Shichic – Cat Furniture to Live in Purrfect Harmony With Your Feline Friends!
This week Michelle Fern welcomes Paul Roly, creator of Shichic cat furniture, featuring the Poop Nest litter box, the Poop Lounge large litter box enclosure, the Marbleloo designer open litter box and much more! Chic cat furniture, all the way from France!
Shichic was founded by Paul & Mateo. Two cat lovers fed up with the horrors of open, smelly, plastic litter boxes ruining their homes & spoiling their paw-some relations with their feline companions! Cats are the quirky masters we gladly serve, and they deserve better ! Shichic products are for Shicsters: humans who recognize their feline companions as real beings and define themselves as guardians or cat parents.
Listen to Episode #317 Now:
Transcript:
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Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets!
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Michelle Fern: Hey, pet lovers, how you doing?
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Michelle Fern: This is Best Bets for Pets, and I'm your show host, Michelle Fern.
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Michelle Fern: So for all of you cat lovers, this show is for you.
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Michelle Fern: And we don't have a lot of cat products on Best Bets for Pets, but this is a great product, and it's unique, and it's for your cat.
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Michelle Fern: But it's gonna make you a very happy pet parent.
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Michelle Fern: We're gonna be right back after this message.
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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.
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Michelle Fern: Welcome back, everyone.
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Michelle Fern: I'd like to welcome Paul, who is one of the founders of Shichic.
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Michelle Fern: Welcome, Paul.
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Paul Roly: Thank you, Michelle.
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Paul Roly: Bonjour, bonjour, everybody.
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Michelle Fern: Okay, so you're French.
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Paul Roly: Exactly, yes.
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Michelle Fern: Which I know, merci, oui, and où est-il?
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Michelle Fern: Something like that.
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Michelle Fern: And that's the extent of my French.
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Michelle Fern: So thank you, I'm glad you speak English.
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Michelle Fern: So let's talk.
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Michelle Fern: What is Shichic, and why did you decide on the name Shichic?
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Paul Roly: Yes, so great question.
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Paul Roly: So why the name Shichic?
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Paul Roly: So basically, I wanted to focus on one of the problems many of the cat parents have in small Parisian apartment, including myself, which is we never know where to put the stinky litter box.
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Paul Roly: You know, it's always in the living room or in the bathroom, it stinks and it ruins the home decor.
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Paul Roly: So I decided to, I found the tagline of the company before the name.
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Paul Roly: It was because our cats deserves to shit with Shick.
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Paul Roly: And so then I made the diminutive of that, which was Shichic.
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Michelle Fern: So your tagline, cats deserve to shit with Shick.
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Paul Roly: Exactly.
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Paul Roly: Yes.
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Michelle Fern: It sounds a lot better when you say it with your accent, especially to us in North America, but you're right.
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Michelle Fern: So, okay.
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Michelle Fern: And then, so let's tell us everybody, what is Shichic?
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Michelle Fern: What kind of products?
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Paul Roly: Yeah, sure.
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Paul Roly: So, Shichic, so there's the end vision, you know, the dream.
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Paul Roly: The dream of Shichic would be to create a product line that would allow to catify entirely your home with Shick.
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Paul Roly: And those products would be the best compromise on the market between having sustainable product, respectful and mindful of the environment, but also Shick and design, so that they can blend nicely in your interior, but also cat-friendly, so that you can catify your home and make your cat happy, because he's making you happy.
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Paul Roly: So that's also a responsibility to you to provide him an environment where he can have sandsoakers and have territory on his own, so that you can make him happy too.
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Michelle Fern: Okay, so Shichic, as you said, it began because you had a small apartment and you wanted to kind of enclose and enhance the litter box, which is something all of us cat lovers have a challenge with.
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Michelle Fern: And we'll talk more in detail about your product line, but you do have an open vessel, litter box, and you also have enclosed, because there's the school of thought that litter boxes should be open, then there's another school of thought where they're fine if they're closed, and then some people are okay with either one, let the cats decide.
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Michelle Fern: So let's talk about the different styles, because they're very nice looking, and you have three main styles, and I love the names of them.
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Michelle Fern: There's the Marbleloo litter tray, there's the poop nest, and the poop lounge.
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Michelle Fern: So can you describe all of them?
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Michelle Fern: And then you also have some accessories, the pooper scooper.
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Michelle Fern: Which is in the shape of a cat face, and it's just adorable.
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Paul Roly: Exactly.
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Paul Roly: And there will also be very soon, a litter, plant-based litter made of tofu and cornstarch that will be called Flushit, so that even your toilet will meow for more, because it will be a flushable litter, because it's made of only biodegradable ingredient.
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Paul Roly: But that is coming soon.
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Paul Roly: So yes, back to the four products you mentioned, you're right.
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Paul Roly: So the idea is to give flexibility to all cat parents, depending on their own needs and their cat's unique behavior and personality, because every cat is different.
