A suggestion that a stray cat, which welcomes visitors to the former Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, would be better off in an animal shelter has outraged web surfers.

The cute white and grey cat moved to the camp site about six months ago and immediately won the hearts of visitors. The animal loiters gracefully next to the entrance gate with the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” iron sign and even lets itself to be petted.

Many visitors are keen on taking a photo of this surprising addition to the grim landscape of the former death camp. The kitty even has a name, or rather two names – Bruno and Rudolf – both hardly befitting a female cat.

“Bruno is much liked by the staff but after this six month “service” to the museum it would be better for it to find a place in an animal shelter”, Adam Cyra, a senior Auschwitz Museum curator, said, causing a storm.

The web exploded into activity. A campaign in defence of the cat was launched, prompting the museum spokesman Jaroslaw Mensfelt to explain that the curator’s view is not official. There are no plans to take the cat to an animal shelter. The For Animals Foundation in nearby Katowice is ready to provide a cat house for Bruno, aka Rudolf. (kk/jb)

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza