Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

A quick blurb about me: I'm an air quality (ECS) engineer, once worked for the government (you will see why I mentioned it later), and recently adopted 2 kittens - who can clear a room when they use the litter box! Firstly, this product works. It's almost like magic at how it keeps down the odors. I had a before-and-after smell test (I gave it 2 hours). I bought my product and it works like a charm! I keep it on high setting on my kittens' litter box and don't think any more about it. HOWEVER, I was reading some of the reviews here and there were alot of raves and rants about the product. Particularly there appears to be a discussion regarding the SAFETY of this product, which is what the rest of this review will talk about. I never looked into air purifiers until now, and never thought of an ozone producting purifier, of which the concept is very innovative. But not without some dangers. So everyone probably has some idea of Ozone (the O3 molecule): it's in the atmosphere, but it's good...right? The answer is that it depends. The natural role of Ozone is to protect us from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. When you see pictures of the Earth from orbit and you see that beautiful blue hue or halo around it - that's ozone! But to understand how it interacts with us directly is also important. ***Incoming nerd stuff - hang in there - this is important!*** Ozone is an unstable molecule. Just about any atmospheric molecule (AKA odors, pollutants, etc) that passes by the O3 molecule steals an oxygen molecule, leaving O2 and stabilizing the passing atmospheric molecule. A couple decades back the government issued the Montreal Protocol Act in an effort to stem the loss of ozone caused by cloroflourocarbons (CFCs) caused by evaporating refrigerants. When people say "We're depleting the Ozone layer!!" they are referring to the molecular interaction that reduces O3 to an O2 molecule and thus removing a molecule from its UV-deflecting role. In nature it's produced from phenomena such as lightning strikes and is freely ventilated in the air currents. Ozone is lighter than air, so it slowly migrates up to the top of our atmospheric layer where it serves to protect us from Utraviolet radiation. So Ozone is good, "up there." However, studies in the last decade have shown the O3 molecule in high concentrations is an oxygen displacer, meaning the normal amount of oxygen you should be taking in with each breath is diminished. If enough is diminished it's lights out, ie. unconciousness. Of course long enough in an O2 depleted area death eventually follows. High, sustained, and lethal concentrations are near impossible to find naturally because it's produced outside where it's constantly mixed with the air. Man-made Ozone producers could be placed in an enclosed space like an stagnant room in a house, which then makes it dangerous. Because of it's possibility for misuse, the government (EPA) has taken the stance that it WILL NOT approve the use of any indoor intentional ozone producing air purifiers. It's an EPA(dot)gov article. Whoa - so it's bad!? Well, in small concentrations, it's not going to kill anyone. Given the nature of ozone, it will eventually transform into oxygen within an hour or two, scrubbing most odors and pollutants with it. The CatMouse product generates a small enough amount of ozone where it won't knock anyone out unless they're in an unventilated, enclosed space (btw you can smell ozone, it smells like bleach). Read the CatMouse manual - they tell you explicitly that you have to put it in a ventilated area and make sure the litter box isn't enclosed. However, what caused me to take pause when reading their manual was when they started touting how it's safe and insinuates it's approved by the Federal Government. They even had the gall to publish the following in their book: (from the CatMouse instruction book): "The CatMouse emits Oxyions [their trademarked lingo for ozone] at the same levels as fresh country air. Actually, even fresh clean country air (not polluted city air) can often naturally contain twice the [ozone] levels as CatMouse produces or government regulations typically allow. Opening your windows to let fresh, clean air into your home could, therefore exceed regulatory limits! Ridiculous? Yes, once you know the facts. Remember these are the same regulatory government agencies that convinced you to eat Transfats for decades, not realizing they were up to eight times more likely to clog your arteries that natural butter! Hence the famous comedy line, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!" Their cure is often more harmful than the problem...no thanks, big, corporate lobbyists!" (end of exerpt) This was the paragraph in the manual that gave me pause. Okay, remember these guys are pitching their product for you to buy. In doing so, they're trying to discredit government regulations, and portray ozone as being totally safe. Then elsewhere in the manual they still say you "must" make sure you open the entrance to kitty's hooded litter box if you place their product on the top of it without explaining why. The exerpt above is a very misleading statement, because these guys don't want you to pass on their product knowing potential safety hazards. Don't get me wrong, they have a fantastic product, but there is some dangers, however small, in using this product. I don't like their false advertising - they just needed to speak the truth and let their product speak for itself. Their statement saying country fresh air is twice the amount of what CatMouse generates and passes government regulations ignores the fact that you've just opened a window into your house to let that air in. The EPA warns against ozone producing products in enclosed spaces. When you open your window, you're VENTILATING your house. Remember Ozone travels up, so an open window brings in air that sweeps the O3 out of the house and into the sky. In summary, Ozone is dangerous when you're trapped in an enclosed space with a high concentration of it. You will smell it, get dizzy, pass out, and eventually die from lack of oxygen if no one comes to help. Air conditioning or some kind of small ventilation is key. This product works great, and I keep it on my hooded cat litter box in a room with a window slightly open and a ceiling fan on low (this is being overly conservative btw). I'm considering getting a second one to combat odors that waft into the connecting hallway. I'd recommend you try this product knowing the dangers and now having a clearer understanding of the hazards that may occur. Just remember to keep your area a little ventilated. Being caring owners by making time to read up on products before you purchase, you probably already do that!