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Paul Roly: And so that they can find the best setup that works for them and their cat, if it makes sense.
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Paul Roly: So the most cat-friendly setup is to have only the Marbleloo, which is an open-ended tray with low entryway and high side, but no cover lid.
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Paul Roly: That way your cat can see 360 degree while he's doing his business.
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Paul Roly: And that's the best setup for most cats and especially those that are feral.
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Paul Roly: So I guess you know better than me since you are a cat expert for much longer than me.
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Paul Roly: But so yeah, that's the first setup basically.
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Michelle Fern: Okay.
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Michelle Fern: And the poop nest?
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Paul Roly: Yes.
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Paul Roly: So the poop nest and the poop lounge, basically it's for two different setups.
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Paul Roly: So the poop nest is a small enclosure with a big entry door.
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Paul Roly: That way for cats that don't mind doing their business in private and don't mind not having a 360 view, it will suit them better.
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Paul Roly: And it's also a small enclosure, very colorful.
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Paul Roly: We have a rosemary and an orange version.
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Paul Roly: And that way you can save space in your apartment because the cat litter box are quite big.
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Paul Roly: And so when you have an enclosure, that way you can have the top panel that can act as a side table where you can store a lamp, maybe shelves or cat products, etc.
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Paul Roly: So you save space whilst hiding the unsightly, let's say, ice or the litter box in your small apartment.
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Paul Roly: So that's the second setup.
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Paul Roly: And then the third setup, which is really like the royal throne and royal treatment for your cat, let's say, is the poop lounge.
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Paul Roly: So here it's a much bigger enclosure.
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Paul Roly: And here I spent a lot of time with my designer to try and find basically an enclosure that we call in France, trompe l'oeil.
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Paul Roly: So trompe l'oeil means it's completely hidden and we cannot guess it's a litter box enclosure.
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Paul Roly: Inside, it has a much larger space to accommodate bigger cat breeds or multi-cat households.
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Paul Roly: And yes, for jumbo size litter boxes, basically.
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Paul Roly: And on top of that, the poop lounge, it has basically a very, very big cat entry door.
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Paul Roly: And it has a curved entry that blocks basically the annoying children or the annoying dogs if you have several pets in your home.
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Paul Roly: That way your cat can do his business without having trauma exit.
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Paul Roly: Does it make sense?
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Paul Roly: They can live very easily without having the entry obstructed by other animal or humans.
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Michelle Fern: And the poop lounge, it kind of looks like what, at least we in the US call, kind of like a, almost like a small wall unit with just the base or a TV console or a buffet type of table.
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Michelle Fern: Cause it's very, it's quite large.
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Michelle Fern: And there's not only room for your cat to do its business, but there's also storage on either side plus the top.
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Paul Roly: Exactly.
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Paul Roly: You're totally right.
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Paul Roly: So here the idea was to make it a multifunctional, you know, piece of furniture.
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Paul Roly: That way it can blend nicely in your apartment or in your house.
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Paul Roly: And you can use it as a shoe bench.
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Paul Roly: I use mine as a shoe bench in my entryway.
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Paul Roly: So every morning I store in the storage space my shoes and I put my shoes on the bench.
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Paul Roly: But other customers use it as a TV stand or as a regular piece of furniture in their, you know, corridor, et cetera, et cetera.
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Paul Roly: And you're right.
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Paul Roly: There's many storage here where you can put the litter package.
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Paul Roly: You can put the pooper scooper.
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Paul Roly: You can put, you know, many other kind of cat supplies.
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Paul Roly: That way you have everything at hand when you have to change, you know, the litter.
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Michelle Fern: Thank you for explaining.
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Michelle Fern: You also made a choice to use eco-friendly slash sustainable wood in your creations.
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Michelle Fern: Why did you decide to do that?
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Paul Roly: Yes, definitely.
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Paul Roly: So it's just because, I mean, we all know our planet is burning and you know, the humans have a very high impact on the environment.
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Paul Roly: And so I was, you know, trying to come up with a product that would not be as harmful as the most of the other product that exists today on the market.
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Paul Roly: And so when I started to do my research, especially I wanted to start in China because, you know, it's much easier to have a lower amount of quantity to develop your first product.
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Paul Roly: But the wood was coming from Canada or Malaysia all the way to China and the wood collected in Canada or Malaysia was not cut sustainably.
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Paul Roly: So it was, you know, devastating loads of forest.
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Paul Roly: So then I was like, okay, yeah, no, I don't want to start a business that contribute to or mother earth burning, let's say.
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Paul Roly: So I tried to come up with another smaller factory that would be more mindful of the environment.
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Paul Roly: And I found a local artisan, a cat lover in Vietnam that is doing all of its wood production sourced sustainably in a local forest.
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Paul Roly: And the wood type is not raw wood, it's a medium density fire board, as they call it.
