Transcripts
Welcome back everybody.
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Today I am joined by Carin from Hide
and Scratch, a company that's not only
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creating amazing products for cats, but
also finding meaningful ways to give back.
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We're gonna be talking about Give
a Cat a Box, program, how it helps
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cats in need, and the impact that
businesses can have when they make
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community support part of their
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mission.
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Carin,
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Thank you for coming on to talk about your
give back program and Hide and Scratch.
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Carin: Absolutely.
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Dixie: Tell me all about
yourself and how you got started
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first with Hide and Scratch.
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Carin: yeah.
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The Hide and Scratch story actually
i- it's an interesting one, and
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everybody's "Oh my gosh, how did you
come up with the idea for the product?"
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And the reality is I actually
didn't come up with it initially.
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This totally started out
as a side project for me.
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I was looking for a side business and
had been browsing online for different
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things that I could, maybe take over and
just play with on the side of things.
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And so on one of the online marketplaces
where you can actually buy existing
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businesses, Hide and Scratch was listed.
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And so it was actually a couple in
Indianapolis that had started it and
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for a couple of different reasons didn't
wanna continue with it, but I took
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it over from them in, back in 2020.
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So it was not my baby as my idea
initially, but I've been the
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one who's been, yeah, growing
it over the last five years.
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And honestly, it was perfect for me
because I hadn't been specifically
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looking for a cat-related business, but
I've always been an absolute cat lover.
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And so that kind of sealed the deal, or
made it that much more attractive just
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as something to kinda get involved with.
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So that's how Hide and
Scratch started out.
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And then really just over the years…
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I got involved with Mission Meow
as a charity partner, I wanna
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say three years ago is when I got
connected with Sally, and I think
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she's been on your show before.
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And Mission Meow is doing a whole
bunch of just phenomenal stuff.
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But it was really through them that I
started to get connected with more rescue
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organizations and just donating product
to them and hearing just how much the
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cats in the rescue organizations really
loved the Hide and Scratch product.
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And ultimately from the very beginning,
especially when I said if I've got this,
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if I have got a cat-related business, I
do really want this to have some sort of
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purpose to it to help all of the animals
out there and do something more than
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just being a product-based business."
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So over the years, I've been trying-
trying to figure out how can I get
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more boxes to more cats in care?
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And Mission Meow was
the first piece of it.
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But then it was a lot of pieces
that came together into how the
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Give a Cat a Box program came about.
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But let me pause there, so I
don't just totally ramble on here.
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, Dixie: As far as taking over
Hide and Scratch, how much of a
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cat lover were you before that?
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Carin: Oh my gosh, I've been
a cat person my whole life.
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Hide and Scratch didn't even have
a website when I took it over.
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But my about page on there, I think I
dug up some pictures of myself from when
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I was like six, seven, eight years old
of me and the kittens from the farm.
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Like when I was growing up, we had
cats from when I was very little.
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I still remember the very first cats
that we adopted, and I think I was
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probably six or seven, and my sister
was three years younger, and so we'd
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gone and gotten two barn cats from
this farm down the road that my dad
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was working at because he was a vet.
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And we'd had cats before that.
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So I had cats my whole life growing up
and just absolutely, yes, have loved them.
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Going away to college was the first
time I actually did not have a cat
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of my own and was very heartbroken
about this because I was like I
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can't have a cat in a college dorm.
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And so my mom had told me, she said as
soon as you get your first apartment,
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we'll go get you, the cat to have
in this next phase of your life."
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So yeah, I've been a cat person
my absolutely my whole life.
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Dixie: How many cats do you have now?
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Carin: So I don't have any right
now, at least not any permanent ones.
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I live vicariously through
everybody else's cats, and then I
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foster really as much as possible.
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I travel too much these days, and
it just wouldn't be fair to have one
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kind of full-time, although I was
very tempted to keep my last foster.
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I totally fell in love with him.
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So I have a rotating cast of cats
'cause I'm involved with the the rescue
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organization in my city, and they're
just constantly looking for foster homes
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while we find kitties permanent homes.
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But oh my gosh, it's so hard.
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It's so hard just to let them go
because I just wanna keep them all.
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Dixie: Yeah, but I understand that
with you traveling, and I always
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try to tell people that too.
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There's like a lot of people that
actually want cats but aren't
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in the position to have cats.
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So I'm always like hey, foster,"
because it's a temporary thing.
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You can have them for a couple
of weeks, a couple of months,
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basically however long you want,
and you're still making an impact.
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You get to enjoy cats or kittens, so
it's like a win-win for everybody.
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Carin: Exactly.
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Although it is also still heartbreaking
when you fall in love with them and
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you've got to say goodbye to them.
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I have shed tears with absolutely
every single foster cat I've had
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that has gone off to a new home.
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Dixie: It is sad.
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It is.
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But I guess like for me personally,
like I've been doing it for so long,
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and I know when I first started
doing it, it was really hard.
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But then- Yeah … when I was meeting
the people that were taking them and I
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was like, "Okay, I feel good about these
people taking my cats- And- Yeah, for sure
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So they go to such good homes, and a lot
of the rescues they really do their work.
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They make sure that
they go to a good home.
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And so I take a lot of-
Yeah … comfort in that.
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Carin: Yeah, for sure.
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That's what I, told myself
or tell myself each time.
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It's "Okay, I've had a big part in your
life," and yeah, actually especially if a
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cat's coming off the street, and that was
the case with this one kitten that I had,
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where we actually didn't quite realize
how old he was when we had caught him.
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He was at a construction site, and
just a lot of traffic around, and
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it was not gonna be a good spot.
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But he was slightly feral and
slightly older than we, we had
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realized when he came to stay with me.
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But I taught this cat how to
cat, and he, yeah, actually
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turned into a total cuddle bug.
