'Kitten parties' the latest buzz on Trade Me

A cat rescue group is offering a "kitten party" on Trade Me for one lucky Wellington bidder. Photo / Supplied

A Wellington feral cat rescue group is auctioning off "kitten parties" on Trade Me to raise funds and awareness for their cause.

With a starting bid of only $1, lucky Wellington residents can have a group of kittens brought to their home for an hour and a half of play.

FeralNation founder Harriet Hill said the auction, which finishes on Monday, is the first one they've planned since starting the organisation last year.

FeralNation rescues feral and stray cats, gives them care and socialisation, and rehomes the cats that are able to be rehomed. They give each cat medical checks, vaccinations, and microchip and desex them.

"We just want to raise awareness to people in the area about ferals and how they're not all awful and pests and, you know, what have you," Hill said.

She and her small team of cat rescuers hope to get involved in taking the kittens to schools to educate children as well, and remind people of the importance of desexing.

The winner of the auction will have four or more kittens brought to their home if they live within 20 minutes of the organisation's base in Hataitai. Two volunteers will supervise to ensure the welfare of the kittens.

The kittens will be about 10 weeks old, Hill said.

She said the group hoped to expand beyond Wellington one day.

FeralNation, which is a privately operated, non-profit group, will adopt cats out to people after giving them a "meet and greet" with the cat and checking their home to see if it is suitable.

They once had a "quite skittish" cat "get stuck in between the wall in the plasterboard".

"The owners just didn't realise cats can get in places that small."

Kitten lovers can enjoy a "kitten party" and know they are donating to a good cause. Photo / Supplied

They do a final medical check before adopting out the cat. No cat is sent away without first being desexed, microchipped, and vaccinated, Hill said.

Some ferals cats which aren't able to be socialised are treated and put back into their environment, but Hill said they were looking at "strategies" to figure out a better way to deal with those cats.

She wanted to thank the SPCA who helped them with discounted rates for treatment, and the Cats Protection League, who take on some of the cats for them.

Anyone wanting to bid on the kitten party can find the auction on Trade Me under the FeralNation account. People can get in touch with FeralNation through Facebook as well.