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New Breeze™ From Purina® Tidy Cats® System Offers Innovative Approach To Litter Management

Ground-Breaking System Provides Excellent Odor Control and Easy Maintenance

ST. LOUIS, MO, February 20, 2008 – Innovation is coming to the cat litter industry and the Tidy Cats brand is leading the charge. The popular cat litter brand is introducing a new litter system called Breeze™ from Purina® Tidy Cats® that offers cat owners an entirely new litter box experience that is easier and helps control odor.

“I think you have to go back to the introduction of the scoop technology to find something this revolutionary in the litter industry,” said Chris Padgett, vice president of marketing for Golden Products, a division of Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.

The BREEZE from Tidy Cats system, which will be available nationally in March 2008, includes a cat box with a unique, perforated base and protective tray; a scoop; a bag of Non-Absorbent Particulate Substrate (NAPS) pellets; and a four-pack of highly absorbent pads. With the system, urine bypasses the non-absorbent pellets and goes directly down to the pad, which offers excellent odor control and absorbency for up to seven days before needing to be replaced. Solid waste remains isolated on the pellets for easy removal. The pellets are recommended to be changed monthly. Pad and pellet changes will occur more often for multiple cat households.

“Despite advances in technology and product innovation, cleaning cat waste is still perceived by consumers as a dirty chore,” said Padgett. “The BREEZE system is cutting edge, helping to minimize odors and providing an easier litter experience with no dust, anti-tracking, less handling of waste, and no heavy bags or pails.”

BREEZE from Purina Tidy Cats also taps into the sustainability trend by providing solutions with smaller environmental footprints.

According to Padgett, “There is considerable source reduction with this system. If cat owners currently are going through 11 pounds of mineral pellets a month, they can use this new system and cut that down to about four and a half pounds of materials.”

Tidy Cats has conducted extensive consumer research over the past two years on the new litter system, including testing the product in nearly 2,000 households in the 18 months prior to launch. These include single and multiple cat homes, as well as owners who use conventional, scoop and silica gel litter products.

“We’ve conducted more research than we typically would because this is an entirely new litter system for owners and for cats,” said Pamela Hill, animal behaviorist, Nestlé Purina Product Technology Center. “The pellets are a very different material, so it was important that we had a thorough understanding of cat(s) acceptance. A key part of the acceptance was the way in which owners transitioned their cats from the old litter to the new BREEZE system.”

Hill said the best approach for transitioning is to sprinkle one to two cups of BREEZE litter pellets on top of the existing litter in the old box so the cat(s) can experience familiar odors and textures while acclimating to the new litter. Research showed that when cats accept the BREEZE system, purchase intent is extremely high.

The Breeze™ from Purina® Tidy Cats™ system is being introduced in the U.S. as the result of an exclusive agreement between Nestlé Purina and Unicharm Pet Care of Japan.

“Japan is typically five years ahead of the U.S. in terms of the litter technology and materials they use, including more burnable, non-clay materials,” said Padgett. “About 25 percent of Japanese cat owners have a system like this and they feel it is a better process for cat waste management.”

The launch of BREEZE will be supported by an aggressive marketing plan that includes a dedicated Web site; online advertising; an extensive coupon and rebate program; in-store trial programs; and consumer education. The suggested retail price for the complete kit containing the litter box, a bag of pellets, a four-pack of pads and a scoop is in the $30 to $35 range. Additional bags of BREEZE refill pellets will cost $6 to $7 per bag, and a (4) pack of BREEZE refill pads will cost $4 to $5 per bag.

BREEZE from Tidy Cats will be available in grocery, mass merchandise and pet specialty stores nationwide. For more information, visit the Web site at www.breezeforcats.com.

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