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Paul Roly: So basically there's like two small oak wood panel.
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Paul Roly: And in the middle, it's high quality, repurposed oak wood shavings.
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Paul Roly: So basically it's the leftover that other big manufactory are not using anymore.
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Paul Roly: So that way we are not destroying, you know, our forest with a Shichic enclosure, voila.
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Paul Roly: So it's not the most sustainable, just to say, because the most sustainable setup would be to have, you know, the local wood from a local artisan in US.
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Paul Roly: That way there won't be the transportation, you know, in container and then to our customer's door, because transportation has pollution.
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Paul Roly: But at least it's better than most of the product available on the market, if it makes sense.
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Paul Roly: And I would like to do more in the future, but let's see.
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Michelle Fern: You did the best you could, so that's pretty good.
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Michelle Fern: Okay, we're going to take a short break and we'll be right back.
00:11:39.860 --> 00:11:41.900
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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets.
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Announcer: On Pet Life Radio.
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Michelle Fern: Welcome back, everyone.
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Michelle Fern: We're talking to Paul, one of the founders of Shichic, which is all about making your cats, pardon my language here, but shit chic.
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Michelle Fern: So anyways, welcome back, Paul.
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Michelle Fern: So let's talk about, you have your basic product line, the Poop Lounge, the Poop Nest and the Marbeloo Litter Tray.
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Michelle Fern: And you sent the Poop Nest, which is a phenomenal product.
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Michelle Fern: And my concern, because my cats are not little.
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Michelle Fern: So I thought, wow, my cat's kind of big.
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Michelle Fern: I wonder if they're gonna even fit.
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Michelle Fern: I mean, they're not giant, but they're, you know, in the 15 to 17 pound range.
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Michelle Fern: And I was impressed, they had no problem.
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Michelle Fern: And Charlotte, the one who's the naughtiest with her bathroom problems, she loved it.
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Michelle Fern: And she declared that her spot.
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Michelle Fern: So I like that just about all cat sizes can fit in the poop nest.
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Michelle Fern: Is it the same size for the poop lounge?
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Michelle Fern: And did you create the products in mind where that, you know, some cats are quite large and, you know, the small ones, of course, don't have a problem.
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Paul Roly: Yeah, so first I'm glad to hear that one of your cats made it to her own space.
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Paul Roly: So yeah, you know, that's music to my ears.
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Paul Roly: And you're totally right.
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Paul Roly: So I try to be mindful, you know, of the inside dimensions of both enclosure so that we can fit comfortably most cats, you know, breeds and most cat personality.
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Paul Roly: Why?
00:14:25.353 --> 00:14:31.233
Paul Roly: Because, I mean, for us, it's just a beautiful piece of enclosure, you know, to have a more beautiful home interior.
00:14:31.513 --> 00:14:35.253
Paul Roly: But for our furry friends, you know, it's their bathroom.
00:14:35.273 --> 00:14:37.273
Paul Roly: They are going there every day or twice a day.
00:14:37.513 --> 00:14:40.373
Paul Roly: So they are the ones who have the most to say about it.
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Paul Roly: Right?
00:14:41.313 --> 00:14:49.953
Paul Roly: So the idea with the poop nest was to be the best compromise for people that do not have much space in their home.
00:14:50.473 --> 00:14:56.853
Paul Roly: So the outside dimension is around 22 inches and the inside is around 20 inches.
00:14:57.033 --> 00:15:04.253
Paul Roly: So basically it can fit most standard size litter box, which is perfect for kitten and regular cat size breeds.
00:15:04.533 --> 00:15:14.333
Paul Roly: But then for the biggest, you know, cat breeds, like Maine Coons or, you know, the fluffiest ones, or, you know, older cats or cats that are more picky.
00:15:14.653 --> 00:15:18.113
Paul Roly: Then that's why I came up with another much bigger enclosure.
00:15:18.433 --> 00:15:19.713
Paul Roly: So the poop lounge.
00:15:20.213 --> 00:15:24.633
Paul Roly: And here the poop lounge has an inside dimension.
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Paul Roly: Let me check.
00:15:25.853 --> 00:15:28.873
Paul Roly: Yes, of 26 inches instead of 20.
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Paul Roly: So it's under the width is also much bigger.
00:15:32.713 --> 00:15:34.933
Paul Roly: It's a 17 instead of 15.
00:15:35.653 --> 00:15:40.613
Paul Roly: And that way we can fit the biggest cat breed or the pickiest.
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Paul Roly: So there's two set up and it depends on your cat and on your interior space.
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Michelle Fern: Okay, and all mine are mixed breeds except, well, even Dennis is mixed, but he's part Maine coon.
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Michelle Fern: He's actually not the biggest.
00:15:54.513 --> 00:15:55.833
Michelle Fern: So you're right.