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Still very wary of people 'cause
you're never gonna get that away.
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But that's where I was like,
"Oh, but you've gotten cuddly,
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and you're just so adorable, and
I absolutely wanna keep you."
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But he did go and is with a fantastic
family, and that's where I had to keep
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telling myself that, yes, he's gonna
be better off there as opposed to,
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okay, I could find a cat sitter to
come stay with him and whatnot, but he
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does deserve a permanent, stable home.
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So yeah, it's fun.
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Dixie: How old was this
kitten that you got?
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Carin: That one specifically, I think
we thought he was a couple of months
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old when we actually brought him in.
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They're really easy to tell how old
they are , when they're super young
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just because they're growing so fast
and then they kinda hit that stage, it's
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you could be between here and here."
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So yeah, it was absolutely a kitten and
actually even the first night I was just
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like, "Ooh this might not work out."
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But with a lot of patience and a
lot of, yes, a lot of patience , he
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learned how to enjoy things.
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Dixie: Yeah, that's what I was
wondering 'cause I know a lot of
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the times with the feral ones, if
you get 'em at a certain age, it's
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one week can make such a difference.
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And you can actually keep 'em for a
couple of months trying to tame 'em up
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and get 'em lovable, and it's possible,
but it does require like a lot of work.
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Carin: It's a lot of extra work.
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But we-- But I put it in.
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Although, oh my gosh, this cat
I still have, I could s-send
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you a photo or a video of it.
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He had the loudest purr I had ever heard
and that first night that he stayed with
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me he was definitely purring out of fear.
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But once I heard that I was like, "Oh
my gosh, you have the loudest purr.
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I have seriously never heard this before
and I was just like, "You know what?"
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I became determined once
I actually saw it too.
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I was like we can work with this."
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A l- a lot of TruMoo Paste and very
cautious yes, what do you call it?
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But yes, a lot of patience.
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We made a lot of progress there.
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But yeah, it's those, it's all these
kitties, they have, it's just they
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are so scared and that was part of
what-- actually hearing from a lot of
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the rescue orgs just about how much
comfort the Hide and Scratch boxes
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bring to them is what motivated me to
put together this whole program here.
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So there's a fun segue for you,
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Dixie: sure.
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Tell me about that.
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What is it about the boxes that
brings them comfort for people who
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aren't familiar with Hide and Scratch?
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Carin: That's what a lot of people look
at things and "Oh it's, cats and boxes.
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This is something the internet made up."
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And I still need to work on actually
a bigger article about this for my
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website, but like cats and boxes is
not something the internet made up.
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There's actually a lot of
scientific reasons behind why
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cats are so drawn to them.
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And a lot of it is just their
their natural instincts.
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Cats are both predators but
then they're also prey for
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other animals out in the wild.
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A lot of people might notice this, that,
cats, they, they'll be hiding for things
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and they'll jump out and pounce on stuff.
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That's just what they do.
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And the beauty of a cardboard box
or a box of any kind is that they
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can stay hidden, but they can also
see what's happening around them.
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So it's this best of both worlds of
they feel safe in it because they feel
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like they can stay hidden and not get
attacked, but they can still jump out
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and attack things when they decide to.
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So that's one piece of it.
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And then the other piece of it that
I don't think I realized until I was
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doing some more research here on this
was just that cats have much higher
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body temperatures than humans do.
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I think an average cat's body
temperature is 101, maybe 102 degrees.
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So one of the reasons why they're
always sitting in the sunshine or
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curling up in cozy places is to
help maintain that body temperature.
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And so that's another reason why
they really like boxes or those
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kind of tight, cozy locations is
because it helps them stay warm.
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So you put those two things together, and
then also just the fact that cats need
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scratching spaces to help just maintain
their claws or help wear them down.
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And cardboard's really attractive
to them for that reason.
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And you put all these th- three things
together, and that's what a hide and
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scratch box is it is that box that they
love with the scratcher inside of it.
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And then the bonus for the humans is it
doesn't look like a piece of garbage.
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It is actually a nicely designed
box to fit in your home.
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Dixie: When you took over Hide and
Scratch, was this the design that
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was already in place or did you
have any input into the designs?
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Carin: It was the design itself.
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And actually when I first saw it, that's
where I was like, "Wait, this is genius."
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And I think because I was a cat person
and actually one of my cats back--
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I remember when I went to college or
when we would take like little road
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trips or we'd have to go to the vet or
something like that, this cat actually
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loved sitting on a cardboard scratcher.
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Actually even in the house, they
would just, they would sleep
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on the cardboard scratcher.
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So there's other-- They
just, like cardboard.
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They actually like the smell of it.
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I think it was , that cat
was also just a little weird.
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But yeah, the design itself existed.
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And it was the shape of the
box and the size of the box.
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I haven't changed anything with that
other than I did introduce a new vertical
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scratching option just about a year ago.
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So it's actually still the base
box and then it's got a vertical
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scratching surface as well.
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So the design itself was done and the
two people who started things, they
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were cat lovers and they did a lot of
work in terms of figuring out what are
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the good dimensions for the box so it's
not too big and it's not too small.
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How high should the sides be so that
the cat feels covered versus still
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being able to see outside of it?
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So they did all of that and one of
the big things I did was actually
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just changing the colors of it
and just the color palette there.
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But yeah, the main product itself wa-
was set from the beginning and when I
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saw the first image of it, I was like,
"Oh yeah, this is genius," because my
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00:10:56,021 --> 00:11:00,311
cat did love the scratcher and cats love
boxes and here this puts it together.
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I was like, "This is fantastic."
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Dixie: Yeah, definitely.
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It is the best of both
worlds for a cat, for sure.
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Carin: Yeah.
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Especially, so on the rescue side
of things, I'd mentioned I'd gotten
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involved with Mission Now a couple
years ago, and Sally was always
227
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asking or we had different rescues
getting grants and I think what UFO
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was actually a grant recipient, right?
