Bronwyn RobertsA story of local innovation, regional manufacture and kiwi ingenuity.
Peter Roberts & Dr Ray Merchant
Nearly twenty five years ago New Zealand geologists Dr Ray Merchant and Peter Roberts discovered Zeolite deposits near Rotorua which became the basis of the first local pet litter operation in NZ.
Fast forward ten years and Dr Merchant, with five cats of his own, became frustrated with the quality of pet litter available. He dreamt of producing a high quality pet litter that outperformed other products on the market with high absorbency, excellent odour control, antibacterial properties, low dust, non-allergenic and biodegradable.
He began experimenting in his shed. It was a very small shed, so out went lawnmower, garden tools and his wife’s push-bike and hours were spent developing pet litter. He produced what initially appeared to be a fantastic product but it wasn’t commercially viable. In 2013 a chance conversation with his son-in-law, an engineer by trade, suggested a new course of action which overcame the earlier obstacles.PAWS - NZ Natural Cat Litter
In 2014, after acquiring larger machinery and a bigger garage, his pilot scale plant produced the first product and PAWS pet litter was launched. PAWS is a brand new type of pet litter that ingeniously bonds recycled newsprint with the mineral Zeolite into a composite pellet which has all the key properties pet lovers demand in today’s environmentally conscious world.
Finally Dr Merchant’s dream of producing a unique, environmentally friendly pet litter that cats love was realized!
Paws Pet Litter offers a new paradigm to shoppers who care for both the welfare of their cats and kittens and the environment.
