About nyanpling
[The story behind the development of a pet urine collector] It all started with my being unable to collect urine from my beloved cat
Nice to meet you. My name is Horie, and I work at the Nyanpling Division, which developed the pet urine collector. We launched the Nyanpling Division as a new business venture for a small design office on August 8, 2021, International Cat Day.
As a way to manage the health of your precious family members, we have developed and are selling a "dog and cat urine pH check set" and a "pet urine collector" that can be easily used at home.
What prompted the development of the "pet urine collector"
In September 2019, my beloved cat Roy, who had just turned one year old at the time, was diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis and a predisposition to the formation of struvite crystals in his urine. We had a lot of trouble collecting urine at home for a urine test at the veterinary hospital.
Roy needed regular urine tests to monitor his condition. We had to collect his urine using a system litter box, but we had to wash and dry the litter box and replace the sand with new one before collecting the urine, which was a lot of work and a burden. As we have multiple pets, sometimes the other pets use the litter box we had worked so hard to prepare while we were not looking!
I was seriously wondering if there was an easier way to collect urine from cats. I was also concerned about impurities that might get through the cat litter or the wooden boards and get mixed into the urine that collects in the tray, and I wondered whether an accurate urine test could be performed.
"I want to collect urine directly!"
I had never seen Roy pee before because I thought that cats are nervous and that I should leave him alone when he was in the toilet. However, one day, Roy urinated without caring that I was nearby, so I thought that if he was okay with watching, maybe I could collect his urine directly.
Since it seemed like it would be difficult to collect urine using a ladle or paper cup, I decided to make a simple urine collector and gently inserted it under Roy's bottom while he was peeing. I was so impressed by how easily I was able to collect the urine that I wondered what all the trouble I had gone through up until then.
Later, I learned through social media that there were many people who, like me, were having trouble collecting urine from their cats, and that regular urine checks were necessary for health management for dogs and cats, who are prone to urinary and kidney diseases.
The development of Nyampling began when I thought that it would be useful for managing the health of dogs and cats if I could easily collect urine at home and check it. I thought, "I wish there was something like this," and drew a diagram of a urine collection device.
"We focused on making everything easy to do and kind to people, pets, and the environment."
The oval shape is low enough to fit under your pet's bottom. You can see the color, volume, and condition of the urine at a glance, and you can record it by taking a photo. It is a disposable container for hygienic reasons, but we wanted to use a paper container for environmental reasons.
At the time, we searched for a manufacturer of pulp molds, which were beginning to attract attention as a molded paper product as an alternative to plastic. Despite the many restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we had multiple meetings with the person in charge and, although things did not always go as planned, we finally completed a sample container in July 2021.
"Winner of the Good Design Award in October 2022"
After conducting a monitor survey of 50 cats and conducting a test sale through crowdfunding, we began general sales on our online shop in May 2022. In October, we were awarded the Good Design Award, which was highly praised not only for its design but also for its use of environmentally friendly materials. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many people who always support us, as we were able to receive such a major award.
[Future goal] "I want to convey the importance of regular urine checks for both dogs and cats while they are still healthy."
After the general sale started, we have been trying various things such as renewing the packaging and product contents. As of 2024, we have opened a store on Amazon in Japan and the United States to further increase awareness of Nyampling. We are also trying face-to-face sales, mainly at cat goods sales events.
At the events, we ask, "Do you regularly collect urine samples and check your cat's urine?" However, many owners answer, "I've never collected urine samples or checked my cat's pee," "I've never taken my cat to the vet," "I've never had my cat have a urine test at the vet," or "It's okay because my cat is still young."
It is said that dogs and cats are now viewed as members of the family, that keeping them indoors is becoming more common, and awareness of health management is increasing, but I feel that there are still many people who think of veterinary hospitals as a place to go when their pets are sick.
On the other hand, awareness of pet urine checks is definitely increasing, and recently we have seen an increase in the number of people visiting the Nyampling booth saying, "I've been curious about urine checks" or "I'd like to try it out," which we are very pleased about.
"Urine checks are an important part of pet health management because they are the people closest to the pet, the owners."
Dogs and cats cannot communicate when they are unwell with words. They instinctively hide when they are unwell, and by the time visible symptoms appear, the disease may have progressed. Urine is a barometer of health. Regularly checking and recording the color and amount of urine, the presence or absence of impurities, and the pH value from a healthy age will increase the chances of noticing abnormalities in the urine, and will help to detect urinary and kidney diseases early and extend the healthy lifespan of your beloved family members.
Since its launch, it has been primarily marketed to cats, as it is difficult to collect urine on sand. However, as dogs also need to have their urine checked, we would like to sell it as a urine pH check set for dogs and cats.
"Sale of charity goods begins"
As part of our efforts to raise awareness of the importance of taking pets to the vet and "pee checks" from an early stage of health care, we have also begun selling charity goods as part of our social contribution activities, with the goal of supporting animal welfare organizations, dog and cat rescue organizations, and veterinary care. We have also started selling charity goods in our online shop, so we hope you will take a look.
Finally, we sincerely hope that pet owners will be able to spend as much time as possible with their beloved dogs and cats, who are members of their beloved family, and that Nyampling's easy urine collection, urine checks and records will be of some use in managing the health of their family members.
Nyanpling Developer Yuko Horie
Ayumi
2019
2021
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...Sales start postponed due to the impact of the new coronavirus...
2022
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2023
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2024
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