Purina spotlights Petivity’s AI litter box monitor in vet podcast

Version 1 — Brief

Purina’s Petivity platform is getting fresh attention after Dr. Ragen McGowan, a senior pet behavior research scientist at Purina, appeared on the Veterinary Innovation Podcast on April 16, 2026, to discuss how the company’s Smart Litter Box Monitor is being used to track subtle changes in feline health and behavior. In the episode, McGowan described the device as a monitor that slides under an existing litter box and uses AI to track weight and elimination events, building on a product Purina launched in 2022 and has continued to promote through 2025. Purina says the system was developed over roughly a decade by veterinarians, behaviorists, and data scientists, and can identify changes in weight, visit frequency, waste type, and elimination timing, including in multi-cat households. (veterinaryinnovationpodcast.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the bigger story is the continued push toward passive, at-home monitoring tools that may help pet parents notice earlier changes linked to conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract disease, obesity, or constipation. Purina is careful to say the monitor is not a diagnostic device, but the company positions it as a way to generate trend data and prompt earlier veterinary evaluation. That fits a broader industry conversation around remote monitoring, feline preventive care, and using home-generated data to improve history-taking between visits. (newscenter.purina.com)

What to watch: Watch for whether Petivity gains deeper traction in clinical workflows, especially as Purina continues presenting litter box monitoring data in veterinary education and consumer marketing. (purinainstitute.com)