The seller of a cat skin rug on Trade Me could face prosecution, says the New Zealand SPCA.

The auction for the pelt, described as belonging to a wild cat, closed on Thursday and was sold for $70.

The seller described it as a wild cat which was caught killing domestic poultry.

"This auction is extremely disturbing, not only because it features the sale of a domestic cat skin, but also because of the large number of anti-cat comments it has attracted," said SPCA national president Bob Kerridge.

"In New Zealand we have three groups of cats: companion cats, stray cats, and feral cats. But they all belong to the same species. The only difference between them is the amount of contact they have with humans.

"How can you tell whether a skin for sale on Trade Me came from a feral cat, a cat that was simply a stray, or someone's beloved companion cat? You can't.

"That leads to a further question. How was the cat killed? Humanely or in a manner that caused pain or suffering?"

Kerridge said the SPCA will investigate if the seller has breached the Animal Welfare Act and is calling for members of the public to come forward with any information that would help.

This is not the first time a cat skin rug has been sold on Trade Me.

Earlier in March, an Auckland taxidermist turned a roadkill cat into a rug which sold for almost $1000.