Dubrovnik, pearl of the Adriatic in Croatia, is torn over the fate of Anastasia, a 17-year-old street cat recently evicted from one of the most beautiful palaces in the medieval city.
The cat Anastasia in her dressing room in front of the Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik, Croatia, March 30, 2022
Cat does not pass: controversy in Dubrovnik over the fate of a street feline – Gallery
The cat Anastasia in front of the Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik, Croatia, March 30, 2022
The cat Anastasia in her dressing room in front of the Rector’s Palace in Dubrovnik, Croatia, March 30, 2022
The tricolor feline appreciated by the many tourists who visit the ancient Ragusa had chosen to spend his time under the arches of the rector’s palace, an architectural marvel of the 14th century.
She settled first in a cardboard box, then in a wooden niche made at the end of March by Srdjan Kera, a resident of Dubrovnik, in the same half-Gothic, half-Renaissance style as the palace, equipped with a cushion of red velvet and stamped with a plaque bearing the name of the feline, “Anastasia”.
But the direction of the museums of Dubrovnik, which sits in the palace, did not appreciate and demanded the removal of the niche shortly following, to the chagrin of animal rights defenders.
No one is allowed to damage “the unique and historical whole” that is Dubrovnik, “in particular by building shelters or habitats”, she said in a statement.
The decision sparks heated debates in the locality of 44,000 inhabitants. On social networks, calls to protect the animal, which had already been expelled last year from a makeshift shelter, are increasing.
“Anastasia needs her house! Give him his house! Apparently, cultural institutions are run by people without culture,” said a surfer on Facebook.
In an online poll organized by a local newspaper, 90% of the 4,500 participants believed that the niche should remain under the palace arches. “It’s my house. It’s only one cat, there aren’t 70 of them,” exclaims Srdjan Kera.
But the mayor of Dubrovnik Mato Frankovic flew to the aid of the museums, noting that the city was home to a lot of stray cats and might be proud of the fact that they are all “well fed”, not “skinny”. “It shows how this city coexists with animals. Why should we house them now?”.
In the meantime, the cat has her own Facebook page, “Kneginja Anastazija” (Princess Anastasia) and an online petition calling for the return of her house had collected nearly 12,000 signatures on Saturday.
AFP