Kids’ cat-killing competition in New Zealand axed after fury

They’ll hath no furry.

A children’s cat-hunting competition targeting feral felines in New Zealand has been canceled after the planned event sparked outrage among animal-rights activists.

Organizers of an annual feral-animal hunt came under fire after unveiling a new category for children under 14, inviting the youngsters to kill as many feral cats as possible for a chance to take home a cash prize of $155.

Underage hunters were warned to not kill domestic pets but only feral cats, which are considered pests in New Zealand. Any child who bagged a microchipped cat would have faced disqualification.

Animal rights groups swiftly condemned the cull, arguing that hunters, both children and adults, would not be able to distinguish between “a feral, stray or frightened domesticated cat.”

“There is a good chance someone’s pet may be killed during this event,” the Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty said in a statement. “In addition, children often use air rifles in these sorts of events which increase the likelihood of pain and distress, and can cause a prolonged death.”

On Tuesday, the New Zealand’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty welcomed the cancelation of the children’s cat hunt, which was to take place as part of a June fundraiser benefitting the Rotherham School in Canterbury in the South Island.

Organizers of the North Canterbury Hunting Competition confirmed in a Facebook post Tuesday that they were forced to scrap the cat hunt after being inundated with “vile and inappropriate emails.”

“Our sponsors and school safety are our main priority, so the decision has been made to withdraw this category for this year to avoid further backlash at this time,” the message read. “We are disappointed and apologize for those who were excited to be involved in something that is about protecting out native birds, and other vulnerable species.”

The overall competition will go ahead as planned with other categories for hunting wild pigs, deer and hares.

Last year, the event drew more than 250 child hunters who killed 427 animals, mostly possums, hares and rabbits.

Feral cats have been the subject of a protracted public debate in New Zealand, where they are said to pose a risk to the country’s biodiversity.

In 2013, politician Gareth Morgan made headlines when he called for all cats in the country to be exterminated after labeling them “sadists of the animal kingdom.”

New Zealand’s largest conservation group, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, has estimated that feral cats could be responsible for killing up to 1.1 million native birds every year.

Department of Conservation’s principal scientist Craig Gillies said that the agency “supports control of feral cats, provided it is undertaken by experienced people using approved humane methods,” according to The Guardian.

Gillies conceded, however, that given that feral and domesticated cats are the same species, “determining a difference between the two is virtually impossible.”