Kenyans online were quick to jump on the news, expressing their disgust, shock and anger in hilarious comments.
"Well, The cat's finally out of the bag as Samosa Seller finally caught after 8 years of serving cat... only In Nakuru," one user noted.
[caption caption="Memes making rounds online about cat samosas"]
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Another stated, "A catchphrase by Nakuru samosa sellers: "Our samosas are very delicious. They are a cat above the rest."
Others were not worried about the meat with one disclosing" "As long as no one has died of eating cat meat samosas, then it's kawaida meat kwani"
One user was more wondered why there were no missing cats reported in the town.
"A dude made 500 thousand shillings by skinning 1000 cats and making them into samosas. You are telling me nobody noticed 1000 cats missing," he questioned.
Researchers have in the past pointed out that cat meat is potentially perilous as cats are often infected with toxoplasmosis and other contagious diseases.
[caption caption="Some of the reactions to the cat samosas"]
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Public health officials are advised to discourage locals from consuming road kill and cats that have died of natural causes.
Toxoplasmosis is a disease that results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, one of the world's most common parasites.
Infection usually occurs by eating undercooked contaminated meat or exposure from infected cat faeces.
Toxoplasmosis may cause flu-like symptoms in some people, but most people affected never develop signs and symptoms.
[caption caption="Reactions to the cat samosas"]
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A doctor who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke stated that cat meat had no known effect.
"Unless one is allergic to cat meat like you would be to any other type of meat, the meat has really no effect.
"Cats do have parasites that if you do not cook properly could be ingested and the diseases associated with eating the meat are not documented in Kenya because it is not a usual source of meat," the doctor told this writer on the phone.
[caption caption="Reactions to the cat samosas"]
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