Santa Cruz coffee shop with 'cat' in its name hit with cease and desist from Caterpillar Inc.

SF Chronicle ^ | 5/27/19 | By Kyla Linville

[NohSpinZone]

Santa Cruz coffee shop Cat and Cloud Coffee says it received a cease and desist from Caterpillar Inc. — because they use the word "CAT" in their shop name and merchandise.

The large corporation has trademarked "CAT" and has taken legal action against the small business to stop them from using it. Owners of the small business say they first received the letter in August of 2018.

"It seemed ridiculous. So, we responded and got a lawyer, obviously," said Jared Truby, co-owner of Cat and Cloud Coffee. "We asked them to further explain their case, asked them to drop it as we are in a completely different industry. They didn't want to, so we went back and forth a few times and called them out for bullying."

[USMCPOP]

Obviously a bulldozer related coffee company.Look at the bulldozer-like cloud, leaking oil and an electrical short to ground.

[golux]

That’s nothing.

Heard tell some of their thugs from Peoria are going around ripping out catheters.

[JennysCool]

Yup. "We are not suing Cat & Cloud, not targeting a small business and not focused on Cat & Cloud's primary interest: coffee. We've simply asked the U.S. Trademark Office to remove Cat & Cloud's trademark registration on footwear and apparel only, products for which Caterpillar has longstanding trademarks and a considerable business. We hope to resolve this issue quickly."

[Leaning Right]

I wonder if Caterpillar ever got around to suing Columbia Pictures.

[NohSpinZone]

You’ll be sued by Katz Deli then. BTW, incredible pastrami sandwiches!

[Still Thinking]

Normally trademarks aren’t considered infringing unless they’re confusing or in the same business as the owner. Plus, how can you trademark a common word anyway, at least exclusively?

[9YearLurker]

Something wrong with our legal system (and the Caterpillar legal department) if this story is accurate.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Simple filing by CAT to protect their trademark CAT which Cat and Coffee is using on apparel.

Yep. Caterpillar does a nice business on their licensed apparel, and if they don't defend their trademark every time, then the next time someone will simply point to this case say, "See, they don't defend their trademark, therefore it is null and void." Even if they lose this one in court, they benefit from demonstrating a strong defense of their trademark. Don't blame Caterpillar. Blame trademark law.

[Still Thinking]

"higher education"

That explains all the drug consumption at college.

[shotgun]

My ex-wife worked for the VP of PACCAR (Peterbuilt and Kenworth. He was the lead corporate attorney and along with the other 6 staff attorneys they all focused their efforts on copyright/trademark/patent law.

When they had similar cases it was usually because they were using a copyrighted logo or trademarked symbol.

On a side note, you should have seen all of the swag they got from companies looking to market products using PACCAR products. From ball point pens to folding knives made by the Franklin Mint. Another cool thing was they got to review the movie scripts where their product would appear. If it showed the product in a favorable light then it would be approved. If it showed them in a bad light the symbols, logos, and names would have to be removed.

I actually got to read the original script from Smokey and the Bandit.

[golux]

It's a cinch to bulldoze some girls running a coffee and cookie shop.





Doubt they'll come after these tracked-vehicle manufacturers.

[VietVet876]

I used to work with Sony Florendo’s son in law. They were very nice people but the restaurant was north of the Green Zone.

[Reily]

“Green zone” - If you’re not talking about Beirut in the “time of troubles” and don’t know what you’re talking about!

Where is there a “Green Zone” in Baltimore?

[bigbob]

[loucon]

From USPTO.gov trademark search “cat”

