A Polish scientific institute has classified domestic cats as an "invasive alien species" because of the damage they cause to birds and other wildlife, the Associated Press reported.

Pet owners reacted emotionally to this decision and demanded an explanation.

However, Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the state-run Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), found himself unprepared for the public response when he entered "Felis catus," the scientific name for the common domestic cat, into a national database run by the Nature Conservation Institute, part from PAN.

It contains 1,786 other species included without objection, Solarsh explained to The Associated Press.

However, Invasive Alien Species #1787 is such a beloved creature that it is often honored in Polish cemeteries reserved for cats and dogs.

Solarsh cites a scientific claim that domestic cats have a detrimental impact on biodiversity because of the number of birds and mammals they hunt and kill.

The criteria for including the pet among alien invasive species "are met 100 percent by the cat," explains the biologist.

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In a televised debate broadcast by an independent local channel last week, Solarsh confronted a veterinarian challenging his conclusion about the dangers cats pose to wildlife.

Dorota Šuminska, author of the book The Happy Cat, pointed to other reasons for the decline in biodiversity, including environmental pollution and urban building facades that can kill birds in flight.

"Ask if the human is on the non-invasive alien species list," she said, arguing that cats are unfairly given too much blame.

Solarsh told The Associated Press that media reports about the list give the false impression that the institute is calling for feral and other cats to be euthanized.

Earlier this month, the agency published an article on its website citing the "controversy" and seeking to clarify its position.

From there, they emphasize that they are "against any cruelty to animals".

The classification is also claimed to be in line with European Union guidelines.

As for the categorization of cats as "foreign", the institute notes that the species "Felis catus" was domesticated probably about 10 thousand years ago in the cradle of civilizations in the ancient Near East, and this makes it alien to Europe from a strictly scientific point of view .

The Polish scientists also emphasize that all they recommend is that cat owners limit the time their pets spend outdoors during the birds' breeding season, adds BTA.

"I have a dog, but I don't mind cats," explains Solarsh.

domestic cats