Most people perceive cats as wonderful creatures, and we’re not here to contradict them one bit. Cats are loving, playful, cuddling, and so on. But we have to admit that these creatures also have a “dark side,” as they can be intrusive, selfish, and even predators of other animals.
Therefore, there’s no wonder why at least from a scientific standpoint, cats can be considered an ‘invasive alien species.’ That’s how the scientific institute Polish Academy of Sciences (PASIFIC) declared the felines, as AP NEWS reveals. The institute reminds us about the damage that cats cause to birds, as well as other wildlife, in defending the decision.
The household cat known scientifically as “felis catus” has become part of a national database that’s powered by the Institute of Nature Conservation of the academy.
Wojciech Solarz, a biologist from the Polish Academy of Sciences, even said that cats meet all the criteria to be considered an invasive species.
Cats are bird killers
Whether we like it or not, cats kill other animals, such as mice and birds. While perhaps everybody knows that, what most people might not know is how many of our flying friends are killed by felines every year. Solarz reveals that in Poland alone, cats kill 140 million birds every year.
Becky Robinson, who is president and founder of the Bethesda, Maryland-based Alley Cat Allies, stated, as the New York Post quotes:
There is no future in which people can exist without cats. They are here to stay,
The only path forward is through humane, nonlethal programs such as Trap-Neuter-Return, the scientifically proven approach to effectively and humanely address community cat populations.
Of course, the public hasn’t been content by the decision to declare cats an ‘invasive alien species,’ and we’re eager to find out more on the subject soon enough!
