Feline-Inspired Fashion Show Dispels Dated "Cat Lady" Stigma And Showcases That Adopting A Cat Is Always On Trend

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh Step® Litter will debut its Hot to Adopt™ campaign during the upcoming Fashion Week in New York, which is aimed at eliminating barriers to cat adoption, celebrating our love of cats, and ultimately helping every shelter cat find a forever home. Fashion icon, actress and cat lover, Katie Cassidy, is partnering with Fresh Step to bring felines and fashion together on the catwalk to turn the cat lady stigma upside down at the Fresh Step Feline Fashion Lounge and Adoption Event. The runway show on Saturday, Sept. 10 will feature the latest feline-inspired fashion and the trend that never goes out of style – adoptable cats! In addition, a limited edition #hot2adopt T-shirt will be unveiled at the fashion show, with proceeds benefiting partner shelters and rescues across the country.

"From cat eye glasses and leopard prints to kitten heels and cat-faced flats, feline-inspired fashions have infiltrated runways for many years," said Cassidy. "Typically, cat owners aren't described by their style, but that's about to change with the launch of the Hot to Adopt campaign where felines and fashion are coming together to support cat adoption."

While cats have always been highly regarded in the fashion world, their owners don't always get the same respect. According to a recent survey* asking people to describe cat owners, nearly half (43 percent) replied "weird or quirky". The study also confirmed the most common phrase associated with "cat lady" is "crazy." More than a third of respondents say that litter box odor (39 percent) is the worst thing about owning a cat. Whether it's the unfair bias toward cat owners and the cat lady stigma or fear of a stinky cat litter box, Fresh Step is committed to eliminating all barriers to cat adoption and celebrating cat ownership.

"Cat owners can get a bad rap and are tired of the negative stereotypes like the 'crazy cat lady'," explains Nick Meyer, Director of Marketing, Clorox Pet Products. "Fresh Step is out to change that. Our Hot to Adopt program aims to embrace and celebrate cats and cat people -- loud and proud -- so we can encourage more adoptions."

"Cat bias is a real issue. Sadly, three out of four shelters pets are cats and they are adopted at lower rates than other companion animals," said Stephanie Mattera, the Spokesperson for the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. "That's why Fresh Step's Hot to Adopt campaign is so important! We hope that people will see past the outdated cat lady stigma and open their hearts and homes to cats."

Fresh Step wants people to step out and wear their love of cats by celebrating modern cat ladies (and gents) by declaring "Feline Fashion Fridays" through the month of October to showcase unique feline-inspired looks. Cat owners can show their love of cats by posting a picture of themselves with their cat to Fresh Step's Instagram using #freshstepcontest each Friday for a chance to win free Fresh Step litter, a $250 VISA Gift Card and the limited edition #hot2adopt T-shirt.

"With millions of cats entering shelters each year and less than half getting adopted, Fresh Step is on a mission to help every shelter cat find a forever home, because we understand how rewarding it is to have cats in our lives," said Meyer. "Fresh Step has a long history of celebrating cat ownership through shelter partnerships, but there is more work to be done in order to break down any barriers to adoption, including cat lady stigmas, and increase adoptions nationwide."

Share your love of cats and join Fresh Step's mission to help every shelter cat find a forever home. Make it #hot2adopt by wearing your cat pride. A portion ($7.50) of the purchase price of Fresh Step's specially designed T-shirt will benefit shelter cats across the country. Model your support that it's #hot2adopt. Available for $20.00 at freshstep.com.

The Fresh Step Hot to Adopt Feline Fashion Lounge and Adoption Event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Lori Bookstein Fine Art Gallery on 138 10th Avenue, New York, New York, 10011.  Zani's Furry Friends, Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center, and The Humane Society of New York, participating organizations with The Mayor's Alliance of NYC's Cats will be on-site with adoptable cats. Interested media can contact hot2adopt@pdcpr.net for event registration. To learn more and help make it #hot2adopt, visit freshstep.com.

Fresh Step^® with the Power of Febreze™ litter doesn't just mask odors it eliminates them.  Created with cats health and happiness in mind, Fresh Step with the Power of Febreze is the purrfect match for both cats and their owners. Febreze is a trademark of The Proctor & Gamble Company, used under license.

* (Google Consumer Survey, 2016)

The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company CLX is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 7,700 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2015 sales of $5.7 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Liquid Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags, wraps and containers; Kingsford® charcoal; Hidden Valley® dressings and sauces; Brita® water-filtration products; Burt's Bees® natural personal care products; and Renew Life® digestive health products. The company also markets brands for professional services, including Clorox Healthcare® and Clorox Commercial Solutions®. More than 80 percent of the company's sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.

Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, a community of global leaders committed to sustainability. The company also has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, most notably receiving two Climate Leadership Awards for Excellence in 2015 and a Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award in 2016 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as being named to CR Magazine's 2016 Best Corporate Citizens list and included in the 2016 Newsweek Green Rankings. The Clorox Company and The Clorox Company Foundation contributed approximately $15 million in combined cash grants, product donations, cause marketing and employee volunteerism in the past fiscal year. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com, the CR Matters Blog and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.

NYSE: CLX
CLX-B

Media Contacts: Katie Young, PDC PR
401.529.3955
katie@pdcpr.net

Anne Marie Ghigo, Clorox
510.271.4710
Anne.Marie.Ghigo@clorox.com

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SOURCE Fresh Step