It refers to the growing scientific consensus that domestic cats cause damage to birds and other wildlife due to the numbers they hunt and kill. However, Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the Polish Academy of Sciences was not prepared for the backlash from some cat lovers after he entered Felis catus – the scientific name for the common domestic cat – into a national database run by the academy’s Nature Conservation Institute. The database already had 1,786 other species listed without objection, Mr. Solarz added. The invasive alien species number 1,787, however, is such a beloved creature that it is often honored in Polish cemeteries dedicated to cats and dogs. Mr Solarz said the criteria for including the cat as an invasive alien species “is met 100% by the cat”. In a telecast on TVN, the biologist clashed with the author of a book called The Happy Cat, who said the cats were unfairly over-blamed. Dorota Suminska pointed to other causes of the biology’s decline, such as polluted environments and urban building facades that can kill birds in flight. Read more: First pet-friendly oxygen mask saves cat from London house fire After three weeks on the run at an airport, Rowdy the cat is recaptured The institute has emphasized that it is “opposed to any cruelty to animals”. They added that the classification of domestic cats was in line with European Union directives. The institute noted that Felis catus likely domesticated around 10,000 years ago at the center of the great civilizations of the ancient Middle East, making them scientifically alien to Europe. The Polish institute advised cat owners to limit the time their pets spend outdoors during the bird breeding season.
