An institution in Poland has classified domestic cats as an “invasive alien species.” Scientist Wojciech Solarz made the choice after pointing out the harm cats do to nearby birds as well as other species. A considerable portion of the scientific community, according to Solarz, thinks that cats have a negative impact on biodiversity. Additionally, their predatory habits seriously damage the environment.
1,786 other species were previously registered in the data with no concerns, according to Solarz. He said that the uproar over invasive alien species No. 1,787 may have come from some media reports that created the false impression his institute was calling for feral and other cats to be euthanized. The criteria for including the cat among alien invasive species, “are 100% met by the cat,” he said.
Cats kill about 140 million birds in Poland each year
In TV debates, Solarz was facing criticisms over his stance. However, the scientist stern on his viewpoint, saying that “cats kill about 140 million birds in Poland each year.” The Polish Academy institute posted an article on its website earlier this month mentioning the “controversy” and simply to explain its point. The institute made it clear that it was “opposed to any cruelty to animals.” Additionally, it claimed that their classification followed rules established by the European Union.
The institution stated that “Felis catus” is a species that is alien to Europe from a purely scientific perspective. That’s because it was in the ancient Middle East, where the great civilizations of antiquity originated. It was possibly approximately 10,000 years ago. The institute made clear that the only thing it was advising cat owners to do was to keep their pets indoors during the bird breeding season.
