Food Waste Episode 2: JJAM TIGER

(This episode is a continuation of Episode 1: JJAM. For a clearer understanding, it is recommended to read the first episode before proceeding.)

When we took out food waste, we always used a handcart, and I remember two types of animals that we saw every time: the first were various species of flies, and the second were groups of cats. Today, I want to talk about the cats—animals that are almost always present in Korean military bases.

In the military, we attach the word “jjam” to a lot of things, and these cats are no exception. We call them “Jjam Tigers.” There’s a reason for that name: these cats eat so much leftover food (jjam) that they grow significantly larger than regular stray cats. Sometimes only one cat is around, but in the bases I served in, they were usually big—really big.

They sometimes wander in naturally from other bases, but in some cases, they’re even brought in on purpose to catch mice. If they’ve received proper vaccinations, they might be relatively safe, but cats that come in naturally can pose real risks. Though they may look cute, they’re quite a hygiene concern. Living around food waste bins and rummaging through leftovers, they are likely to carry various pathogenic bacteria and parasites. Notably, Salmonella spp. can be present on their fur, paws, or in their feces, and can cause high fever, diarrhea, and even sepsis in humans. Campylobacter jejuni is another bacteria often spread through cats and can lead to acute bloody diarrhea.

Their feces may also carry a parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii. In healthy adults, infection is often mild or even unnoticed. However, in immunocompromised individuals, it can cause serious complications such as vision loss, neurological inflammation, or pneumonia. The risk is particularly severe for pregnant women, as infection can result in birth defects, brain damage, or miscarriage.

The problem is that these cats don’t just stay around food waste bins—they sometimes sneak into food storage areas and steal ingredients. In doing so, they can directly contaminate food with bacteria or parasites. If such contaminated ingredients end up being served to soldiers, it can lead to widespread outbreaks. Adding to the concern, cats breed rapidly and often, which causes their population to grow quickly and further worsens hygiene and infection risks.

This isn't just a matter of cleanliness—it’s a real risk of rapid bacterial spread and potential disease transmission. That’s why we need to see these cats not just as cute companions, but also recognize the health threats they pose. Restricting their access to living and food-preparation areas and maintaining strict hygiene control is an essential step to protect soldiers’ health.

There's also something quite unfortunate about these cats: although they stay near food waste, they don’t really have much to eat. The food we leave behind is made for humans and often contains very high levels of salt, which can be dangerous for cats.

Cats are obligate carnivores, and they have a much lower ability than humans to regulate sodium in their bodies. A diet high in salt can lead to high blood pressure, kidney failure, and heart disease. Renal failure is one of the most common causes of death in stray cats. Salty food can also cause severe dehydration, and in environments where clean water is not readily available, this becomes even more hazardous.

So while these cats may look large and well-fed, the reality is that they often suffer from malnutrition and chronic illnesses, making their lives far less healthy than they appear. This negatively impacts their survival and further complicates efforts to control their population and maintain hygiene on base.

In previous essays, I’ve written about how creatures like deer or moths illustrate the way ecosystems can change due to military environments. Military bases often create their own ecosystems, reshaping or replacing the existing natural systems. This isn’t always a bad thing—but it doesn’t always lead to good outcomes either. If these plants and animals become entirely dependent on the military’s presence to survive, it’s likely that the entire artificial ecology would disappear the moment the military is withdrawn. That’s why it’s important to approach these kinds of issues with awareness, and to analyze them carefully before taking action.