So, let’s run to know how and when was cat litter invented and who invented cat litter!
Are you an Ailurophile?
Want to know some nerdy things on cats and cat litter?
Well, in this article, we had covered some history on how and when was cat litter invented! Who invented cat litter, who was the kitty litter inventor, and the history of cat litters.
If such questions attract your attention, then you can fully read this post and get acknowledged.
How and When Was Cat Litter Invented?
In Nutshell,
Cat Litter was invented in 1947 by Edward Lowe when his neighbor Kay Draper stopped by to ask if he had any sand available to use as cat litter. The sand was frozen, so he gave her a bag of granulated clay to try. As the clay did a great job of keeping odors down, and she and her friends began asking for it routinely. He later developed the Tidy Cat brand of litter.
Well, if you don’t know then let me tell you that cats are the cleanest animals on the planet. They peed and pooed in loose ground and afterward they cover their waste with soil.
Ph.D. Professor Katherine Grier says that till World War 2, most cats used to live outside. They used to do their toilet business in open nature. Because of the elimination issue, they lived apart from the humans who loved them.
Whereas cat enthusiasts were increasingly desired to keep their felines safe inside the house and treat them as family members. So, in the mid-1940s, people started keeping cats indoors.
The Invention of Traditional Clay Litter
Later in the 1940s, people began to give cats sanitary pans. It was paper-lined coated with a metal pan with a privacy screen as an option. It contains soil, ashes, sand, or newspapers, making it easier for cat lovers to keep them inside their homes.
But because of the tracking and lack of masking odor feature back in that time, cats waste and urine used to make the whole house messy, dirty, and stinky. Therefore, many people later moved cats outdoors.
Then a person named Poppy” George Plitt invented Kleen kitty, a cat box filled with wooden ashes. And, people used to remove the feces with the help of a frying strainer as early scooper was not invented back then!
Ugh! Tough, isn’t it. Well, this is how and when was cat litter invented!
Wait, don’t go, now you will know when was kitty litter invented!
Accidental Discovery of Clay Litter
Day by day, years by years, people experimented with a lot of stuff. And, one day, a person named Edward Lowe accidentally invented clay litter. He had business of coal, sawdust, ice, and granulated clay in Michigan.
He noticed clay has the good property of soaking liquid things, and it would be best for soaking cat’s urine. However, it was originally produced for grease spills.
So, one snowy day, Kay Draper, a neighbor of Edward Lowe, asked him to lend her some sand for her cat litter box. As it was too snowy and cold outside, she was unable to reach out for sand. But instead of giving sand, he passed her a small bag filled with granulated clay because sand was frosty.
Later, the next day she told Lowe that clay worked very well in controlling the smell of feces. So, she continued filling clay in her cat litter boxes instead of putting wood and ashes.
And, this is how Edward Lowe invented cat litter and named this granulated clay “kitty litter” as his product. With the time being, litter was introduced under the “Tidy Cat” brand name and asked the pet store to sell this as cat litter.
Now, you know who invented kitty litter, right!
Origin of Absorbent Clay Litter
Now, it’s time to know the origin of clay cat litter that clumps.
Well, it was also an accidental discovery.
Biochemist name Thomas Nelson was doing research in clay, and while doing his study, he invented some type of clay name bentonite. This clay has the property of absorbing liquid, and it also prevents it from breaking, thereby avoiding the ammonia smell.
He discovered if bentonite is dried well rather than mixing it with a klin, if you wet it with normal water, then it shows an amazing result of clumping. This is how dried clay was later invented as clumping litter.
Now, you know who invented cat litter that clumps very well!
Later with the passing of time, everything developed as per the convenience of cats and cats owners!
Seeking a crystal litter here you go, check out the best crystal cat litter in a detailed article.
Development of Other Litters
Coming back to the current situation, there are various kinds of cat litter sold in the shop today. In the history of cat litter, many people tried to experiment and invented various types of litter.
Currently, many cat owners dislike clumping cat litter due to the silica dust. Because the dusty feature is prone to affect the cat’s respiratory system; also, it is not environmentally friendly. However, many cats like to use clumping cat litter.
As many people have started adopting cats and started keeping them indoors. As a result, many companies manufactured cats’ litter that is biodegradable and safe for use. And, these litters are now sold in the market.
Do you want to know which is the best cat litter?
Well, the best cat litter, which is loved and preferred by most cats, is World’s best cat litter. It has super clumping power, odor-free. Plus, it is lightweight, septic safe, and the company claims it is 99% dust-free, which means no dusty air.
This litter is made of whole kernel corn, which means it is natural and contains zero artificial perfume and chemicals. You can easily buy this from pet stores.
There are many cat care, healthy natural cat litter also available in the market, which is made of raw materials like pine, wheat, newspapers. These litters are eco-friendly, and many cat owners like to use this.
Have a look at top cat litter deodorizers on the market
Well, That’s a Wrap!
We humans and cats have coexisted for centuries. Earlier, when people don’t use to adopt pets, many cats used to roam around, search for food, and be eliminated wherever they pleased. By the mid-1940s, cats started living indoors.
And, people began to give them litter boxes filled with ashes, soil, and newspaper. Do you want to know what happened later?
Then go read this article on how and when was cat litter invented. In this, you will know who invented cat litter, who invented the litter box, which brand was first to introduce cat litter, and accidental discoveries of clumping litter!
Do you want to check out the inexpensive cat litter for your felines, here you go.
So, read and get acknowledged!
References
- The Little-Known History of Cat Litter – Disposable America
- Cat Litter Box History: From Sandbox to Self-Cleaning Litter Box – Litter Robot
- The best cat litter – Business Insider