Roadkill Cat Rug Sells For Almost $1000 [Photos]

A roadkill cat rug created by a New Zealand man has sold for nearly $1000 during an online auction.

Taxidermist Andrew Lancaster said he discovered the deceased feline on the side of the road on his way back to a concert. Thinking that the animal would make a great rug, he went back to retrieve the carcass.

Lancaster said the corpse was in relatively good shape. The taxidermist said there was no broken skin to detract from its appearance. He soon decided to stuff the dead cat and transform it into something that would look good inside a “mancave.”

The taxidermist isn’t the only one who thought the deceased feline would be a fine addition to their home. Nearly 10,800 people checked out the roadkill cat skin rug auction before he closed on Tuesday evening. The winning bid was a whopping $955.

Lancaster said that a lot of his creations are sold on the website Trade Me. His past creations have reportedly involved rabbits, weasels, magpies, and goldfish. The rug was the first time he had used a feline as material for his work.

“I usually sort of steer clear of cats and dogs because you get a lot of people who say they’re pets and should be left alone and not stuffed,” the taxidermist admitted.

The official description reads:

“For those people who can’t afford a Bear, Lion, Tiger or any other large skin rug, here is the cat skin rug. Mounted with both sides, feet and head. Large male in excellent condition. Beautiful ginger/marmalade colour with striking markings. Great little gift for the mancave! 90cm nose to tip of tail, and 50cm at widest point. This one was picked up on the roadside in the middle of nowhere (Napier/Taupo highway) and was probably wild.”

The roadkill cat rug has drawn the ire of several animal rights group. An organization by the name of SAFE described Lancaster’s creation as “distasteful” and “disrespectful.”

The taxidermist admitted that he has been receiving threats from numerous people about his creation. In addition to being called a “sicko,” Lancaster said people want the exact same thing to happen to him. His response to these comments: a simple smiley face.

Someone in New Zealand ultimately won the rug in question. More images of Lancaster’s controversial creation can be found at the Trade Me website.

What do you think about the roadkill cat rug?

[Images via Trade Me]