Warning: Story contains images some people may find upsetting



A unique fashion accessory for sale on Trade Me is bringing new meaning to the idea of letting the cat out of the bag.



Starting at a minimum bidding reserve of $1400 you could be the owner of this hirsute handbag, fashioned from the pelt and head of a cat.



Filed under "cat art, taxidermy, fashion, art deco, purse, handbag, cat walk, catatonic ,crazy, cool, purrrrrfect" the one-off bag is up for sale by a Christchurch seller on Trade Me.

The surreal taxidermy was made by Christchurch taxidermist Claire Hobbs who said no animals were killed or hurt in the making of it. Other items by the taxidermist for sale on Trade Me include hybrid stuffed cat-birds and chicken-cats.

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The handbag cat was roadkill and was kept for three months in her freezer while Hobbs checked community noticeboards for lost pets.

She does not take commissions and said most of the cats used in her artwork were feral and shot on a farm owned by a friend.

Responding to criticism her art was disrespectful to animals Hobbs said it was quite the opposite.

TRADE ME Fine art or just plain feral? This cat handbag is being auctioned on Trade Me.

"To spend all that time on tanning and sculpture and making it brand new shows the utmost respect."

Neither does she think it's creepy.

"I guess because it's a domestic animal people get a bit funny about it. I don't kill animals for my work, it's not as though I go around snuffing out animals thinking this'll make a nice handbag."

Trade Me Bidding for the bag begins at $1400.

Trade Me spokesman Logan Mudge said sellers' assurances that there was no cruelty involved were taken at face value.

"It is certainly a statement bag and while it's not for me, we suspect there will be a buyer out there who is keen. This is a pretty unusual bag and we expect the auction will attract a lot of attention over the next few days," he said.

Save Animals From Exploitation director Hans Kriek said while using animals that had been put down or died naturally for taxidermy was legal the cat handbag was in poor taste and was disrespectful to animals.

"If you were to do these with people it would be absolutely not acceptable ... is turning a cat into a handbag any worse than turning an elephant's foot into an umbrella stand?" Kriek said.

The online auction site allows the sale of taxidermy although the company understands not everyone will agree with its stance.

"We're not animal skin experts so we've taken a temperature check from our community and there is a wide spectrum of views – some all for it, some totally against it and a bunch of people who don't care either way," Mudge said.

"Where there's no legal line we often take a 'wait and see' approach, and let the community help navigate whether it's okay or not. We're letting this one run for now."

After a cat skin rug – that eventually sold for $955 – generated controversy in 2013 Trade Me outlined its position on the the selling of animal items with input from the SPCA on its website.

Wellington SPCA chief executive Steve Glassey said while taxidermy was legal "turning a companion animal into a fashion accessory is morally not a good look".