00:15:55.873 --> 00:16:00.573
Michelle Fern: You know, even though it's as pet parents, we need to, we want something nice in our homes.
00:16:00.893 --> 00:16:08.013
Michelle Fern: It's really, it's all about the cats because if the cats aren't going to use it, then there goes, you know, the purpose.
00:16:08.393 --> 00:16:08.993
Paul Roly: Exactly.
00:16:09.053 --> 00:16:12.633
Paul Roly: And the accidents on our floor or, you know, wherever on the carpet.
00:16:12.653 --> 00:16:14.533
Paul Roly: So that's definitely not what we want.
00:16:14.613 --> 00:16:14.933
Paul Roly: Right.
00:16:15.153 --> 00:16:15.793
Michelle Fern: Exactly.
00:16:15.813 --> 00:16:27.913
Michelle Fern: So have you had any customer stories of cats that are kind of naughty outside the litter box, but they found the poop nest to be their safe place for doing their business.
00:16:28.353 --> 00:16:37.033
Michelle Fern: And it helped with keeping their bathroom habits where they should be in the litter box, in the poop nest versus elsewhere.
00:16:37.473 --> 00:16:37.853
Paul Roly: Yes.
00:16:37.973 --> 00:16:39.913
Paul Roly: So for the Poop Lounge, definitely.
00:16:40.493 --> 00:16:46.033
Paul Roly: All my customers, I think I had, I have to date around 35 customers of the Poop Lounge.
00:16:46.233 --> 00:16:47.493
Paul Roly: So the biggest enclosure.
00:16:47.833 --> 00:16:50.933
Paul Roly: And they all said the transition happened in a day.
00:16:51.313 --> 00:16:59.013
Paul Roly: Everybody instantly, you know, every of their of their cat instantly, you know, got accustomed to it.
00:16:59.433 --> 00:17:00.013
Paul Roly: And why?
00:17:00.333 --> 00:17:03.593
Paul Roly: It's because also the entryway is so big.
00:17:04.053 --> 00:17:05.833
Paul Roly: And the entryway doesn't have any height.
00:17:06.153 --> 00:17:09.373
Paul Roly: So the cat doesn't have to climb into it.
00:17:09.813 --> 00:17:14.553
Paul Roly: And because the door is so big, they have a big vision of what's happening outside.
00:17:14.573 --> 00:17:17.013
Paul Roly: So it's actually a good compromise.
00:17:17.233 --> 00:17:17.513
Paul Roly: Right.
00:17:17.533 --> 00:17:18.093
Paul Roly: For most cats.
00:17:18.573 --> 00:17:23.613
Paul Roly: Now for the Poop Nest, most of them were very satisfied.
00:17:23.833 --> 00:17:25.493
Paul Roly: But I think I sold around 60.
00:17:25.993 --> 00:17:31.013
Paul Roly: And here 5, 6 people told me it took a few days for some of their cats to accommodate.
00:17:31.473 --> 00:17:33.353
Paul Roly: And mostly because the...
00:17:33.373 --> 00:17:34.953
Paul Roly: And here it's my mistake.
00:17:35.313 --> 00:17:40.693
Paul Roly: The hinges are on the bottom panel to open the door so that you can remove the tray.
00:17:40.813 --> 00:17:44.633
Paul Roly: When the tray sits on the hinges, it makes it a bit wobbly.
00:17:44.813 --> 00:17:45.473
Paul Roly: Does it make sense?
00:17:45.773 --> 00:17:52.393
Paul Roly: And so some cats don't like when they enter into it, the fact that the tray can move a little bit and sleep a little bit.
00:17:52.713 --> 00:18:02.933
Paul Roly: So it's very, because I'm trying to be perfectionist and honest, you know, so the pickiest of cats for 5 out of 60, they are saying that it took a bit of time for them to accustom.
00:18:03.213 --> 00:18:05.193
Paul Roly: But otherwise, every client is happy.
00:18:05.733 --> 00:18:07.773
Paul Roly: And I think my hunch is why.
00:18:07.993 --> 00:18:19.933
Paul Roly: It's because not only, you know, the interior of both poop nest enclosures are big enough, but it's also because I made the door entry very, very big so that the cat can come in easily.
00:18:20.613 --> 00:18:25.153
Paul Roly: The entryway is also very low in height, so they don't have to climb into it.
00:18:25.493 --> 00:18:31.353
Paul Roly: And most importantly, the wood shavings is CARB P2 certified.
00:18:31.633 --> 00:18:44.733
Paul Roly: So it's a Californian certification that proves that there's no chemicals and no toxic dust from the wood or the waterproof coating that I applied in the interior.
00:18:44.893 --> 00:18:48.393
Paul Roly: And you know that cats have a very sensitive sense of smell, right?
00:18:48.453 --> 00:18:50.153
Paul Roly: 15 times more than humans.
