Animal litter containing a pheromone composition

Abstract

An animal litter composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal is described for the modification and reduction of dominant behaviors in household animals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An animal litter composition comprising a litter material and a pheromone composition, the pheromone composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         2 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.0004% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         3 . The animal litter composition of  claim 2 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 0.1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         4 . The animal litter composition of  claim 2 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 0.05% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         5 . The animal litter composition of  claim 2 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 0.03% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         6 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pheromone composition further comprises at least one solvent. 
     
     
         7 . The animal litter composition of  claim 6 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about between about 0.5% (w/w) to about 99.99% (w/w) of at least one solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The animal litter composition of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one solvent in the pheromone composition is selected from the group consisting of lipophilic organic diluents, alcohols, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, ether, chloroform, benzene, carbon disulfide, non-volatile oils, volatile liquids, water, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The animal litter composition of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one solvent comprises an alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, octanol, and phenyl ethyl alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The animal litter composition of  claim 9 , wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol or isopropanol. 
     
     
         11 . The animal litter composition of  claim 9 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 1% (w/w) to about 20% (w/w) alcohol. 
     
     
         12 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pheromone composition further comprises an additional component selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a thickener, a fragrance, an odor remover, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pheromone composition further comprises at least one additional pheromone. 
     
     
         14 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the litter composition comprises from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to about 0.01% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         15 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the litter composition comprises about 0.0006% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         16 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the litter composition comprises about 0.0004% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         17 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the litter material is selected from the group consisting of clay, wood chips, plant stalk, sawdust, paper, grain, corncob, citrus peel, grass straw, polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The animal litter composition of  claim 1 , wherein the litter composition is suitable for use with household animals. 
     
     
         19 . An animal litter composition comprising a litter material and a pheromone composition, wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.0004% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal and the litter composition comprises from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to about 0.01% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         20 . An animal litter composition comprising a litter material and molded particles, wherein the molded particles comprise a pheromone composition comprising from between about 0.0004% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal, and the litter composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w) molded particles. 
     
     
         21 . A method for reducing dominant behavior in household animals for a period of time using an animal litter composition, the method comprising: incorporating a pheromone composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal into an animal litter material to form the animal litter composition. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.001% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the animal litter composition comprises from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to about 0.1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein dominant behaviors comprise litter box dominance, aggression, and anxiety. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein incorporating the pheromone composition into the animal litter material comprises spraying the pheromone composition onto the animal litter material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the incorporating the pheromone composition into the animal litter material comprises mixing molded particles comprising the pheromone composition into the animal litter material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the molded particles are selected from pellets, spheres, microspheres, beads, microbeads, bubbles, microbubbles, flakes or granules. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the molded particles are bead shaped. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the molded particles are between about 0.02″ and about 0.1″ in diameter. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the animal litter composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w) molded particles. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the animal litter composition comprises about 2% (w/w) molded particles. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the molded particles comprise from between about 0.001% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the molded particles comprise from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 0.05% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the molded particles comprise from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 0.03% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the animal litter material is selected from the group consisting of clay, organic material, polymers, silica gel, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the pheromone composition further comprises at least one organic solvent. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the pheromone composition further comprises an additional component selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a thickener, a fragrance, an odor remover and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the pheromone composition comprises at least one additional pheromone. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the period of time is from between about 8 hours to about 4 weeks. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the period of time is from between about 24 hours to about 48 hours. 
     
     
         41 . A method of using an animal litter composition to reduce dominant behaviors in household animals for a period of time, the method comprising: incorporating a pheromone composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal into an animal litter material to form an animal litter composition; and exposing the household animal to the animal litter composition, the amount of 2-methylbut-2-enal being present in the animal litter composition in an amount of from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to about 0.1% (w/w). 
     
     
         42 . A method of making an animal litter composition, wherein the method comprises: preparing a pheromone composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal; incorporating a pheromone composition into animal litter material to form the animal litter composition, wherein the pheromone composition comprises from between about 0.0004% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal, and the litter composition comprises from between about 0.00001% (w/w) to about 0.1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal. 
     
     
         43 . A method of making an animal litter composition, wherein the method comprises:
 a) preparing a polymeric formulation comprising an amount of 2-methylbut-2-enal, an amount of a polymer, and optionally an amount of additives;   b) extruding the polymeric formulation to form molded particles; and   c) mixing the molded particles into an animal litter material, wherein the litter composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w) molded particles.   
     
     
         44 . A method of making an animal litter composition, wherein the method comprises:
 a) preparing a polymeric formulation comprising an amount of 2-methylbut-2-enal, an amount of a polymer, and optionally an amount of additives;   b) extruding the polymeric formulation to form a polymeric matrix;   c) forming the polymeric matrix into molded particles; and   d) mixing the molded particles into an animal litter material, wherein the litter composition comprises from between about 0.01% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w) molded particles.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the polymeric formulation comprises from between about 0.001% (w/w) to about 1% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal and from between about 50% (w/w) to about 99.99% (w/w) of a polymer, and optionally from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to and about 5% (w/w) of additives. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene acid copolymers, ethylene acrylates, polyurethanes, styrene-butadiene, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate esters, silicon polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the additives are selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, stabilizers, fragrances, deodorants, coloring agents, synergists, lubricants, fillers, preservatives, antioxidants, light stabilizers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the molded particles are selected from pellets, spheres, microspheres, beads, microbeads, bubbles, microbubbles, flakes or granules. 
     
     
         49 . A method of making an animal litter composition, wherein the method comprises:
 a) preparing a pheromone composition comprising an amount of 2-methylbut-2-enal, an amount of a solvent, and optionally an amount of additives; and   b) spraying litter material with the pheromone composition, wherein the animal litter composition comprises from between about 0.0001% (w/w) to about 0.01% (w/w) 2-methylbut-2-enal.   
     
     
         50 . A method for reducing dominant behavior in household animals for a period of time using a pheromone composition, the method comprising: placing a pheromone composition comprising 2-methylbut-2-enal near an animal litter material.