What's Your Pet Project? National Contest Searches for Innovative Feline Design

ST. LOUIS, July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cat owners across the country are taking ingenuity and creativity to a whole new level by incorporating innovative feline designs into their homes. Today, Purina® Tidy Cats® brand cat litter, along with television host, design expert and cat owner Candice Olson, are celebrating crafty cat owners with the launch of the Purina® Tidy Cats® "Pet Projects" Design Challenge.  This national contest is searching the country for the most innovative "pet projects" cat owners have created - from creative cat inventions to crafty cat decor – to enhance their lives and living environments with their cats.

Owning a cat is a way of life for millions of Americans. In fact, there are currently more than 93 million domesticated cats in the U.S.(i) And now, more than ever, our feline friends are considered an extension of the family, which has resulted in a growing trend among cat owners to incorporate feline designs into their homes. To celebrate the creative cat owners who take great pride in creating a welcoming home, Purina® Tidy Cats® is asking them to showcase their "pet project," which could be a customized kitty condo, a "catio," an innovative feeding system or a cozy sleeping nook; all designs – both big and small – are welcome.

"As a design professional and cat owner, it's exciting to see that the DIY trend is extending to our pets," said Candice Olson, spokesperson for the Purina® Tidy Cats® "Pet Projects" Design Challenge. "Feline design is becoming more popular among cat owners and it's time to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. I can't wait to see the innovative pet projects people have made to enhance their lives with their feline friends."  

To enter the contest, cat owners must create an original video no more than two minutes in length that showcases their pet project and explains how and why they created it, as well as how it enhances their life with their cat(s). Examples of pet projects include sleeping nooks, a self-cleaning litter box, a catio (an enclosed patio for your cat), inventive play stations and climbing perches, to name a few. Cat owners can enter the online video contest now through August 16 at www.TidyCats.com.

Following the entry period, up to 20 Finalists will be selected by an outside judging company and will be posted on the Purina® Tidy Cats® website (www.TidyCats.com) for consumer voting to help select eight Runner-Up Prize winners and two Grand Prize winners. Olson, who served as a judge on HGTV's Design Star, will also judge the up to 20 Finalists to help select the eight Runner-Up Prize winners and two Grand Prize winners.

Each Grand Prize winner will receive a $10,000 cash award and a trip to New York City where their winning pet projects will be unveiled at a special event. Eight Runners-Up Prize winners will also have their designs displayed and will each receive $500. All 20 Finalists will receive a one year supply of Purina® Tidy Cats® brand Cat Litter.

For more information about the Purina® Tidy Cats® "Pet Projects" Design Challenge, visit www.Tidycats.com.

About TIDY CATS®

Purina® TIDY CATS® brand cat litter is designed for homes with multiple cats and is specially formulated to control odor and keep homes smelling fresh and clean. The Purina TIDY CATS line includes: five scoopable clay litters designed to make clean-up easy and efficient; and three odor-controlling natural clay litters that are non-clumping.  Purina TIDY CATS is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, one of the leading global players in the pet care industry.  Nestle Purina promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri, where Ralston Purina was founded more than a century ago. The company is part of the Swiss-based Nestle S.A. – the world's largest food company.

(i) American Pet Products Association 2009-2010 National Pet Owners Survey

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare Company