Yangzhou, China – In an unusual judicial proceeding, an ordinary domestic cat named “Li Hua Mao” (a type of tabby cat) is set to be publicly auctioned by a Chinese court due to its owner’s debt issues. This case in Yangzhou has sparked discussions about the legal status of pets.
The 3-year-old male cat is in good health and has completed all vaccinations. However, its fate took a turn because of its owner’s unpaid debts. According to an announcement posted by the People’s Court of Yangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone on Alibaba’s Asset Auction Platform, the cat will be auctioned online on September 3 with a starting price of 500 yuan (approximately 55 British pounds).
Since its owner’s property was seized in 2022, the cat has been fostered in a local pet store. A staff member from the asset management company handling the case revealed that the cost of fostering the cat is quite high, reaching up to tens of thousands of yuan per year. Nevertheless, “the cat is well taken care of,” and this expense will be borne by the court, not passed on to the future buyer.
Although the staff admitted that “according to the pet market, Li Hua cats are actually not valuable,” legal procedures stipulate a minimum auction price. So far, at least one person has registered to participate in the auction.
This innocent cat, once a member of a family, has now become a “property” up for sale. Its story not only reveals the rigor of China’s judicial system in handling property disposal but also triggers deeper reflections: When the cold provisions of the law meet the vivid lives of animals, how should their value be measured?