Why Does My Cat Always Use the Litter Box Right After I've Cleaned It?

Ruthie asks, “Why oh why do my cats feel the need to 'christen' their litter box every time I either clean it or add new litter? I love them, but it makes me crazy!”

So, I got a little sidetracked while researching an answer this week. I stumbled upon the fascinating story of Ed Lowe, who was the founder of cat litter. His family business manufactured a grainy clay, which was marketed to machine shops to clean up grease and oil spillage.

In 1947, his neighbor was complaining about her cat tracking ashes throughout the house, so he gave her a sample of fuller’s earth to try. The substance worked so well for her, Ed began to market his product to local pet stores. Business boomed, and he never looked back.

In 1964, Ed Lowe founded Tidy Cat, the first commercially available kitty litter. Many people were impressed at Ed’s marketing prowess. At the time, most cat boxes were filled with sand or ash, which was cheap but messy. Ed gave samples of his new litter away to cat owners and quickly won them over!