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Dixie: Yes.
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Carin: At one point?
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Awesome.
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There was one organization that
had actually put together a new
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intake room for all of their, for
all the animals coming in so that
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they're not just sitting in cages.
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They actually put together
really nice cubbies and Sally
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had said, "Hey, wait, actually…
237
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I can totally see this, that each
one of these cubbies should have a
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00:11:36,629 --> 00:11:40,509
hide and scratch box in it because
then the cat has their own space."
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So I think that was one of the first
big donations I did in terms of the
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product going specifically to a shelter
and then Mission Meow will actually
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always or usually has boxes for
sale at the events that they go to.
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But in talking with some other rescues,
I'd actually heard from them or they
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had told me they're like, "Oh, yes, our
cats love your boxes and we've actually
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got them on our Amazon wishlist."
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And I was like, "Oh, this is really cool."
246
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And, "Ooh, wait, I wish I could
figure out how to get more boxes
247
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to, to rescue organizations."
248
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And , I played with a couple of
different things like a couple
249
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different organizations I'll
just make a straight donation to.
250
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Had been chatting with some different
cat cafes that actually partner with
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rescues and I was like okay, can I
just-- should I give them boxes to
252
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display in or to have in their rooms so
that the cats can benefit from them?"
253
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And then, maybe put up a sign
about purchasing hide and scratch
254
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boxes as a marketing thing.
255
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But as I started to do that, I was like,
"Oof," yeah, I wish I could just give
256
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all these boxes away, but that's really
expensive to do and I am a one-person
257
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business and not making enough money
to unfortunately do all of that.
258
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I wish I could.
259
00:12:41,259 --> 00:12:43,579
But just in hearing things from the
rescues and especially when they told
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me that they were putting them on their
Amazon wishlist, I was like, okay, this is
261
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great because it means people wanna help
and that they're donating boxes to people.
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But as someone who has pretty much
built this entire business on Amazon
263
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initially and had to learn all of Amazon
from scratch when I first got involved
264
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with this, it blew my mind and I think
a lot of people don't realize like
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what the actual economics of things
are with Amazon in the background.
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And just what the fees are 'cause a
lot of people will say, "Oh, wait,
267
00:13:11,179 --> 00:13:13,019
you sell boxes for $20 a piece?
268
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Like you must be making all this money."
269
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And I'm always like, "Ooh, hold up here.
270
00:13:15,839 --> 00:13:16,949
H-h-hold up here."
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00:13:17,389 --> 00:13:20,789
There's a lot behind the scenes,
but the biggest being that shipping
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an individual box costs almost $10.
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So like of that $20 sale, $10 goes to
Amazon to pay for the shipping of that
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box and then Amazon actually charges a
commission off of every sale that they do.
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So that right there is just okay, so
15% of that sale is going to Amazon
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versus creating benefit or value
to the rescue organization, or even
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00:13:45,601 --> 00:13:47,141
it's not putting money in my pocket.
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And I was like, "Wait, I c-
could I come up with a way to
279
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actually make this work better?"
280
00:13:52,271 --> 00:13:56,401
And it was when I started selling
wholesale last year that it started
281
00:13:56,401 --> 00:13:58,511
to make sense to me and said
'cause I-- when I sell wholesale,
282
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I sell things by the case."
283
00:14:00,221 --> 00:14:05,851
And so Hide and Scratch boxes come 15 to
a case, and I can ship a case to somebody.
284
00:14:05,861 --> 00:14:09,681
It depends on how far it needs
to go, but, let's just call
285
00:14:09,681 --> 00:14:11,781
it $40, $50 to ship that case.
286
00:14:11,841 --> 00:14:16,621
So it's really only about $3 a box in
shipping costs to ship them all together
287
00:14:16,891 --> 00:14:19,561
versus $10 to ship them individually.
288
00:14:20,021 --> 00:14:23,421
And so that's where when I sell wholesale,
I can sell them at a very large discount
289
00:14:23,831 --> 00:14:26,501
so that a retailer can resell them and
actually still make money off of it.
290
00:14:27,041 --> 00:14:30,461
And I was like wait, I could do the
same thing maybe for the shelters
291
00:14:30,501 --> 00:14:34,161
or maybe give people the option to
donate a full case to the shelters."
292
00:14:34,181 --> 00:14:36,001
And that's when everything
started to come together.
293
00:14:36,001 --> 00:14:36,661
And I said wait a minute.
294
00:14:36,661 --> 00:14:40,631
I can actually lay this out in a couple
of different options and just provide
295
00:14:40,641 --> 00:14:44,271
lower prices than the retail prices
to pass on the shipping savings when
296
00:14:44,271 --> 00:14:45,641
people wanna donate more than one."
297
00:14:45,681 --> 00:14:46,911
So that's how this all came about.
298
00:14:47,665 --> 00:14:47,815
Dixie: Yeah.
299
00:14:47,815 --> 00:14:52,155
I know I received a box, I think
it was last week I got a box,
300
00:14:52,875 --> 00:14:54,985
and it was totally unexpected.
301
00:14:54,985 --> 00:14:57,935
I guess somebody just went on your
site and just scrolled down and
302
00:14:57,935 --> 00:15:03,379
picked my name and then sent us a
box 'cause I had not posted anywhere.
303
00:15:03,399 --> 00:15:05,639
I know the rescues, if you
sign up, you give them a link.
304
00:15:05,649 --> 00:15:08,359
I signed up, but I had my link,
but I didn't share my link.
305
00:15:08,719 --> 00:15:11,859
So it was quite a surprise
to get it in there and the…
306
00:15:11,859 --> 00:15:13,589
the cats are loving the boxes.
