Vanguard Awards: Litter Boxes

The humble litter box may have once been a plain vessel with a purely utilitarian purpose, but these leaders like have turned the category into one characterized by both functionality and design. The move toward more elegant and dynamic solutions trends with the increasing humanization of pets. Litter boxes are no longer relegated to a dark corner of a garage; pet parents want to create a set up that invites their felines to be a truly integrated part of their homes. 

“Moderna always had the spirit of wanting to stay ahead in the industry,” said Sales Manager Rachel Skweres. “It used to be animals were more functional like farmyard chickens and things like that. We went from functional or work animals to having them at home as companions. So that intrigued everyone and got us into the companion animals sector like we know today, and once we’re in that field we developed products that would facilitate any need. High on the list were the solutions for residential or companion pets living in the house and what that looked like for litter waste management, so that’s what triggered, ‘oh, now that you have a pet in your house, you have a whole new set of new problems,’ which are really opportunities for us to come up with litter boxes and solutions that take care of the pet, but also lets your living space be functional and operable, so that’s how it was sparked.”

The emphasis is on integrating the living space. “Cats could be indoor or outdoor but a lot of times, we’d put litter boxes in the garage or somewhere out of sight that was basically outside or not in the home,” Skweres explained. “So when the pets become more companions and more in-home pets, we’re bringing their litter box inside too. We’re creating more spaces in the home and that is where we say, ‘Okay, what’s missing?’ Not everybody has a little cat door that can go out the door of the house into the garage. If you’re living in an apartment you don’t have a garage, so basically, what was missing was how do we bring that inside and still have it not interfere with the living space. It could be shelf space in your home—like with vertical space—how do you use that space? Or how do we make it still offer privacy and everything the cat needs but also put it in the home? What came of that made it unique to the pet owner, like discovering different areas to place a litter box and then using that environment to offer the pet owners solutions. A lot of the furniture litter boxes—it’s not furniture, but they blend in with the home. They have a style. We offer that to the pet owner. They’re being generous and sacrificing some of their space to their pet but their home is still going to look nice. They’re going to pick a color or design that suits their personality or their pets’ personality, reflective of their own.”

Look and functionality drive Moderna’s innovation. “The decorativeness, the style and personality is what we give the pet owner,” Skweres said. “Whether it’s the color, the design that is furniture or decorative, or the function—like our top entry for multi pet homes—we’re basically offering them something unique that they didn’t have before and we’re doing that in the design. The function is always there.”

Function remains a prime focus for PetSafe. “PetSafe’s mission and core value have proven success by being able to say that we have saved more than 11 million pets’ lives through thoughtful innovation that keeps pets happy, healthy and safe,” said Janna Chollet, Head of Marketing Communications and Social Media. “By continuing efforts, PetSafe aims to provide the highest-quality and technologically advanced products for pets and their pet owners.”

PetSafe’s leadership in litter boxes, along with its other categories which include containment solutions and fountains and feeders, is rooted in keeping an open line of communication with partners, she said. “The company, and the brand, take pride in listening to consumers not just in their vocal needs for their pets but also in how products can be made better. By listening to the needs of the people and pets they serve directly, PetSafe can develop and deliver innovation that truly makes a difference. The company’s innovation pipeline is robust, with clear technological breakthroughs that will disrupt each category. Retailers and consumers alike have taken notice and are dedicating more time, space, and money to purchasing PetSafe Brand products.”