Polish institute classifies cats as alien invasive species | AP News
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 3 years ago • 18 commentsBy: VANESSA GERA (AP NEWS)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A respected Polish scientific institute has classified domestic cats as an "invasive alien species," citing the damage they cause to birds and other wildlife.
Some cat lovers have reacted emotionally to this month's decision and put the key scientist behind it on the defensive.
Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the state-run Polish Academy of Sciences, wasn't prepared for the disapproving public response when he entered "Felis catus," the scientific name for the common house cat, into a national database run by the academy's Institute of Nature Conservation.
The database already had 1,786 other species listed with no objections, Solarz told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The uproar over invasive alien species No. 1,787, he said, may have resulted from some media reports that created the false impression his institute was calling for feral and other cats to be euthanized.
Solarz described the growing scientific consensus that domestic cats have a harmful impact on biodiversity given the number of birds and mammals they hunt and kill.
The criteria for including the cat among alien invasive species, "are 100% met by the cat," he said.
In a television segment aired by independent broadcaster TVN, the biologist faced off last week against a veterinarian who challenged Solarz's conclusion on the dangers cats pose to wildlife.
Dorota Suminska, the author of a book titled "The Happy Cat," pointed to other causes of shrinking biodiversity, including a polluted environment and urban building facades that can kill birds in flight.
"Ask if man is on the list of non-invasive alien species," Suminska said, arguing that cats were unfairly assigned too much blame.
Solarz pushed back, arguing that cats kill about 140 million birds in Poland each year.
Earlier this month, the Polish Academy institute published a post on its website citing the "controversy" and seeking to clarify its position. The institute stressed that it was "opposed to any cruelty towards animals." It also argued that its classification was in line with European Union guidelines.
As far as categorizing cats as "alien," the institute noted that "Felis catus" was domesticated probably around 10,000 years ago in the cradle of the great civilizations of the ancient Middle East, making the species alien to Europe from a strictly scientific point of view.
The institute also stressed that all it was recommending was for cat owners to limit the time their pets spend outdoors during bird breeding season.
"I have a dog, but I don't have anything against cats," Solarz said.
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Cats have been present around the world for millions of years. They have always killed birds and mice. That is their job on the food chain.
Morons.
If your cat is sitting near my bushes trying to kill birds it's getting the hose. Keep your cat indoors where it's safe for the cat and safe for the birds, please.
And I have no problem with you doing that
I wouldn't spout that nonsense in NZ where cats, an introduced species have destroyed the native bird population.
If you have a cat keep it inside.
We have two resident bald eagles and numerous hawks in our complex you do not see cats out on the loose.
So you are saying that it is Poland's fault if they don't have enough cat predators?
/s
I have known a few eastern Europeans who show complete disgust for cats.
So the fact that Poland is making a point of noticing that cats are an invasive alien species does raise an eyebrow in that regard. But the truth is that they are an invasive alien species. So are horses in North America.
If you have ever been to Hawaii the cats are kind of surreal there. Everything in Hawaii is an invasive alien species, particularly the humans. Also, the chickens, pigs, the rats, mosquitos, flies, mice, cockroaches, most of the plants, you get the idea.
The question is what they intend to do with this pronouncement in Poland. Do they think they need to start exterminating cats? Or do they just think they need to monitor them along with the rest of the critters that are going to die in Putin's mushroom cloud?
I don't like birds. They are noises and wake me up too early. Poop all over too.
Take my cat over a bird anyday.
100% agree
Feral cats can be a problem....
Feral ARE a problem.
I have 6 available for adoption !
No thanks, I'll stick with dogs.
Duplicate Removed
I have 4 cats. They are fearless and boneless. They keep the mice to a bare minimum as well as any other animal smaller than they are. Cats also prove that the Earth is indeed round because if it was flat, they would have pushed all the shit off the side by now. Unfortunately, the flat Earthers still continue to spread their lies and propaganda.
I do think cats are harmful to wild birds and other small animals such as rabbits and squirrels. I've had 2 cats that were mighty hunters. Except one like to prey on moles. He never meant to kill them it just happened.
I like to keep mine inside but sometimes she won't take no for an answer.
I wonder when this institute will classify humans as "alien invasive species" for similar reasons.
C'mon, they are an extraterrestrial invasive species.