307
00:15:13,969 --> 00:15:16,999
We're actually hoping to take
them and put them in the adoption
308
00:15:16,999 --> 00:15:20,909
center that we are using out of
the Petco that we adopt out of.
309
00:15:21,219 --> 00:15:23,769
Just because the way that their
cages are set up, they just need
310
00:15:23,769 --> 00:15:25,419
a little bit more enrichment.
311
00:15:25,849 --> 00:15:28,829
And so I think , as long as they fit
in their kennels, I think that would
312
00:15:28,839 --> 00:15:30,429
be a really good thing for them.
313
00:15:30,819 --> 00:15:33,739
But it's a really great program
because the cats love it.
314
00:15:33,779 --> 00:15:37,169
I was very surprised 'cause
I w- it was very unexpected.
315
00:15:38,749 --> 00:15:39,329
Carin: That's amazing.
316
00:15:39,339 --> 00:15:41,449
Although now you're making me think
I need to go check something 'cause
317
00:15:41,449 --> 00:15:44,499
you're supposed to get an email when
somebody makes a donation to you.
318
00:15:44,589 --> 00:15:45,739
So I might need to check on that bit.
319
00:15:45,739 --> 00:15:46,309
Oh I did.
320
00:15:46,359 --> 00:15:48,059
But that- I got, I did get the email.
321
00:15:48,429 --> 00:15:48,759
So
322
00:15:48,789 --> 00:15:48,919
Dixie: the
323
00:15:48,919 --> 00:15:49,899
Carin: email was exciting.
324
00:15:50,089 --> 00:15:50,989
Okay, good.
325
00:15:50,989 --> 00:15:51,679
Okay?
326
00:15:51,679 --> 00:15:52,219
Okay, good.
327
00:15:52,579 --> 00:15:55,619
'Cause that was the other piece that
I left out here just as I was thinking
328
00:15:55,629 --> 00:15:59,359
through okay, yeah, the Amazon Wish
List works, and I know a lot of
329
00:15:59,379 --> 00:16:03,559
people use it, or, and a lot of rescue
organizations use it to help source
330
00:16:03,569 --> 00:16:07,039
supplies and look, it makes things easy
because you can put together a shopping
331
00:16:07,039 --> 00:16:08,339
list, and anybody can send you things.
332
00:16:08,889 --> 00:16:11,889
But the wish list was, on Amazon,
was not really designed to be
333
00:16:11,889 --> 00:16:14,209
a charitable donations vehicle.
334
00:16:14,409 --> 00:16:17,079
It's really more for, people to have
a, "Here's my Christmas list, and
335
00:16:17,079 --> 00:16:18,649
here's what I want you to buy you."
336
00:16:19,129 --> 00:16:21,449
And that was the other piece that I
realized, and this gets back to the
337
00:16:21,449 --> 00:16:24,399
email, and this is what made me just
think about this, is that when somebody
338
00:16:24,409 --> 00:16:27,669
donates something off of an Amazon
wish list yeah, they can put a gift
339
00:16:27,669 --> 00:16:31,329
receipt in there and put a note about
who it comes from, but there's no real
340
00:16:31,329 --> 00:16:35,479
way for the organization to directly
thank that donor because you don't
341
00:16:35,479 --> 00:16:37,159
get any contact information for them.
342
00:16:37,669 --> 00:16:40,799
And the donor actually, if they make
a sizable donation, they might want a
343
00:16:40,799 --> 00:16:44,419
tax receipt of some sort to be able to
de- claim the deduction on their taxes,
344
00:16:44,419 --> 00:16:46,259
and so there's no two-way loop there.
345
00:16:46,669 --> 00:16:49,119
And so that's was the other reason
why I said, "Hey, wait a minute, I
346
00:16:49,139 --> 00:16:50,519
can actually build something better."
347
00:16:50,859 --> 00:16:53,339
And I've always been pretty tech-savvy
and have built websites and whatnot, and
348
00:16:53,339 --> 00:16:54,099
that's where I was like, you know what?
349
00:16:54,109 --> 00:16:58,889
I can actually build a website that will
solve all of these things, where it'll
350
00:16:58,889 --> 00:17:02,649
give, yes, the rescues like you guys the
ability just to sign up, and I wanted
351
00:17:02,649 --> 00:17:06,098
to make it as easy as possible and then
make it as easy as possible for people
352
00:17:06,098 --> 00:17:10,939
to, yes, send hide-and-scratch boxes and
toys to the cats who need them and then
353
00:17:10,949 --> 00:17:15,819
build in that feedback loop so that you
actually can get that donor's information
354
00:17:15,819 --> 00:17:17,299
if they've opted in to give it to you.
355
00:17:17,329 --> 00:17:20,098
You can add them to your mailing list
so that you can keep them updated.
356
00:17:20,128 --> 00:17:22,419
You can send them a personalized
thank you note if you want to.
357
00:17:22,868 --> 00:17:27,309
And then they can also get a, a record
of the donations if they want it.
358
00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:30,359
So that was my objective in
putting all of this together.
359
00:17:32,731 --> 00:17:36,671
Dixie: Now let me ask you to backtrack
a little bit and tell me how you first
360
00:17:36,671 --> 00:17:39,171
became involved with Mission Meow.
361
00:17:41,041 --> 00:17:43,821
Carin: Everything with Hide and
Scratch has been and growing the
362
00:17:43,831 --> 00:17:46,761
business overall has always been like,
"Ooh, I should do this," and then
363
00:17:46,871 --> 00:17:49,141
it turns into something else, and
then it turns into something else.
364
00:17:49,191 --> 00:17:51,091
This is actually just how
my life works in general.
365
00:17:51,641 --> 00:18:01,031
But I think it was that at one point I
had reached out to a cat-based blog about
366
00:18:01,031 --> 00:18:05,351
them maybe writing an article or if I sent
them a product, if they would do a review.
