Cat poop coffee

Cat poop coffee refers to Kopi Luwak, a highly unusual and expensive coffee made from beans that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet, a small Southeast Asian mammal that resembles a cat but technically isn't one. Here’s how it works: civets eat only the ripest coffee cherries, which pass through their digestive system. Enzymes and fermentation within the civet’s gut change the beans' chemical makeup, purportedly making the coffee smoother and less acidic. Farmers collect the civet droppings, clean the beans thoroughly, dry and roast them as with regular coffee beans.wikipedia+3

Key Details

• Origin: Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, East Timor), Philippines, Vietnam.wikipedia

• Process: Beans are eaten, partially digested, then excreted by civets and collected from feces.vancouvercoffeesnob+2

• Taste: Unique—often described as smoother and less acidic than typical coffee. It does not taste like feces.kayakopi+1

• Safety: Beans are extensively cleaned and roasted at high temperatures, making the final product safe to drink.balancecoffee+1

• Price: Wild-sourced beans can fetch up to $1,300/kg; farmed beans are much cheaper. A single cup can cost $35-$80.balancecoffee+1

• Ethics: Increased demand has led to farming practices where civets are confined and force-fed coffee cherries, raising serious animal welfare concerns.reddit+3

• Alternatives: Other “animal poop” coffees exist, such as bat coffee, where beans are affected by bat saliva during partial ingestion rather than full digestion.balancecoffee

Cultural and Environmental Considerations

Traditionally, beans were sourced from wild civet scat, but today much is produced on farms under questionable conditions. Ethical producers may label their coffee as “wild-sourced” or “cruelty-free,” but these claims are difficult to independently verify.thepoopcoffee+2

Kopi Luwak’s reputation as the "Holy Grail of coffees" is largely due to its rarity and the bizarre process, rather than mass taste consensus or sustainable practices.vancouvercoffeesnob+1

If interested in environmental impact, conservation, or Indigenous perspectives, skepticism about its mainstream luxury narrative is warranted, especially considering animal welfare and habitat degradation concerns.reddit+2

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_luwak
2. https://www.vancouvercoffeesnob.com/coffeeshopdefault/wtf-is-cat-poop-coffee/
3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/5vehpy/i_tried_cat_poop_coffee_aka_kopi_luwak/
4. https://www.kayakopi.com/what-is-kopi-luwak
5. https://kopiluwakdirect.com/poop-coffee-kopi-luwak-history/
6. https://balancecoffee.co.uk/blogs/blog/what-is-kopi-luwak-asian-civet-cat-poop-coffee
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3EHjLEzmQU
8. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBbtnFlyILR/?hl=en
9. https://thepoopcoffee.com