Polish Academy of Sciences has categorized domestic cats as an "invasive alien species"

[LTS3]

A scientific institute has classified pet cats as an 'invasive alien species' and cat lovers are not happy

The Polish Academy of Sciences said the domestic cat is an "invasive alien species" based on its negative impact on local wildlife.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[maggie101]

Wow!!!

 

[furmonster mom]

Comments on the Academy's Facebook page see people saying the institution's classification is "simply stupid and harmful," with one saying, " you suck and are unworthy of your name."

Speaking to AP, Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the state-run Polish Academy of Sciences, said he was not expecting such a response to adding the Felis Catus to the database, saying that no other entry has caused such an emotional response.

Such was the furor that Solarz faced off with cat champion Dorota Suminska, the author of a book titled "The Happy Cat," on national TV. Suminska, a vet, said, "Ask if man is on the list of non-invasive alien species" when discussing shrinking bio-diversity. and argued that cats were unfairly assigned too much blame.

lol
They didn’t expect that kind of reaction?
What did they think would happen?
Would they not expect the same reaction if the study had come to the same conclusion about dogs? or rabbits? horses? or any other domesticated animal that people keep as pets?

They call themselves scientists… idiots

 

[Furballsmom]

They call themselves scientists… idiots

 

[maggie101]

One response was people should be on the list as an invasive species

 

[goingpostal]

lol
They didn’t expect that kind of reaction?
What did they think would happen?
Would they not expect the same reaction if the study had come to the same conclusion about dogs? or rabbits? horses? or any other domesticated animal that people keep as pets?

They call themselves scientists… idiots

Science isn't about feelings, it's about facts. People keep reptiles as pets and yet most reptile owners have no issue understanding that snakes and reptiles can be invasive, should never be released outside when unwanted and are ok with them being trapped/killed. It's just the way people work that cute furry animals evoke a different reaction. Same reason why animal conservation places have to fundraise using pics and stories of tigers and bears over turtles or fish, even animal lovers tend to care about certain ones more than others.

 

[furmonster mom]

Who decided to work up this scientific report? Did they do an equal report on other domesticated pets?

Basic psychology would tell anyone how the public would react to this report.
The fact that they say they weren’t expecting such a reaction makes them idiots.

 

[furmonster mom]

Also, at what point, from a historical perspective, do you call a species invasive? Cats have been a part of the environment around the world for thousands of years.

I get the need to get the message to control the population through pet spay/neuter, and keeping them indoors, but the presentation here was not well thought out.