There is an opinion that Nicholas II was something of a beast, who during hunting killed harmless creatures like cats, dogs, and crows, recording each victim in his diary. In his book “The Adult World of Imperial Residences,” Igor Zimin writes:
“In this list, alongside traditional animals such as bears, bison, deer, and wolves, Nicholas II constantly included crows, stray cats, and dogs. And in huge quantities. According to the author’s calculations, just over six years (1896, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1908, 1911), the tsar shot 3,786 ‘stray’ dogs, 6,176 ‘stray’ cats, and 20,547 crows. It is difficult to understand why these unfortunate dogs and cats were needed by the tsar, and where and how he hunted them down. Was this not a peculiar outlet for the deeply hidden aggressiveness of a seemingly gentle tsar?”
Such statements about the tsar’s cruelty towards four-legged animals are nothing more than slander. Undoubtedly, he shot cats, crows, and dogs, but his motivation was not a thirst for blood, but rather the hunting law of 1892, which mandated the extermination of predatory animals and birds, as well as stray dogs.
“19. To exterminate predatory animals and birds, their chicks and nests, as well as to kill stray cats and dogs in fields and forests throughout the year, by any means except poison.
- The following are classified as predatory animals: bear, wolf, fox, jackal, badger, arctic fox, ferret, weasel, otter, mink, stoat, marten, wolverine, lynx, wild cat, and squirrel. The following are recognized as predatory birds: eagle, golden eagle, falcon, gyrfalcon, all hawks, magpie, raven, crow, jackdaw, jay, nutcracker, shrike, owl, and sparrow.”
In other words, Nicholas did nothing extraordinary and engaged in the same activities as other hunters. Moreover, cats and dogs could be carriers of various diseases such as rabies, posing a danger to other animals and humans. Secondly, the text explicitly states “wild cats,” which could refer to lynxes. Their habitat extends to the areas of the Tsar’s hunts. They still inhabit these areas even now, albeit not in large numbers.
At the same time, the royal family had their own pets, surrounded by love and care from their owners. Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, a lady-in-waiting and close friend of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, recalls:
“The entire royal family loved animals. The Tsar had a dog named Iman for a long time. After Iman died, the Tsar did not take dogs into his room, but only walked 11 English collies, which were housed in a small house in the park. The Tsarina had a small English terrier, “Era”; <…> When “Era” died, the Empress cried for her. Alexei Nikolaevich had a spaniel, “Roy”, and a large cat, a gift from General Voeikov. This cat slept on his bed. Tatyana Nikolaevna had a small bull, “Ortipo”, and “Jimi” – a King Charles, which I gave her and which was found killed in the Yekaterinburg house where Their Majesties were imprisoned.”
If Nicholas II hated cats and dogs so much, why didn’t he shoot those living right next to him? One can have differing opinions about his ability to rule the country and make geopolitical decisions, but senseless cruelty towards representatives of the fauna is the last thing he can be accused of.
Source: [1]И.В. Зимин. Взрослый мир императорских резиденций. Вторая четверть XIX – начало XX в. Центрполиграф, 2010. – С. 51.
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