Inventions for Cats

You know what we really love in my household? Cats. We are serious cat people. And, it was our great misfortune to lose one of our beloved cats, Miss Mosquito, this past weekend. Though it is painful for me to write about it, I'm having a hard time focusing on other work tasks, so I decided to make a blog post about some patented inventions for cats. So please forgive me if this is a slightly sloppier entry than usual.

I'm not certain what the purpose of this cat plush is--or why it has a zipper on its back--but it's cute and mildly kitty-looking. OnTel Products mostly sells battery-powered devices and stuff you'd find stocked by the check out in a mega store, but they took this cat seriously and own a design patent, no. D857,121.

Image of the plush cat from patent no. D857,121

Having a cat indoors without some kind of designated feline furniture is not recommended. At the very least, have a scratching post. For best results, get a cat tree or tower, like this "Animal House", design patent no. D989,408. Cats love to climb and survey the world from the highest available perch. The built-in hidey-hole is an attractive addition for shy cat family members!

Design patent D989,408 drawing of an elaborate cat tree/tower

Multiple cat household? Recently adopted kitten struggling to adapt? Try plugging in "Pheromone Compositions and Uses Thereof" (US patent no. 11,331,296) from Ceva Sante Animale. If you have cats, you might be more familiar with trademarked name Feliway. It's a product we rely on and keep dispersing almost constantly. These manufactured pheromones have a calming effect on cats, and can help decrease tensions between them (as in our case) or just help some of the more anxious ones. 

Finally, there's a way to avoid one of the most unpleasant chores that accompanies cats: scooping and cleaning the litter box. It's probably not quite as bad as changing and handling a used a child's diaper (I wouldn't know; I have cats, not kids), but no one likes it. With the "Automated Litter Device" (US patent no. 11,523,586) from Automated Pet Care Products, the litter is both scooped and refilled for you. Sensors detect when kitty is present and when kitty has left, and when more litter needs to be increased. Unfortunately, I imagine my cats would not appreciate the litter-eating robot and would refuse to use it, leading to a bigger, more unpleasant kind of chore. 

Figures from patent no. 11,523,586 describing its function

BONUS: This is Mosquito, and her litter mate sister Cricket. 'Squito has the white and black fur and blue eyes.