00:18:50.573 --> 00:19:02.213
Paul Roly: And so if you provide them with an enclosure, with a very small door, and with loads of chemicals that they can scent and smell, then they cannot use their scent soaker.
00:19:02.593 --> 00:19:03.653
Paul Roly: This is what we also...
00:19:03.893 --> 00:19:07.813
Paul Roly: Apparently, cat experts are saying cats love to have scent soaker.
00:19:08.073 --> 00:19:14.573
Paul Roly: So basically, they apply their smell to a territory in your house so that they make it their own.
00:19:15.453 --> 00:19:24.813
Paul Roly: And so here, because the enclosure don't have any harsh chemicals and don't have any harsh industrial odors, then the cats can make it their own very quickly.
00:19:25.093 --> 00:19:25.693
Paul Roly: Was it clear?
00:19:25.753 --> 00:19:26.253
Paul Roly: I'm not sure.
00:19:26.273 --> 00:19:26.613
Paul Roly: Sorry.
00:19:26.973 --> 00:19:28.393
Michelle Fern: Yes, very good points.
00:19:28.733 --> 00:19:34.433
Michelle Fern: And I just want people to know that this is brand new, a brand new venture for you.
00:19:34.433 --> 00:19:39.253
Michelle Fern: So when you mentioned your sales and customers, this is brand new.
00:19:39.313 --> 00:19:41.773
Michelle Fern: So everyone, keep that in mind.
00:19:42.293 --> 00:19:52.953
Michelle Fern: So I found when we were doing the poop nest, because you also sent the Marbleloo, and the Marbleloo is, and I have a question on that at the end of this comment, but it's a little bit high.
00:19:53.353 --> 00:19:58.133
Michelle Fern: So inside the poop nest, it cuts part of the entryway.
00:19:58.413 --> 00:20:08.293
Michelle Fern: So we found a pan, purchased a pan to fit in, but it didn't fit quite the right way, long way, but we were able to push it in horizontal.
00:20:08.653 --> 00:20:11.533
Michelle Fern: So vertical is no good, we made it fit horizontal.
00:20:11.753 --> 00:20:14.393
Michelle Fern: So there's always that option.
00:20:14.873 --> 00:20:18.973
Michelle Fern: One question on the Marbleloo, which is just, it's a gorgeous litter box.
00:20:19.173 --> 00:20:41.953
Michelle Fern: Do you have a plan to make a Marbleloo that's maybe, it's a little bit of a higher edge, but do you have a plan to make one possibly a smaller or a lower edge for those senior cats that aren't that good with jumping over, I think it's about what three inches high, four inches, or for lazy cats that don't want to bother to jump in?
00:20:42.173 --> 00:20:43.533
Michelle Fern: We all have them, so.
00:20:44.033 --> 00:20:45.133
Paul Roly: Yes, totally.
00:20:45.333 --> 00:20:55.653
Paul Roly: So to answer you, the first point is that I am sorry, there must have been maybe a key problem, I was not clear enough, but basically for the poop nest, we have two sizes of Marbleloo.
00:20:55.713 --> 00:20:58.413
Paul Roly: We have the jumbo size and we have the standard size.
00:20:59.013 --> 00:21:07.533
Paul Roly: And the poop nest has been made to fit perfectly with the standard size, which is 4 inches in height.
00:21:07.733 --> 00:21:11.593
Paul Roly: And that way it doesn't obstruct the entry for the cats.
00:21:11.933 --> 00:21:18.993
Paul Roly: And 4 inches, according to most veterinarians, it can fit most of the cats, even the oldest cats.
00:21:19.213 --> 00:21:27.773
Paul Roly: But then you're right, for the biggest breeds, or those that do not have problem to walk in, we made another size of the Marbleloo, that is the jumbo.
00:21:28.033 --> 00:21:29.953
Paul Roly: And here the height is 6 inches.
00:21:30.273 --> 00:21:35.173
Paul Roly: I made the mistake of sending you a poop nest with a jumbo size Marbleloo.
00:21:35.513 --> 00:21:37.093
Michelle Fern: No, actually, let me interrupt.
00:21:37.113 --> 00:21:38.593
Michelle Fern: You didn't make the mistake.
00:21:38.813 --> 00:21:42.033
Michelle Fern: I made the mistake because I have a multi-cat household.
00:21:42.233 --> 00:21:43.713
Michelle Fern: So it was my fault.
00:21:44.133 --> 00:21:44.713
Paul Roly: Oh, good.
00:21:44.733 --> 00:21:45.533
Paul Roly: Well, no problem.
00:21:45.553 --> 00:21:47.093
Michelle Fern: It wasn't your fault.
00:21:47.113 --> 00:21:50.233
Michelle Fern: So, because that works, because there's 3 cats using that.
00:21:50.573 --> 00:21:53.153
Michelle Fern: In most places, you need one extra litter box.
