Kiwitea photographer Ava Thomas wins SPCA cat calendar competition

Kiwitea photographer Ava Thomas' photo of her cat, Pippin, will be on the cover of the SPCA's 2022 cat calendar.

Kiwitea cat Pippin Thomas and his extra toes will grace the front of SPCA's 2022 cat calendar.

Pippin's owner, Ava Thomas, 16, took the winning photo.

The Thomas whānau got Pippin from the Palmerston North SPCA with his brother, Scout, about a year ago.

"That's why I thought a photo of him would suit the competition," Ava says.

"Pippin is also polydactyl which means he has extra toes. He is a bit weird, he likes to sleep on a yellow pillow on my bed and hunt mice and rabbits under the house."

Ava, who is in Year 11 at Feilding High School, says it was starting to rain as she took the photo and Pippin wouldn't stay still.

She found out she had won the cat section of the calendar competition on her birthday.

"I was shocked to see that I had won, especially next to the amazing photos of the dog and the pig on the other calendars. I'm sure Pippin was happy too because of the prize from Purina!"

Ava Thomas, 16, with Pippin who enjoys hunting mice and rabbits. Photo / Supplied

Ava's interest in photography started when she was about 9. "I would steal Mum's phone and take photos of everything I saw."

In 2018, aged 13, she became the youngest artist to have a solo exhibition at Feilding and District Art Society. The money she received from selling her photos at the exhibition went towards buying a Fuji Film camera.

Ava taught herself how to use it, as well as taking photography course Click Happy with Upper Hutt-based photographer Mandi Lynn.

Her preferred photography subjects are wildlife, especially birds.

SPCA 2022 calendars - cat, dog, and other pets - can be pre-ordered at spca.nz/buy2022calendars.