Cat Litter - The Dust Settles
By Mary Anne Miller
First of all, what is Kitty Litter? If you have a cat or two, you are well acquainted with kitty litter; a substance you deal with on a daily basis. You wrestle the boxes or bags home from the grocery store, you pour the mixture into your litter pan(s) and then in the days that follow, you diligently scoop and scoop, and discard soiled litter placing new in the pan every time.
But what exactly is it made of? Where did it come from? Why does some kitty litter clump and others do not? How many different kinds of kitty litter are there? Is kitty litter really safe?
Starting from Scratch...
In 1947 a neighbor asked a gentleman, by the name of Edward Lowe, for something to use for her cat's elimination needs. Currently using ashes and dirt, she explained her husband was upset over the odor and had told her that if she couldn't find something else, the cat had to go!
Lowe operated a small business out of his home, where he sold clay to garage owners to soak up oil spills and cover gasoline leaks. He suggested his clay as an alternate means for his neighbor's problem. Lowe went into his garage and came back with a cardboard box full of his clay product and presented it to his neighbor. The next morning, the neighbor elatedly reported that the clay litter was a wonderful alternative for her.
Upon hearing this, Edward decided to take a big chance. He rented a large semi-trailer and truck, and coined the phrase "kitty litter" by painting a sign for the sides of the truck. Then he began to truck his kitty litter across the United States. He stopped at cat shows and trade shows to give away his product.
The gamble paid off. The idea was so well received by grateful cat owners, and the litter industry was born. In 1991 Edward Lowe sold the rights to the kitty litter filler from his then multi-million multi-national company.
The Inside Scoop
The conventional kitty litter consists of filler made from clay and/or sometimes silica. You know what silica is. Silica comes in those really small envelopes inside new aspirin bottles, shoeboxes and beef jerky. Silica's purpose; too maintain freshness.
Continue to Part 2
Any questions or comments regarding this article?
Please bring them to the forums
Back to Top