00:21:53.273 --> 00:21:55.393
Michelle Fern: I probably have 3 extra litter boxes.
00:21:55.593 --> 00:21:58.133
Michelle Fern: But then they have litter boxes on their catio too.
00:21:58.573 --> 00:22:03.193
Michelle Fern: But the Marbleloo, yeah, for the jumbo size, it's 6 inches tall.
00:22:03.453 --> 00:22:07.373
Michelle Fern: Is there a thought to making maybe the jumbo one a little bit lower?
00:22:07.693 --> 00:22:08.053
Paul Roly: Yes.
00:22:08.113 --> 00:22:10.393
Paul Roly: So that would be my dream, actually.
00:22:10.413 --> 00:22:20.353
Paul Roly: So basically, the problem I have is that for the Marbleloo, for now, it's completely made of metal and a completely safe, high-quality teflon.
00:22:20.713 --> 00:22:23.333
Paul Roly: That way, it doesn't stick when you clean the cat litter.
00:22:23.833 --> 00:22:36.833
Paul Roly: And the other advantage of the Marbleloo is that because it's made of metal and high-quality teflon, it doesn't create micro scratches from the cat's claws or when we clean it very harshly.
00:22:37.173 --> 00:22:47.093
Paul Roly: And so therefore, because there's no micro scratches, there's no germs that can live in those micro scratches like it happened on the plastic litter boxes.
00:22:47.513 --> 00:22:55.353
Paul Roly: And that creates not only germ magnet nests, so you can attract nasties like toxoplasmosis.
00:22:55.693 --> 00:23:01.433
Paul Roly: I think some stuff like that, but also lingering odors, because many germs have smelly odors.
00:23:01.673 --> 00:23:15.733
Paul Roly: And that's why most of the smelly litter boxes comes from the poop itself when you don't scoop regularly, but also from the tray itself if it's made of plastic and you haven't changed it for a very long time.
00:23:16.093 --> 00:23:21.693
Paul Roly: And so that's why the vets recommend you to change it every couple of years or so when it's made of plastic.
00:23:22.033 --> 00:23:27.613
Paul Roly: Whereas where it's made of metal, you can keep it 10 to 15 years if it's high quality metal.
00:23:27.933 --> 00:23:29.453
Paul Roly: So that's why it's more sustainable.
00:23:29.713 --> 00:23:36.033
Paul Roly: And also for your cat, it's better than having to re-appropriate himself a new tray every two years.
00:23:36.393 --> 00:23:36.713
Paul Roly: Right?
00:23:37.013 --> 00:23:38.913
Paul Roly: And so now to your question on the cover lid.
00:23:39.433 --> 00:23:46.453
Paul Roly: That's a big problem because I know also, you know, some cats are sprayers and they are messy when they do their business.
00:23:46.793 --> 00:23:49.513
Paul Roly: And some cats even urinate above the sides.
00:23:49.833 --> 00:23:50.153
Paul Roly: Right?
00:23:50.413 --> 00:23:59.973
Paul Roly: So if we make two low height sides, and if they happen to pee inside the wood enclosure, then the wood enclosure would be ruined.
00:24:00.293 --> 00:24:00.593
Paul Roly: Right?
00:24:00.613 --> 00:24:09.253
Paul Roly: Because there's a water resistant coating, but I could not make a waterproof coating because there was too harsh chemicals for the cat.
00:24:09.593 --> 00:24:09.873
Paul Roly: Right?
00:24:09.893 --> 00:24:11.033
Paul Roly: So that was a dilemma I have.
00:24:11.473 --> 00:24:15.993
Paul Roly: And so then I was like, OK, why not investigate a cover lid with low entryway?
00:24:16.213 --> 00:24:19.513
Paul Roly: You know, and that's the best setup for most cat-friendly tray on the market.
00:24:19.753 --> 00:24:25.853
Paul Roly: But the problem is that those cover lids, they are usually made of plastic and it's not very sustainable.
00:24:26.333 --> 00:24:35.513
Paul Roly: So I am investigating, as we speak, a new kind of cover lid that could be in metal or in fabric, waterproof fabric.
00:24:35.813 --> 00:24:44.693
Paul Roly: So I am developing it at the moment with one of my supplier, but it takes time and money and I already invested all my savings into Shichic.
00:24:45.173 --> 00:24:49.853
Paul Roly: So hopefully I will come up with a better setup in two to three months from now.
00:24:50.113 --> 00:24:50.993
Michelle Fern: That's good to know.
00:24:51.013 --> 00:24:54.773
Michelle Fern: And that was my other question about what styles you're considering in the future.
00:24:55.233 --> 00:25:02.793
Michelle Fern: So what are some other styles that you would like to have to add to Shichic in the future?
00:25:02.873 --> 00:25:08.813
Michelle Fern: You told us about the litter box that you would like to develop and the litter that you have coming.
