According to the American Pet Products Association’s
2015-2016 National Survey (http://dtn.fm/0hCVP), there are roughly 86 million
pet cats in the United States, up from about 21.5 million in 1970. Across the
nearly 43 million American households that currently own a pet cat, one
seemingly nondescript product has become virtually ubiquitous – cat litter. Cat
litter originally burst onto the scene nearly 70 years ago, according to a
report (http://dtn.fm/h8mJR) by The Washington Post, when a man named Ed Lowe
repurposed some excess clay into a cleaner alternative to soil or sand, the
standard solutions to feline waste in those days. This clay-based product,
which he marketed as Kitty Litter, proved an exceptional choice for absorbing
large quantities of waste while simultaneously controlling odors by
encapsulating the cat waste. The total U.S. litter market is estimated to be
about $2.5 billion with clay litters growing at approximately 3%, while the
natural litter market is estimated to be about 10%-15% of the total and growing
over 10% annually.
This clumping clay litter was a hit, quickly replacing sand
as the standard in feline waste management. The clay clumps formed made waste
removal easier and kept the odor physically locked up. Now having a cat in the
home became easier, and less “smelly”, than ever before. Although the clay
litter was a disrupter for the pet industry, there were some problems
associated with it such as adding an estimated two million tons of
non-biodegradable litter to the landfills, dust being inhaled by cats and
possibly contributing to silicosis in the long run (also known as coal miners
disease), a difficulty and inconvenience of transporting the heavy clay from
the store to the home, and the realization that clay is a non-sustainable
resource.
To try and combat the problems that came with using clay
litter, cat owners started using biodegradable, natural litters made from
grains such as wheat and corn. These “second generation” litters were
sustainable, lighter, and had good odor control. Although these alternate
litters were an improvement over clay, they had their limitations. They were
more costly and more price variable since the grains were also used for food
and fuel. These litters could have traces of fungicides, herbicides, and
pesticides from their sources’ plant growth. Lastly, their high starch content
could result in mold growth under certain conditions of warmth and moisture.
After years of extensive product development and testing,
OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO) has ushered in the “third generation” of cat
litter made from switchgrass and biochar, a non-food alternative to the other
corn or wheat based natural cat litters in the marketplace. Switchgrass is a
hardy, natural grass native to North America that does not require
fertilization or the use of chemicals during plant growth, such as fungicides,
herbicides, and pesticides and the toxins associated with them. Switchgrass is
biodegradable and has a history of being used for flood control and ornamental
purposes, not for feedstock or as a base for fuel. Biochar is made using the
pyrolysis process to convert natural pine wood chips to activated, non-marking
carbon particles that are highly odor and moisture absorbent. During pyrolysis,
the volatile gases are collected and used as clean burning fuel while the CO2
is trapped in the pine wood with minimal CO2 release into the atmosphere.
The OurPet’s Switchgrass Biochar cat litter is
biodegradable, all natural, sustainable, price competitive and price stable,
50% lighter than clay litter, and has excellent odor and moisture control with
minimal dust and track-ability.
OurPet’s has filed a utility patent for their Switchgrass
Biochar litter and plans on marketing it primarily under a private label
strategy, with a branded option in certain specific situations. The Switchgrass
Biochar litter will be launched at Global Pet Expo 2016, March 16-18. OurPet’s
will be at booth #2455.
For more information, visit the company’s website at
www.ourpets.com
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