The Story Behind Kitty Litter

Ever wonder where Kitty Litter came from? Me neither. But, as it turns out, the story’s pretty interesting, so I thought I’d share:

Kitty Litter was “invented” by Edward Lowe.

Before Lowe waxed all kinds of brilliant, cats either had to hold it until they got outdoors or went in boxes that had been filled with sand, soil or sawdust - none of which was very practical when it came to smell OR clean-up.

In 1947, a lady wnet into a local shop to purchase some sawdust for her beloved cat’s box. The shop owner’s son, none other than Edward, waited on her. The shop sold kiln-dried, granulated clay for cleaning up grease spills…and Edward suggested that she try some of this absorbant clay instead.

After she came back for more, Lowe knew he was on to something. He put the clay in 5 pound bags and wrote “Kitty Litter” on the front.

His ingenuity made him a millionaire many times over and our lives so much sweeter.

Joi

December 7, 2005 | Filed Under Cat Pause