367
00:18:06,031 --> 00:18:09,881
And I cannot think about who that is right
now, but I think they actually wrote a
368
00:18:09,881 --> 00:18:12,731
really nice article about things, and
I just asked if there's anybody else I
369
00:18:12,731 --> 00:18:16,281
should be introduced to, and I think they
were a Mission Meow partner, had been
370
00:18:16,281 --> 00:18:18,871
involved with it, and they're like, "Oh,
yeah, we need to introduce you to Sally."
371
00:18:19,211 --> 00:18:21,211
And kinda that's how that came about.
372
00:18:21,651 --> 00:18:23,661
But it was also right at that time
where I was trying to figure out
373
00:18:23,671 --> 00:18:27,281
okay, wait, how could I start doing
some regular donations, both on a
374
00:18:27,281 --> 00:18:29,771
monetary and a f- and a product basis?
375
00:18:30,241 --> 00:18:32,751
And was trying to figure out how to
set something up, and then the timing
376
00:18:32,751 --> 00:18:35,671
was literally perfect because I was
like, "Okay, great, this-- I don't
377
00:18:35,671 --> 00:18:39,851
need to build my whole own kind of
donations program or figuring out who
378
00:18:39,851 --> 00:18:41,611
do I wanna send money to, et cetera."
379
00:18:41,911 --> 00:18:47,371
The fact that I can get on board as
a business partner there, and they're
380
00:18:47,381 --> 00:18:49,701
bringing everything together from
all the different business partners
381
00:18:49,701 --> 00:18:54,721
and then their own fundraising was
just a fantastic way to, to meet
382
00:18:54,721 --> 00:18:58,141
that objective without honestly
creating a whole bunch of work myself.
383
00:18:58,501 --> 00:19:00,421
But then, look, I went and
created a whole new website,
384
00:19:00,421 --> 00:19:01,841
so I do create work for myself.
385
00:19:01,841 --> 00:19:03,751
But they're working in
tandem together now.
386
00:19:06,335 --> 00:19:06,585
Dixie: Yeah.
387
00:19:06,595 --> 00:19:12,085
It's really great to have businesses
like you supporting small rescues
388
00:19:12,455 --> 00:19:16,585
through vehicles like Mission Meow
and in also with what you've designed
389
00:19:16,595 --> 00:19:18,155
with the Give a Cat a Box, too.
390
00:19:18,615 --> 00:19:23,375
Because y- as you mentioned, I was a
January grant recipient from Mission Meow,
391
00:19:24,205 --> 00:19:31,225
and, it's just so meaningful to a small
rescue to be able to get funds to purchase
392
00:19:31,225 --> 00:19:36,635
what you need to operate your rescue or
to take on a special project like what
393
00:19:36,635 --> 00:19:41,005
we're doing as we were doing the ambulance
conversion into a spay/neuter clinic.
394
00:19:42,045 --> 00:19:45,325
And, it just means so much and
it's so great to know that there's
395
00:19:45,325 --> 00:19:49,185
so many businesses that are out
there supporting cat rescues.
396
00:19:51,307 --> 00:19:52,817
Carin: It's everybody's
doing so much good.
397
00:19:53,127 --> 00:19:55,907
But yeah, I also really love--
it was just a no-brainer to me.
398
00:19:55,907 --> 00:19:58,727
Once I met Sally and got a better
understanding of what they're doing I
399
00:19:58,737 --> 00:20:03,677
love how she's channeling the goodwill
from a lot of different businesses and
400
00:20:03,687 --> 00:20:09,987
people into specific focused things where,
yeah, there's always so many expenses
401
00:20:09,997 --> 00:20:15,327
for rescue organizations, and if you
get $50 here, $20 here, et cetera okay,
402
00:20:15,327 --> 00:20:19,107
it goes to food and all these immediate
needs and it's near impossible to have
403
00:20:19,107 --> 00:20:22,327
that build up to be enough to where you
can actually undertake a sizable project
404
00:20:22,327 --> 00:20:23,737
like the things that the grants fund.
405
00:20:24,257 --> 00:20:27,437
And so the fact that they're now enabling
organizations to do those types of things
406
00:20:27,507 --> 00:20:32,207
is huge because, yeah, food and vet bills
are always the most pressing things.
407
00:20:32,737 --> 00:20:36,437
And I guess that's also where I love
how the Give a Cat a Box program is
408
00:20:36,437 --> 00:20:42,897
fitting in as well, where it the boxes
can really make a difference for cats and
409
00:20:42,897 --> 00:20:45,987
just giving them a safe place and making
them feel a little bit more comfortable,
410
00:20:45,987 --> 00:20:49,107
and you were talking about putting them
in the kennels at your adoption center.
411
00:20:49,367 --> 00:20:53,837
One-- a couple different organizations
have said that they're loving the ability
412
00:20:53,837 --> 00:20:57,427
to let the cats use them, and then when
the cats are adopted, they actually send
413
00:20:57,427 --> 00:21:01,527
them home with that box so that they've
got something familiar with them that then
414
00:21:01,527 --> 00:21:05,017
helps them make that transition because
the- they don't wanna reuse the boxes
415
00:21:05,017 --> 00:21:08,607
for a different cat and there's no way to
fully sterilize it, that type of thing.
416
00:21:08,607 --> 00:21:10,987
But being able to send it home,
it's okay, this cat has something
417
00:21:10,987 --> 00:21:13,377
that they own and it goes with them.
418
00:21:13,667 --> 00:21:18,717
And it's that type of products too
that I think it, it-- They're not the
419
00:21:18,727 --> 00:21:22,727
must-haves in a shelter or rescue,
but they can make a huge difference
420
00:21:22,777 --> 00:21:24,307
in the experience of the cat.
