A court in eastern China which was set to auction a cat to repay its owner’s debts has cancelled the event, and the animal has been adopted by a feline lover.
On August 23, the cat was removed from the auction platform after creditors withdrew their request, no reason for the move was disclosed.
According to Hongxing News, the cat has been adopted by a cat lover.
The auction had garnered over 450,000 views and attracted more than 5,000 bidders, each of whom was required to pay a 50-yuan deposit, which has now been refunded.
The court in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, had put the three-year-old Chinese Li Hua cat up for online auction, sparking much attention on social media.
Reports say the cat is called “Coal Ball”, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Under Chinese law, pets such as cats and dogs are treated as personal property.
If they are not a protected species, they can be seized and auctioned to cover debts.
According to the mainland media outlet Hongxing News, the feline’s owner defaulted on nearly four million yuan (US$560,000) in bank loans, and in 2022 the court seized all of their assets, including the cat valued at 714 yuan (US$100).
The cat was being kept in a pet shop where boarding fees had risen to above 20,000 yuan (US$2,800).
The auction notice said the male feline had been vaccinated, was unneutered and in good health. The pet shop owner also described him as “sweet-natured”.
Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, had been set to host the one-day auction on its Alibaba Judicial Auction Platform on September 3.
The unconventional auction had caused a buzz on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “The cat was forced to ‘sell himself’ to pay off his former owner’s debts the moment he was born. Poor little thing.”
“I am glad the auction was cancelled. The cat got too much attention, and if it had gone through, he might not have found a loving home,” said another.
A lawyer said the court would have required bidders to prove they could provide proper care to ensure the cat was not abandoned.
Chang Sha, a Beijing-based lawyer at Jingdu Law Firm, said that if an animal welfare group submits a fostering plan, the court may allow the cat to be placed with a third party until a permanent home is secured.
It is not the first time a Chinese court has auctioned animals to cover debts.
In March, a court in Shenzhen, southern China, auctioned 100 tonnes of live crocodiles with a starting price of four million yuan after the company that owned them failed to meet its financial obligations. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
