A museum in China was recently forced to reverse its decision to evict a litter of stray cats after netizens protested the move.
For some reason, cats really love museums. Around the world, these venues have been home to some of the most beloved local feline figures, from Maray in Russia to Channing Tatum in Singapore. China’s Xi’an Beilin Museum is no exception, with two adult cats and two kittens residing on site, which used to be a former Confucian temple in central China, reports BBC.
The cats are adored by local tourists and are frequently featured in both their photos and the museum’s official Weibo account.
The feline family’s life was purrfect until last July, when the mother cat scratched a child who was trying to play with its kitten. The child’s mother filed a complaint with the museum’s management, prompting officials to come up with a plan to relocate the creatures.
Once Chinese netizens caught wind of the decision, they wasted no time in voicing their love for the cats. Thousands of angry users flocked to the museum’s Weibo account to demand that the feline family be left alone.
"Don't force them out of their homes, they have no fixed abode, that's awful and they are not to blame," pleaded one user, according to BBC. Others pointed out that cats don’t usually attack people unprovoked, and a “voiceless kitten” shouldn’t bear the brunt of a child’s mistake.
In an effort to placate the public, Beilin management arranged a meeting and came to the decision that the cats could continue living in the compound.
"The cats can stay! Thank you everyone for their concern and support over the past few days,” the museum shared on its Weibo. “The museum will ensure to better supervise these cats, even providing them with vaccinations, insect repellent, sterilization and continue to put up signs warning visitors about interacting with the cats.”
The result was met with overwhelming joy online, with the post on Beilin’s Weibo garnering 18,000 shares and likes. "We never expected so many supportive comments for our kittens on Weibo," Li Jingwen, the museum’s media officer, shared. "I personally was very moved."
[Photo via BBC]
