Curiosity over Christchurch cat purse

(Trade Me / alientech)
(Trade Me / alientech)

The chance to own a one-of-a-kind handbag is a selling point that'll pique any girl's interest - but some people are having kittens over a taxidermy cat purse being sold on Trade Me.

It's been marketed as "a very stylish handbag" that will "grab attention wherever you go" and last for "years and years" - and it even has the option of an interchangeable strap "to suit your taste".

Curiosity over Christchurch cat purse

(Trade Me / @alientech)

However it's riled up a number of the online auction site's users, who have called it "disgusting", "sick", "morally wrong" and "not the slightest bit creative or artistic".

Some were even left questioning whether the piece, which has garnered more than 10,000 views, was "fur real".

But it most certainly is - and seller Tom, a landscaper from Christchurch, has high hopes that the "glamour puss purse" will earn him more than $1400.

Curiosity over Christchurch cat purse

(Trade Me / @alientech)

And while the handbag certainly has its detractors, there are also plenty of admirers too - and some have even put in special requests.

User Despetaro wondered whether it was a possibility that "the head be removed so I can make a hat piece", while Donkey06 asked how much it was to get his neighbour's cat made into a bag.

Tom's response to questions on the auction revealed that the cat had been run over and died "a natural death" - with taxidermist Claire Third saying "no animal is killed for the purpose of her work".

"When I collect animals, they're all treated as individuals and very special, and I use everything that I can from them, so in this particular case the cat was unable to be used as a full mount, so I decided that maybe having it hang around on a handbag might be quite nice."

Ms Third says she loves cats.

"Instead of throwing it in a hole, I'm making the best of what I can do with it. But other people might say, well you could go a step further and eat it, not that I would eat a cat."

The auction closes at 8:30pm on Wednesday.

Newshub.