421
00:21:24,317 --> 00:21:28,297
So being able to enable those types
of donations, like it just makes
422
00:21:28,297 --> 00:21:29,477
me warm and fuzzy on the inside.
423
00:21:31,107 --> 00:21:31,557
Dixie: Yeah.
424
00:21:31,557 --> 00:21:37,277
And I love being able to find businesses
that have the same passions that I do.
425
00:21:38,587 --> 00:21:42,067
It makes me really wanna support
like all the Mission Meow businesses.
426
00:21:42,077 --> 00:21:45,877
It makes me wanna support them because
I know they're out there supporting the
427
00:21:45,877 --> 00:21:47,727
same cause that I'm passionate about.
428
00:21:49,039 --> 00:21:51,399
Carin: Yeah, it's an- another
fantastic benefit of things.
429
00:21:51,409 --> 00:21:54,119
It's just kn- knowing that there's all
these other people out there doing similar
430
00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,079
things and having similar objectives is…
431
00:21:57,039 --> 00:21:59,109
it helps make those, the
harder days easier too
432
00:22:00,487 --> 00:22:03,087
Dixie: So another thing that I
wanted to mention too in the the
433
00:22:03,087 --> 00:22:05,557
box that I received we have some
434
00:22:06,367 --> 00:22:07,697
silver vine sticks.
435
00:22:08,017 --> 00:22:14,027
I was not familiar with silver vine
as far as what it does with cats.
436
00:22:14,057 --> 00:22:18,667
I was familiar with catnip to
a lesser extent valerian, but
437
00:22:18,677 --> 00:22:20,417
silver vine- … is new to me.
438
00:22:20,637 --> 00:22:24,777
So when I got that, I was really surprised
when I was reading what silver vine was.
439
00:22:24,787 --> 00:22:28,417
So for all the cat owners out there
and cat lovers, cat rescuers that
440
00:22:28,417 --> 00:22:31,007
don't know what silver vine is, can
you tell us a little bit about that?
441
00:22:32,227 --> 00:22:33,527
Carin: You are not alone.
442
00:22:33,627 --> 00:22:36,467
And actually, the first event that I was
at where I was selling them and giving
443
00:22:36,467 --> 00:22:39,177
them away as prizes, a lot of people
were like, "Wait, what's silver vine?"
444
00:22:39,177 --> 00:22:41,747
I said, "Oh, I need to have
something that helps explain this."
445
00:22:42,277 --> 00:22:44,787
It's similar to catnip, so it is a plant.
446
00:22:45,187 --> 00:22:47,027
And yeah, it comes in stick form.
447
00:22:47,087 --> 00:22:47,937
I think I have a picture.
448
00:22:47,947 --> 00:22:48,537
It, it's a plant.
449
00:22:48,547 --> 00:22:49,097
It's a bush.
450
00:22:49,717 --> 00:22:52,557
But just like catnip, which is
an herb, and I think, some people
451
00:22:52,557 --> 00:22:55,827
will have catnip tea on occasion
it's a plant, but it's got…
452
00:22:56,547 --> 00:22:58,877
I don't wanna call them chemicals
in there 'cause they're not quite
453
00:22:58,897 --> 00:23:01,737
chemicals, but it's got things in
it that are attractive to cats.
454
00:23:01,917 --> 00:23:06,157
So just like catnip is an herb and it's
got there's like a scientific name for it.
455
00:23:06,327 --> 00:23:08,547
This is getting a little bit
out of my depth, but it's just,
456
00:23:08,577 --> 00:23:11,497
another type of plant and it
actually has more compounds in it.
457
00:23:11,497 --> 00:23:12,627
I guess that's probably the better word.
458
00:23:13,007 --> 00:23:15,857
More compounds in it that cats
react to than just catnip.
459
00:23:15,857 --> 00:23:19,027
So catnip is a singular thing
and then silver vine actually
460
00:23:19,027 --> 00:23:23,527
has, I wanna say eight different
compounds in it that cats react to.
461
00:23:24,257 --> 00:23:28,707
So I guess just like you think about
catnip kind of being one type of drug,
462
00:23:28,707 --> 00:23:30,267
this one has more types of drugs in it.
463
00:23:30,267 --> 00:23:31,997
I don't wanna make the comparison
to drugs, but I don't know
464
00:23:31,997 --> 00:23:33,227
what else better to use there.
465
00:23:33,617 --> 00:23:35,337
But yeah it's something
that cats react to.
466
00:23:35,577 --> 00:23:38,817
Cats are typically more reactive to
silver vine than they are to catnip.
467
00:23:38,837 --> 00:23:41,047
Like a lot of people are like, "Oh,
my cat doesn't like catnip at all,"
468
00:23:41,317 --> 00:23:43,397
and then they like the silver vine.
469
00:23:43,827 --> 00:23:46,787
And that was actually the case that
kind of helped convince me to start
470
00:23:46,807 --> 00:23:50,287
carrying these products is that
my mom's one cat, he is a chonk.
471
00:23:50,287 --> 00:23:54,487
He is this giant tuxedo chonk that does
not get excited about hardly anything.
472
00:23:54,827 --> 00:23:58,627
And so I had a whole range of like
sample toys that the supplier had
473
00:23:58,627 --> 00:24:04,337
sent me and it was actually the
silver vine ball that Sparky decided
474
00:24:04,337 --> 00:24:05,517
was the best thing in the world.
475
00:24:05,527 --> 00:24:08,787
So you've got the sticks, so they're stick
form and then there's a little powder on
476
00:24:08,787 --> 00:24:12,517
the outside of it that's actually ground
up leaves or it's a ground up part of
477
00:24:12,517 --> 00:24:16,357
the plant that is even a little bit more
potent than just the sticks themselves.
