Jun 4, 2021 · 1| Deep-fried rat. Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s would’ve likely heard this story. Supposedly a woman orders chicken from a popular fast-food restaurant and goes to watch a movie. (Nobody ever seemed to question why someone would choose to eat fried chicken while inside a cinema).

As a child, I vividly recall a rumor circulating that siopao contained cat meat. This rumor had such a profound impact on me that I still avoid siopao today, despite knowing it tastes delicious and being a favorite in my family. I often wonder about the origin of this rumor.

While the younger respondents simply know it as “cats in siopao”, those closer to thirty and above heard it nicknamed “siomeow” or “ngyaopao”. But several respondents remembered two particular restaurants that were said to be infamous for their use of siomeow.

Aug 13, 2016 · I remember my grandparents warning me to not eat the local siopao because they claim it is made of rat or cat meat. They're basically scaring me to not eat siopao. I still love siopao despite this silly urban legend.

In 1996, a place that served cat meat was supposedly discovered by the Argentine press in a shanty town in Rosario, but in fact the meal had been set up by media from Buenos Aires. (steamed bun), leading some Filipinos to name their pet cats "Siopao".

In the bustling streets of Cebu, a peculiar urban legend has thrived for generations, one that revolves around the beloved Filipino snack known as siopao. The rumor suggests that siopao, those fluffy steamed buns filled with various savory fillings, may contain an unexpected and unsettling ingredient - cat meat.

Aug 19, 2020 · A running urban legend told in the Philippines is the ‘Cat in the Siopao’. It’s a story about what is actually in the food you eat on the streets. Beware for this story might make you hate siopao—food lovers beware.

Nov 3, 2019 · The cat meat rumor started in the mid 80's to early 90's when some people started catching stray cats to butcher for siopao. I saw some of those cat catchers roaming the streets and made sure my cats were safe in the house. This was stopped because an exposé on the local ABS-CBN was done.

Mar 27, 2025 · Underpaid employees of a siopao factory in Marikina City reports their company does not ensure cleanliness in the food that they produce. Their workplace is ...

Feb 17, 2012 · In the Philippines, there is an urban legend (and also considered a joke) that some vendors use cat meat to make siopao (steamed bun), leading some Filipinos to name their pet cats "Siopao". The story tells that one of the restaurants in Quiapo, Manila City was caught throwing cut heads and body parts of street cats at the back.