The Evolution of Litter: From Cat Sand to Clumping

While it seems like such a simple substance, cat litter, or cat sand as it is sometimes called, is an invention that's newer than automobiles and airplanes. Before the invention of the stuff, cat sand was a more literal term, as pet owners either allowed their feline friends to roam outdoors like dogs when they needed to use the bathroom, or they had a small cat box with sand in it when keeping the cat indoors. Cat sand has a few problems with it. This is because just like actual sand isn't a very absorbent material, the large grains can get tracked all around the house.

The First Generation

The first and most traditional form of cat litter consisted of grains of clay-based material, which tend to be smaller than cat sand and less prone to being tracked around. This material is actually the same as what is used to clean up oil spills specifically because of its absorbency. Ed Lowe was the inventor that first put this material to use for cats, marketing it under the brand name Kitty Litter. It became so prevalent that it's now a generic term for the substance. Ed's litter and his company evolved into another familiar name, Tidy Cat litter.

Clumping Litter