478
00:24:16,617 --> 00:24:19,237
And so cats will typically chew
on these or they'll just smell
479
00:24:19,237 --> 00:24:20,307
them or rub up against them.
480
00:24:20,687 --> 00:24:23,807
But then I've also got silver vine
balls and so the outside part of the
481
00:24:23,807 --> 00:24:27,627
ball is made of the sticks, and then
inside is actually a catnip ball.
482
00:24:28,037 --> 00:24:30,727
So you've got the best of both worlds
there, and Sparky just absolutely
483
00:24:30,727 --> 00:24:32,657
loved this, and I was like, "Oh, okay.
484
00:24:33,107 --> 00:24:34,217
I will be getting some of those."
485
00:24:35,007 --> 00:24:38,357
So your order might have only had
yeah, the one in there, but for the
486
00:24:38,357 --> 00:24:43,087
larger b- buckets of donations, if
it's multiple boxes it's got a mixture
487
00:24:43,087 --> 00:24:45,507
of the both the silver vine sticks
and the silver vine balls in there.
488
00:24:47,117 --> 00:24:49,557
Dixie: They were enjoying them
'cause I did test them out.
489
00:24:49,937 --> 00:24:50,447
Carin: I love it.
490
00:24:50,497 --> 00:24:51,167
Now you've got me thinking.
491
00:24:51,167 --> 00:24:53,107
I saw somebody post a video
about it the other day.
492
00:24:53,107 --> 00:24:55,577
I don't know if that was you or if
that was another rescue organization.
493
00:24:56,297 --> 00:25:01,267
I've been, like, loving all the stuff
that's coming out on social media where
494
00:25:01,267 --> 00:25:04,097
people are posting how much their cats
are loving things and the pictures of
495
00:25:04,097 --> 00:25:06,787
things and just the amount of views
that things are starting to get.
496
00:25:06,787 --> 00:25:10,627
So for a little program here that
launched really only four weeks
497
00:25:10,627 --> 00:25:13,517
ago I'm super thrilled with how
well this has been going so far.
498
00:25:15,027 --> 00:25:16,207
Dixie: Yeah, that's amazing.
499
00:25:16,217 --> 00:25:21,157
It is amazing, especially like I said,
I didn't advertise my link or anything.
500
00:25:21,577 --> 00:25:25,577
So somebody just went to your site and
just randomly picked my name and sent
501
00:25:25,577 --> 00:25:30,677
me something and , it's amazing 'cause
it's like you said it on- for only being
502
00:25:30,677 --> 00:25:32,747
around for four weeks that's pretty good.
503
00:25:34,037 --> 00:25:36,507
Carin: Yeah, it might actually be five
or six at this point, but I think I
504
00:25:36,507 --> 00:25:39,427
launched things informally, announced
them right at the end of April.
505
00:25:39,467 --> 00:25:40,897
I can't believe we're in June already.
506
00:25:41,277 --> 00:25:45,147
And my initial approach here was
that I did reach out to all the
507
00:25:45,147 --> 00:25:49,547
Mission Meow grant recipients to
enroll them as a pre-enrollment
508
00:25:49,547 --> 00:25:51,017
before I actually announced things.
509
00:25:51,387 --> 00:25:58,137
And so I think I went live with 20, 22
or 24 organizations actively enrolled
510
00:25:58,537 --> 00:26:02,647
and what's been super fantastic so far
is actually as I've been posting things
511
00:26:02,647 --> 00:26:06,417
on social media you might have seen I
actually started just a week ago or so,
512
00:26:06,417 --> 00:26:09,477
is actually doing a post whenever somebody
makes a donation just to thank them.
513
00:26:09,757 --> 00:26:12,897
I'm actually going through and doing
welcome posts to all the organizations
514
00:26:12,897 --> 00:26:15,367
that have been enrolled, so that
might have been another way that
515
00:26:15,367 --> 00:26:17,997
somebody saw that you were enrolled
if you didn't post yourself.
516
00:26:17,997 --> 00:26:19,037
I've been going through and doing that.
517
00:26:19,587 --> 00:26:23,947
But just by people seeing things, I've
actually, I've grown to 32 partner
518
00:26:23,947 --> 00:26:27,517
organizations already because I've
got a mechanism that other rescues, if
519
00:26:27,517 --> 00:26:30,817
they're not already enrolled and they're
interested in signing up, there's a
520
00:26:30,817 --> 00:26:32,227
form that they can fill out on the site.
521
00:26:32,767 --> 00:26:34,977
I've organically added
to the list already.
522
00:26:35,277 --> 00:26:38,397
And then my plan is I've actually got
a database or a long list of about
523
00:26:38,397 --> 00:26:41,427
1,000 different rescue organizations
in the US that I'm gonna start
524
00:26:41,437 --> 00:26:44,777
reaching out to myself and just
contacting them and saying, "Hey,
525
00:26:44,777 --> 00:26:46,617
here this i- here, h- this exists.
526
00:26:46,887 --> 00:26:48,047
I'd love to have you on board with it.
527
00:26:48,047 --> 00:26:51,037
There's no cost to you," et cetera
along with just the easy instructions
528
00:26:51,037 --> 00:26:53,627
like you got about how they can
become a part of the program.
529
00:26:54,877 --> 00:26:56,617
Dixie: Thank you so much for doing that.
530
00:26:57,227 --> 00:27:02,727
It's helping so many animals and bringing
so much more enrichment to cats' lives.
531
00:27:03,699 --> 00:27:04,869
Carin: That was the goal.
532
00:27:05,129 --> 00:27:06,589
And it just-- Yeah, I I can't tell you…
533
00:27:06,599 --> 00:27:08,749
Yeah I said already, just watching
Instagram and whatnot and seeing
534
00:27:08,749 --> 00:27:11,969
people post things, and when I do
a little dance every time I see
535
00:27:12,249 --> 00:27:13,799
a donation order come through.