9357 Records(s) found (This page: 1 ~ 50)

1 88445735 CRÈME BY CAT CORA TSDR LIVE
2 88425584 LUCKY CAT BY GORDON RAMSAY TSDR LIVE
3 88342405 BURNING CAT TSDR LIVE
4 88330069 CAT MEOW GO TSDR LIVE
5 88299863 CATSTRIPTEASER TSDR LIVE
6 88268979 UCATS TSDR LIVE
7 88264232 POWER CAT TSDR LIVE
8 88248042 FLYCAT TSDR LIVE
9 88240595 TAROT CAT TSDR LIVE
10 88190706 THE CAT TSDR LIVE
11 88164454 5763220 COOL GRAY CATS TSDR LIVE
12 88156366 5762577 CATGEM TSDR LIVE
13 88444428 CHARMING CAT TREASURES TSDR LIVE
14 88444426 CHARMING CAT TREASURES TSDR LIVE
15 88444424 CHARMING CAT TREASURES TSDR LIVE
16 88443932 03.01.08 - DOGS; PUPPIES 03.01.24 - STYLIZED CATS, DOGS, WOLVES, FOXES, BEARS, LIONS, TIGERS 03.03.01 - ELEPHANTS; MAMMOTHS; MASTODONS 03.03.24 - STYLIZED ELEPHANTS, HIPPOPOTAMI, RHINOCERI, GIRAFFES, ALPACAS, CAMELS, LLAMAS 05.05.25 - DAFFODILS; IRIS (FLOWER); OTHER FLOWERS 21.01.07 - BLOCKS, TOY; BUILDING BLOCKS (TOY); BUILDING PIECES (TOY) 26.19.04 - CUBES (GEOMETRIC) TSDR LIVE
17 88442352 CAT’S EYE BREWING COMPANY TSDR LIVE
18 88440743 LUCKY CAT BY GORDON RAMSAY TSDR LIVE
19 88440387 SNACK CATS TSDR LIVE
20 88424343 ATACAT TSDR LIVE
21 88423134 PINK CAT TSDR LIVE
22 88333783 CATSWITHNICEFACES TSDR LIVE
23 88093868 REALCATATTACK TSDR LIVE
24 88438180 CAT-TOUFFÉE TSDR LIVE
25 88437299 ALICE’S CAT TSDR LIVE
26 88421289 BETTER CAT BELLY TSDR LIVE
27 88419945 KINGCAT TSDR LIVE
28 88337708 BH TRUECAT TSDR LIVE
29 88337443 PURPLECAT TSDR LIVE
30 88333877 CAT$H TSDR LIVE
31 88297835 CATSTRONG TSDR LIVE
32 88130708 CAT FRENZY JACKPOTS TSDR LIVE
33 88122626 D DCAT TSDR LIVE
34 88122619 D DCAT TSDR LIVE
35 88121574 KIMCHI KAT TSDR LIVE
36 88419634 ZCAT 421 TSDR LIVE
37 88332923 EMMA THE CAT TSDR LIVE
38 88320637 CATHOLE TSDR LIVE
39 88281117 CAT CO DEFENSE TSDR LIVE
40 88209393 ARROGANT CAT TSDR LIVE
41 88130706 CAT FRENZY JACKPOTS TSDR LIVE
42 88416046 NEKO A CAT CAFE TSDR LIVE
43 88415707 OWLCAT TSDR LIVE
44 88414776 PURE STACKS CATS TSDR LIVE
45 88337775 BH FASTCAT TSDR LIVE
46 88303640 CAT FRENZY JACKPOTS TSDR LIVE
47 88278786 BEASTCAT TSDR LIVE
48 88277608 HOVERCAT TSDR LIVE
49 88272833 SQUARE CAT TSDR LIVE
50 88257758 IRONCAT TSDR LIVE

[LibWhacker]

A lot of liberals love cats. A lot of liberals run cities. A lot of cities buy CATs or own CATs or do business with businesses that do. Millions and millions of dollars worth of business. There’s some leverage there. Where’s a lousy liberal when you need one?

[AmericanCheeseFood]

Caterpillar having that hard of a time with brand recognition that they get complaints about the coffee they don’t deal in?

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

There is a veterinarian called the Cat hospital where I live hope Catapillar doesn’t find them also!!!

[elcid1970]

A cat is not a caterpillar and vice versa. Crazy stuff if true.

[USMCPOP]

"That’s nothing.

Heard tell some of their thugs from Peoria are going around ripping out catheters."

That happened to me a few years back when I was in the hospital for a week for an abdominal aortal aneurysm surgery. I thought peckers were a protected species. Woodie hasn't been the same since.