A new card game designed by a Southampton student that delighted play testers are calling 'hilarious fun' is ready to hit the market after reaching its Kickstarter campaign target. 

Shat on a Cat was dreamed up by Thomas Wilkinson, from Bitterne, during his second year at Barton Peveril College. 

Five years on and the finished game is ready to go into production following a £2,000 Kickstarter campaign.

(Image: Supplied)

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Thomas told the Daily Echo: "As a child I spent hours making up my own board games, so by the time I hit college I’d had plenty of practice.

"One day I was having lunch with friends and someone produced a pack of cards. I jotted down a list of rules for the different numbers, dealt the cards out and within minutes we were all laughing away.

"Something about the game hit the right note so I kept coming back to it.

"Last year, after finishing a degree in Robotics at the University of West England, I had a choice to make.

"Do I leave Shat on a Cat on the shelf, or take it to market? I decided to put my energy into promoting my passion.”

Board in the City CIC, an accessible board game café in Bevois Valley, hosted the first public play-testing of the interactive strategy based game for between two and five players. 

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The event was attended by play-testers aged 13 to 70 and went so well that many pledged to buy the game on the night.

Director Paul Binstead said: “We were delighted to support the launch of this new game by an enterprising young Sotonian. We are here to spread the love of traditional gaming, so it was very exciting for us to be involved right at the start.”

Each pack of 100 cards includes action, free and special cards that players use to protect their cats, gather resources, fend off dogs and rats.

Testers have found the rules easy to follow, the crafty ‘gameplay’ enjoyable and the illustrations by Ukrainian artist Nikanokuu striking.

(Image: Supplied)

Thomas has worked on his business plan with a mentor from the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme, which advises young entrepreneurs.

To pledge to buy a limited first edition, visit kickstarter.com/projects/1034741826/shat-on-a-cat

(Image: Supplied)