536
00:27:13,819 --> 00:27:15,389
It just, I don't know.
537
00:27:15,399 --> 00:27:18,169
It makes me feel good to be able to
do some good and help out the cats out
538
00:27:18,169 --> 00:27:22,229
there and help support the people who
are doing the good helping the cats.
539
00:27:23,539 --> 00:27:27,069
Dixie: Before we end the call, is there
any final message you would like to add?
540
00:27:28,033 --> 00:27:29,673
Carin: I think people
probably got the gist here.
541
00:27:29,673 --> 00:27:33,393
If people want to Give a Cat a Box,
the website is giveacatabox.com.
542
00:27:33,913 --> 00:27:37,233
If there are organizations out there
that would like to be a part of the
543
00:27:37,233 --> 00:27:39,413
program they can go to giveacatabox.com
544
00:27:39,413 --> 00:27:41,833
and down at the bottom there's
a link to request to be listed.
545
00:27:41,833 --> 00:27:44,153
It's just a super short form to fill out.
546
00:27:44,613 --> 00:27:47,313
And I actually, I've got plans to
add in a form that somebody could
547
00:27:47,323 --> 00:27:50,673
suggest an organization but I
haven't gotten that part done yet.
548
00:27:50,683 --> 00:27:54,303
So if anybody knows an organization that,
that could benefit from this, send them
549
00:27:54,303 --> 00:27:55,693
to the website and have them sign up.
550
00:27:56,233 --> 00:27:59,313
But I guess I would end on just saying
that in the five weeks here that
551
00:27:59,313 --> 00:28:02,293
things have been live, I included
this in my newsletter the other day
552
00:28:02,593 --> 00:28:06,753
but I actually totaled things up and
as of the end of the month, there had
553
00:28:06,753 --> 00:28:10,343
been over 150 boxes donated already.
554
00:28:11,083 --> 00:28:14,883
So I think I had 30 or so
donations, so people, individuals
555
00:28:14,903 --> 00:28:16,043
that had made donations.
556
00:28:16,473 --> 00:28:19,793
Four or five of them had actually
donated a full case which I
557
00:28:19,793 --> 00:28:20,763
was really surprised about.
558
00:28:20,763 --> 00:28:24,713
I didn't know how many people would be
willing to make $150 donation but that
559
00:28:24,713 --> 00:28:28,753
is the level at which I can ship things
by the case and the boxes are really only
560
00:28:28,753 --> 00:28:33,333
$10 apiece at that level because I can
pass on all of that shipping savings.
561
00:28:34,113 --> 00:28:37,353
But yeah, over 150 boxes donated
in just the first five weeks.
562
00:28:37,433 --> 00:28:39,383
So I was like, "This is
absolutely fantastic."
563
00:28:39,383 --> 00:28:42,343
So thank you to everybody who has
participated thus far, and I can't wait
564
00:28:42,343 --> 00:28:44,663
to see just where this goes from here.
565
00:28:44,683 --> 00:28:48,073
And I'm gonna be adding a bit to the
main site that has a running total of
566
00:28:48,233 --> 00:28:49,783
how many boxes have been donated to date.
567
00:28:49,813 --> 00:28:50,933
That's also on my to-do list.
568
00:28:52,243 --> 00:28:53,453
Dixie: That's amazing.
569
00:28:53,763 --> 00:28:57,993
And I loved hearing the Hide and
Scratch story and how you decided to
570
00:28:57,993 --> 00:29:02,083
come up with the Give a Cat a Box,
and thank you again for joining me
571
00:29:02,083 --> 00:29:03,483
today to tell me all about this.
572
00:29:04,593 --> 00:29:05,733
Carin: Thank you for having me.
573
00:29:06,113 --> 00:29:07,103
Can't wait to see what we can do.
574
00:29:07,113 --> 00:29:08,503
And let's get you guys
some more boxes too.
575
00:29:10,263 --> 00:29:10,513
Dixie: Yeah.
576
00:29:10,513 --> 00:29:13,493
The kitties love 'em, so yeah, we
can always use some more boxes.
577
00:29:14,903 --> 00:29:15,773
Carin: Fantastic.
578
00:29:15,923 --> 00:29:17,683
We'll look forward to seeing
what's happening here.
579
00:29:17,743 --> 00:29:18,343
Dixie: And Silver
580
00:29:18,343 --> 00:29:18,553
Carin: Vine.
581
00:29:18,553 --> 00:29:19,823
So thank you again for having me.
582
00:29:20,193 --> 00:29:20,253
Thank you.
583
00:29:20,303 --> 00:29:21,173
Yes and the Silver…
584
00:29:21,173 --> 00:29:22,693
Oh, that's everybody else
can go check those out.
585
00:29:22,703 --> 00:29:24,713
And everything, if people wanna
check out the boxes, I guess
586
00:29:24,713 --> 00:29:25,603
I should do one last plug.
587
00:29:25,603 --> 00:29:27,873
If they wanna check out the boxes
or the Silver Vine toys, those are
588
00:29:27,873 --> 00:29:29,583
all available on hideandscratch.com
589
00:29:29,583 --> 00:29:30,483
for your own purchase.
590
00:29:32,243 --> 00:29:32,433
Dixie: Yeah.
591
00:29:32,433 --> 00:29:35,123
And I'm gonna include your
links in the show notes too,
592
00:29:35,303 --> 00:29:36,493
so people can go check you out.
593
00:29:36,493 --> 00:29:36,803
Carin: Okay.
594
00:29:36,883 --> 00:29:37,873
Dixie: And donate a box.
595
00:29:37,973 --> 00:29:38,423
Carin: Awesome.
596
00:29:39,103 --> 00:29:39,533
Awesome.
597
00:29:39,583 --> 00:29:40,433
Thank you so much.
