Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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

Posted on 05/29/2019 12:07:53 PM PDT by 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."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Humor; Local News
KEYWORDS: cat; caterpillar; coffeeshop; santacruz
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 last
To: TexasGator

No not at all there is nothing similar about their logos except the word cat. Different color font and rest of logo, I hope they counter sue and make cat cater ir something similar, sheesh.


81 posted on 05/29/2019 2:01:43 PM PDT by rebel25 (GOD, Family, guns, and duck hunting, everything else is just noise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

In Santa Cruz County, my search yielded these...
CAT AND COMPANY 1996-0001271 SCHLOSSER, CATHERINE MAE 10/25/1996
CAT PUBLISHING 1997-0000817 GILBERTIE, JAMES L 7/31/1997
CAT PUBLISHING 1997-0000817 GILBERTIE, LESLIE A 7/31/1997
CAT’S MEOW 2007-0001092 JUSZAK, LORI 8/6/2007

and these...

CATERPILLAR CAMPUS 2011-0001139 S & R ENTERPRISES 9/29/2011
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS 2018-0000728 CATERPILLAR CAMPUS, INC. 6/19/2018
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS INFANT CENTER 2018-0000728 CATERPILLAR CAMPUS, INC. 6/19/2018
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS PRESCHOOL 2018-0000728 CATERPILLAR CAMPUS, INC. 6/19/2018
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS PRESCHOOL - THE LEARNING PLACE 2018-0000728 CATERPILLAR CAMPUS, INC. 6/19/2018
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS PRESCHOOL-THE LEARNING PLACE 2015-0000586 VINCENT, JENNIFER RENEE 5/12/2015
CATERPILLAR CAMPUS PRESCHOOL-THE LEARNING PLACE 2015-0000586 MACIELLE, JOYCE MARIE 5/12/2015
CATERPILLAR ROAD STORAGE 2017-0001014 TOPS INDUSTRIES 9/12/2017


82 posted on 05/29/2019 2:07:58 PM PDT by Rio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

83 posted on 05/29/2019 2:09:00 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steve_Seattle

“I agree with Caterpillar on this one. They are protesting a trademark registration by the coffee shop. Too bad the Fake News didn’t make that clear in the title and at the start of the article.”

Yeah, this company really posed a threat to Caterpillar. /s

...

Since you are so smart, please explain to us how trademarks work.


84 posted on 05/29/2019 2:12:22 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Facts are racist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: EEGator

I fail to understand how the word “cat” could be trademarked.


85 posted on 05/29/2019 2:15:14 PM PDT by rcofdayton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rebel25

“No not at all there is nothing similar about their logos “

I never mentioned logos.


86 posted on 05/29/2019 2:16:26 PM PDT by TexasGator (Z1z)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: Reily

“Green Zone” is a generic term. Figure it out.


87 posted on 05/29/2019 2:18:36 PM PDT by VietVet876
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Fido969

That was probably their reasoning to change their approval process. On another note, I hated that movie and it seemed liked they would show that at least once a month back in the day. Maybe it had something to do with Dennis weaver as well...


88 posted on 05/29/2019 2:26:44 PM PDT by shotgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Bubba Ho-Tep
"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."

Yeah, I can totally see how the Cat and Cloud apparel line could be mistaken for that of Caterpillar:


89 posted on 05/29/2019 2:31:59 PM PDT by fidelis (Zonie and USAF Cold Warrior)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

Do they sell tractors?


90 posted on 05/29/2019 2:32:50 PM PDT by Mercat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

Kat and Kloud Kofefee.


91 posted on 05/29/2019 2:35:45 PM PDT by Rebelbase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

The following trademarks were lost because they were allowed to fall into common usage:

Aspirin, Catseye, Cellophane, Dry ice, Escalator, Flip phone, Flit gun, Heroin, Hovercraft, Kerosene, Lanolin, Laundromat, Linoleum, Mimeograph, Sellotape,
Spidola, Teleprompter, Thermos, Trampoline, Videotape.


92 posted on 05/29/2019 2:50:57 PM PDT by concentric circles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

Caterpillar HAS to defend it’s copyright- always.
Or they lose it.

CAT apparel is their balliwack, and their’s alone.
Nothing’s perfect.


93 posted on 05/29/2019 2:58:06 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rebelbase
>>Kat and Kloud Kofefee.<<


94 posted on 05/29/2019 3:13:09 PM PDT by NohSpinZone (First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

Caterpillar is going after them for selling apparel with their name (cat and cloud). So does this mean they’ll also be going after Target for its “Cat and Jack” clothing line?


95 posted on 05/29/2019 3:35:55 PM PDT by Little Pig
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fidelis
Yeah, I can totally see how the Cat and Cloud apparel line could be mistaken for that of Caterpillar

Not the issue. The issue is that they've registered a trademark for apparel with the word "Cat" on it, and Caterpillar already has one. If Caterpillar doesn't challenge it, their trademark could be construed to be diluted. If Cat and Cloud had just printed their logo on t shirts and hats and sold them, there'd be no problem. But by registering the trademark in an area in which Caterpillar already has one, they've run into trouble. Frankly, their trademark lawyer, if they had one, should have warned them. I run things through legal for a trademark search all the time and frequently get the response that pursuing something would be "high risk," as they put it, in very similar circumstances.

96 posted on 05/29/2019 3:51:33 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels."--Tom Waits)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: Little Pig
So does this mean they’ll also be going after Target for its “Cat and Jack” clothing line?

Maybe. And they'll be in a stronger position to do so if they win this one.

97 posted on 05/29/2019 3:56:25 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels."--Tom Waits)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: NohSpinZone

Caterpillar’s a pussy.


98 posted on 05/29/2019 4:16:15 PM PDT by moovova
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bubba Ho-Tep
Not the issue. The issue is that they've registered a trademark for apparel with the word "Cat" on it, and Caterpillar already has one. If Caterpillar doesn't challenge it, their trademark could be construed to be diluted. If Cat and Cloud had just printed their logo on t shirts and hats and sold them, there'd be no problem. But by registering the trademark in an area in which Caterpillar already has one, they've run into trouble. Frankly, their trademark lawyer, if they had one, should have warned them. I run things through legal for a trademark search all the time and frequently get the response that pursuing something would be "high risk," as they put it, in very similar circumstances.

Except "CAT" and "Cat & Cloud" is NOT the same thing. From my understanding, you don't trademark a word, you trademark a logo or a design. If you want to register just a word or words, that falls under copyright / service mark. So unless Cat&Cloud is using Caterpillar's actual CAT logo (or something VERY similar) in their Cat&Cloud stuff, this doesn't apply.

Also, why should Cat&Cloud not trademark their own stuff? So the next guy can just use their logo no problem? Why should Caterpillar be able to block any usage of the word "cat", but Cat&Cloud can't protect their own "Cat&Cloud"?
99 posted on 05/30/2019 7:30:20 AM PDT by Svartalfiar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: Svartalfiar
Except "CAT" and "Cat & Cloud" is NOT the same thing. From my understanding, you don't trademark a word, you trademark a logo or a design.

Go browse around the USPTO TESS database.

100 posted on 05/30/2019 8:45:48 AM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels."--Tom Waits)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson