Inventor of Clumping Cat Litter Dies

Reuters Oddly Enough ^ | Aug. 2, 2002 | Reuters

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The man credited with inventing clumping cat litter and perfecting Liquid Paper correction fluid was remembered on Thursday by family and friends as a gifted scientist whose work found wide use.

Polymer chemist William Mallow also worked on the space shuttle's heat-resistant tiles, developed a way to artificially age Scotch whiskey and improved the rubber skin used on robot dinosaurs at Walt Disney World.

Mallow, a native of Akron, Ohio, died of leukemia at age 72 in a San Antonio hospital on Tuesday. He worked for the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio until his 1998 retirement.

"Bill was a unique, energetic individual with an ability to use chemistry to create some very practical and down-to-earth products. He was a people's chemist with an enthusiasm and love for invention that he shared with everyone," said Dr. Robert Bass, a colleague at the Southwest Research Institute.

Mallow developed cat litter that clumped together around urine and other waste, allowing the box to be cleaned daily with ease.

While at the institute, Mallow also helped Liquid Paper inventor Bette Nesmith Graham refine her creation.

The U.S. Air Force veteran's latest project was a slippery gel dubbed the Mobility Denial System. Designed to foil attacks on government buildings and control crowds, it can be sprayed on any surface and causes people to slip and fall and prevents vehicles from getting traction.

It could be deployed by the U.S. Marine Corps next year.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

An example of how ordinary people can have a great effect on our everyday lives.

[HairOfTheDog]

Clumping cat litter is a very good thing! What a boon that was!

I am not quite as happy with liquid paper... it is still hard to clean off my monitor when I am finished with a document.

-(blond Hair joke)

[Rocko]

I always thought Michael Nesmith's mother invented Liquid Paper. Did she not "perfect" it?

[Rocko]

I shoulda looked more closely.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's early. Good morning!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

That Mobility Denial System described at the end of the article sounds interesting... like one of the new "soft" weapons designed for the NWO... < tinfoil on! >

[2Trievers]

Ya didn't PING me? Well! See if I care! &;-)

How to sidestep cat litter all together!

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't think I am gonna get that much cooperation out of my cat! - Any extra effort kills the whole deal for him.

[2Trievers]

LOL ... I must confess that this is not a pic of MY cat ... our beastie prefers the bathroom carpets to the litterbox any day! &;-)

[Sungirl]

Clumping letter is good..but before he died, I wish he would of invented it to not stick to the litter box. It's like cement!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

That cat looks positively evil... sitting on his throne... no doubt planning world domination! ;)

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Maybe that's what he was working on when he came up with the Mobility Denial System!

[2Trievers]

If you throw a cat out a car window does it become kitty litter? &;-)