00:25:09.033 --> 00:25:14.013
Michelle Fern: Are there any other styles that you would like to have in the future?
00:25:14.573 --> 00:25:16.113
Paul Roly: Yes, there are so many.
00:25:16.333 --> 00:25:20.993
Paul Roly: Actually, there are still like, I think, 20 products, ID that we have in the backlog.
00:25:21.233 --> 00:25:22.713
Paul Roly: And some of them are very wacky.
00:25:23.173 --> 00:25:25.453
Paul Roly: But here, the problem is mostly about money.
00:25:25.673 --> 00:25:30.793
Paul Roly: For now, Shichic is not making enough money, you know, to reinvest enough in the business to create new product.
00:25:31.173 --> 00:25:34.253
Paul Roly: But I have two in prototype at the moment.
00:25:34.753 --> 00:25:41.033
Paul Roly: So one is a beautiful enclosure for cat parents that have litter robots.
00:25:41.513 --> 00:25:43.053
Paul Roly: So many of them have litter robots.
00:25:43.393 --> 00:25:50.213
Paul Roly: Personally, I'm not very fan of those, because they can be, you know, traumatic events for your cats.
00:25:50.673 --> 00:25:55.273
Paul Roly: And it's all made of plastic and electronics, so it's not sustainable for the planet.
00:25:55.293 --> 00:25:57.813
Paul Roly: And every two, three years, you know, you might have to change it.
00:25:58.353 --> 00:26:08.313
Paul Roly: But nonetheless, for those who already bought them, and they don't like having those big bulky robots in their home interior, I was like, why not develop, you know, an enclosure for them?
00:26:08.693 --> 00:26:10.513
Paul Roly: So that will come in two, three months.
00:26:11.113 --> 00:26:23.213
Paul Roly: And then there's also coffee table, where basically at the base of the coffee table, there will be like hidden entry with a cat bed, so that your cat can make it his own space, right?
00:26:23.233 --> 00:26:36.073
Paul Roly: So it's perfect also for people living in apartment that needs, you know, furniture, but they cannot have maybe the space to also add cat tree, to add cat bed everywhere, to add cat hammock, etc, etc.
00:26:36.353 --> 00:26:48.893
Paul Roly: So the idea would be to have multifunctional furniture that would allow to have a utility for you as a furniture and a utility for your cat as one of his space he can make his own, right?
00:26:49.133 --> 00:26:54.053
Paul Roly: And then there's cat bowls, especially slow eating cat bowls.
00:26:54.313 --> 00:26:58.053
Paul Roly: So you want to know one of my dream in terms of product that I would love to develop?
00:26:58.213 --> 00:26:58.553
Michelle Fern: Yes.
00:26:58.633 --> 00:26:59.873
Michelle Fern: And what was the last one?
00:26:59.893 --> 00:27:00.253
Michelle Fern: Cat?
00:27:00.453 --> 00:27:00.793
Paul Roly: Yes.
00:27:01.373 --> 00:27:02.833
Paul Roly: My accent is strong.
00:27:03.953 --> 00:27:04.293
Paul Roly: Yes.
00:27:04.633 --> 00:27:05.433
Paul Roly: It's a cat bowl.
00:27:08.653 --> 00:27:12.333
Michelle Fern: I thought you said cat balls and I thought cats have balls.
00:27:12.353 --> 00:27:13.293
Michelle Fern: They play with stuff.
00:27:13.313 --> 00:27:17.273
Michelle Fern: So, you know, I mean, the neutered ones don't, but, you know, they play with cat balls.
00:27:17.293 --> 00:27:18.673
Michelle Fern: So, oh, a cat bowl.
00:27:19.333 --> 00:27:20.153
Paul Roly: Yeah, exactly.
00:27:20.173 --> 00:27:23.213
Michelle Fern: Probably wide enough so those whiskers don't touch.
00:27:23.713 --> 00:27:24.333
Paul Roly: Exactly.
00:27:24.593 --> 00:27:25.153
Paul Roly: Exactly.
00:27:25.453 --> 00:27:32.933
Paul Roly: And with a slow eater, you know, feature so that the cats don't rush when eating and they digest better.
00:27:33.153 --> 00:27:47.093
Paul Roly: And with some also way to add a bit of liquid so that the food is more, you know, humid, because many cats don't drink enough and the cat food that is dry, you know, can make them even more thirsty.
00:27:47.333 --> 00:27:48.533
Paul Roly: So that would be the idea.
00:27:48.933 --> 00:27:49.673
Paul Roly: But, voila.
00:27:49.973 --> 00:27:53.733
Paul Roly: And my dream, if you want to know, have you heard of Susan Schultz?
00:27:54.133 --> 00:27:58.513
Paul Roly: She won an IG Nobel Prize for studying cat language for five years.
00:27:58.793 --> 00:28:04.133
Michelle Fern: I'm not aware, but I'm sure that my producer is Susan Schultz.
