Well-designed kitty litter box scooping up fans

Construction machines, smartphones, electric vehicles. There are numerous high-quality goods bearing the label "Made in China", and now, there's one more－a cat litter box.

Winner of the Red Dot Award at the internationally recognized Product Design competition, the Igloo cat litter box, designed by Shanghai-based cat supplies startup Pidan Studio, has gained favor with cat owners throughout China and abroad.

"When I was in my down time, I met a cat and it has brought so much joy to my life," said Ma Wenfei, founder of Pidan. "And when you are truly in love with one thing or person, you want to give the best you can offer."

Ma said he found that many cat litter boxes on the market are similar to each other, and barely usable.

"They don't care about the pet's need when designing the products," he said.

"Quality design is our stronghold. Igloo is not only functional, but also meets the aesthetic demand from our consumers who need products with characteristics," Ma said.

Unlike most plastic litter boxes, which are basically an open tray, the Igloo looks like a snow-white little house, with a unique design that makes the cat poop invisible from the outside and easy to clean.

"It is dark inside and half-closed, so the cats will feel safe," Ma added. "Cats are family members; we want to make their lives more comfortable."

Priced from 365 yuan ($57), 150,000 of the company's litter boxes have been sold so far, and more than a fifth of them are sold overseas.

"Over a third of the pet market is dominated by the pet food business, and there is still large space for businesses related to pet's medical treatment, supplements and snacks to grow," said Ye Qianyu, an analyst of Everbright Securities.