00:28:04.573 --> 00:28:04.953
Paul Roly: Yes.
00:28:05.033 --> 00:28:07.033
Paul Roly: So I will give you the link of her studies.
00:28:07.313 --> 00:28:09.693
Paul Roly: But basically, it's super interesting.
00:28:09.893 --> 00:28:11.813
Paul Roly: She's a crazy cat mommy, right?
00:28:11.833 --> 00:28:14.413
Paul Roly: So like me, I'm a crazy cat daddy and I guess like you too.
00:28:14.713 --> 00:28:19.633
Paul Roly: And so she's been studying for five years cat behavior and cat language.
00:28:19.793 --> 00:28:26.133
Paul Roly: And she proved that basically cats have an established language to communicate with humans.
00:28:26.453 --> 00:28:39.613
Paul Roly: And basically she translated all the kinds of cat sounds and the pitch of each sound into human words so that you can communicate with your cat better and understand what he needs.
00:28:40.233 --> 00:28:41.253
Michelle Fern: It's ringing a bell.
00:28:41.353 --> 00:28:42.293
Michelle Fern: I have heard of her.
00:28:42.433 --> 00:28:45.953
Michelle Fern: And I do so many shows that I might have even had her on the show.
00:28:46.353 --> 00:28:48.093
Paul Roly: So I'm jealous.
00:28:48.093 --> 00:28:48.873
Paul Roly: I admire her.
00:28:48.973 --> 00:28:50.313
Paul Roly: So yeah, that's nice.
00:28:50.333 --> 00:29:00.653
Paul Roly: And so yeah, basically because of, you know, the new AI technologies and all of that, what I would love is to create a microphone with an app on your phone.
00:29:01.053 --> 00:29:08.573
Paul Roly: That way you can, you know, record the sound of your cat and that AI would learn the language of your cat.
00:29:08.833 --> 00:29:22.333
Paul Roly: And over time, he would understand what he wants, when, so that when you don't understand what your cat, you know, is saying, you can rely on that app to translate it for you for better communication and better bonding.
00:29:22.613 --> 00:29:24.053
Michelle Fern: That would be amazing.
00:29:24.673 --> 00:29:29.233
Michelle Fern: So Paul, where can people purchase Shichic furniture and accessories?
00:29:29.653 --> 00:29:30.113
Paul Roly: Sure.
00:29:30.133 --> 00:29:36.733
Paul Roly: So it's available in everywhere in the US, and it's on my website, myshichic.com.
00:29:37.013 --> 00:29:41.053
Paul Roly: And so if you tap on Google, myshichic.com, normally you should be able to find me.
00:29:41.253 --> 00:29:41.633
Michelle Fern: Okay.
00:29:41.693 --> 00:29:46.473
Michelle Fern: And thank you so much for coming on Best Bets for Pets and telling us all about Shichic.
00:29:46.613 --> 00:29:48.453
Paul Roly: No, thank you for having me, Michelle.
00:29:48.693 --> 00:29:49.393
Paul Roly: It was a pleasure.
00:29:49.873 --> 00:29:51.033
Michelle Fern: I wish you the best.
00:29:51.293 --> 00:29:52.433
Paul Roly: Thanks, you too.
00:29:54.053 --> 00:29:55.893
Michelle Fern: I hope all of you enjoyed this show.
00:29:56.233 --> 00:30:01.413
Michelle Fern: Please go check out these amazing designs on the website.
00:30:01.453 --> 00:30:03.753
Michelle Fern: It's myshichic.com.
00:30:03.773 --> 00:30:06.953
Michelle Fern: There'll also be a link on the episode page for this show.
00:30:07.393 --> 00:30:11.373
Michelle Fern: I'd like to thank everyone that's listening to Best Bets for Pets.
00:30:11.393 --> 00:30:14.033
Michelle Fern: Thank you so much for listening all these years.
00:30:14.393 --> 00:30:20.713
Michelle Fern: Thanks to my cat crew, Dennis, Charlotte and Molly, that loved their poop nest and Marbleloo.
00:30:21.213 --> 00:30:29.313
Michelle Fern: And of course, thank you to the magic of my producer, Mark Winter, for working his miracles and making this show sound so good.
00:30:29.553 --> 00:30:33.993
Michelle Fern: And of course, again, thank you audience, my listening audience.
00:30:34.013 --> 00:30:35.093
Michelle Fern: Thank you so much.
00:30:35.313 --> 00:30:42.093
Michelle Fern: I appreciate so much that you've been listening to Best Bets for Pets now for over, gosh, we're going on 14 years.
00:30:42.113 --> 00:30:42.973
Michelle Fern: So thank you.
00:30:43.373 --> 00:30:48.373
Michelle Fern: And hey, remember, you never know what we're going to have next on Best Bets for Pets.
00:30:49.173 --> 00:30:50.273
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