Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ANIMAL R~PELLENT COMPOSIT_ N
This invention is generally concernea witn compositions and
methods of controlling animals and, more particularly, is directed
to a novel composition for repelling animals and, in particular,
dogs and cats.
For reasons of health and convenience, it has frequently
~een found to be desirable to discourage animals from fre~uenting
certain areas. For example, garbage receptacles oecome both an
unpleasant chore to handle and a serious potential health hazard
after oeing ravaged by domestic animals, such as dogs and cats or ~y
non-domestic animals, such as mice, ra~s, coyotes, wolves, or the
like.
Chemical agents are commonly employed to discourage such
animals from approaching those areas from which mankind finds it
desirable to exclude them, but, while there are many chemical
compounds which would effectively repel ravaging animals, there are
two restrictions which severely limit the number of cnemicals
actually available for use. The first restriction is toxicity: the
compound used must be substantially, and preferaDly completely,
non-toxic to mammals since they will frequently be used in proximity
to small children and household pets, and the probability o~ contact
and ingestion is high. Tne second restriction lies with the odor of
the compound: if the agent is such tnat it is reoulsive or even
unpleasant to humans, then it will not be suitable for use in
populated areas. Among the relatively few compounds which meet
these strictures and are known to have at least some ability to
repulse animals are methyl nonyl ketone, see U.S. Patent No.
3,474,176 and Canadian Patent No. 978,475; and cinnamaldehyde, see
~ , 40 (1): 1976~pp 145-150;and for
combinations of the two compounds as an animal repellent see U.S.
Patent No. 4,169,898.
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It has been discovered that certain common materials, e.g.
mineral oil, employed as a vehicle for olfactory animal repellents,
such as cinnamic aldehyde and methyl nonyl KetOne, do not dissolve
the repellent. Thus, as soon as such a mixture is sprayed onto, for
example, a bag, separation occurs. In addi~ion, mineral oil is
quite soluble in polyethylene, a common bag material, and hence, it
ia absorbed readily by the bag. As a result of this effect, tnere
is no vehicle to hold the active ingredients after a few nours of
elapsed time. Consequen-tly, the active ingredients evaporate in a
short period and are not available to repel animals.
It has now been discovered that olfactory animal repellents
can be effectively transported over surfaces by means of a vehicle
comprising a liquid di(alkyl) adipate i.e. esters of adipic acid.
It has also been discovered that olfactory animal repellents can be
effectively transported over surfaces by means of a combination of a
liquid di(alkyl) adipate and a sodium di-C4-Cl3
alkylsulfosuccinate.
The present invention is also directed to a method for
repelling animals which comprises exposing an animal to the
above-identified repellent compositions.
The liquid di(alkyl) adipates contemplated by the present
invention include those having alkyl groups having from l-lO carDon
atoms. These compounds are the diesters of adipic acid. The alkyl
group of the ester can be tne same or two differen~ alkyl groups may
be present in the same ester. Furthermore, mixtures of di(alkyl)
adipates are also contemplated. The following esters of adipic acid
exemplify this class of vehicles: di(isobutyl) adipate, di(butyl)
adipate, di(ethyl) adipate, di (2-ethylbutyl) adipate, di
(?-ethylhexyl) adipate, di(methyl) adipate, di(propyl~ adipate,
di(isopropyl) adipate, particularly preferred is
di(n-heptyl,n-nonyl) adipate.
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Contemplated olfactory animal repellents include cinnamic
aldehyde, metnyl nonyl ketone, essence of red pepper, otherwise
known as capsicum (capsaicin is the pungent principle of "Tabasco",
cayenne or red pepper) and quinine. Cinnamic aldehyde and metnyl
nonyl ketone individually or in combination are effectively
transported over surfaces in combination with the aoove-identified
adipates. When essence of red pepper or quinine is employed the
effectiveness of tne combination is significantly enhanced by the
inclusion therein of a sodium oi-C4-C13 alkylsulfosuccinate.
Contemplated di alkyl groups include the same or different C4 to
C13 alkyl groups, for example, isobutyl, hexyl, octyl, and
tri-decyl. Particularly preferred is sodium di
tri-decylsulfosuccinate.
The contemplated compositions are broadly directea to an
animal repellent composition comprising an animal repellent
proportion of the olfactory animal repellent carried ~y a venicle
comprising tne above-identifiea adipate. The proportions of the
vehicle and repellent are effective over a Droad range, ho~ever, a
particularly preferred proportion of the vehicle is from about 70 to
95~ by weight and a preferred percentage of said repellent is from
about 5 to about 30YO by weight of said composition. The olfactory
repellent can be employed alone or in combination with one or more
other repellents in the composition. A preferred ratio when a
combined olfactory repellent is employed is from 1 to 4 parts of one
of the repellents to from 1 to 4 pa~ts of the other repellent. A
particularly preferred composition is from aDout 1 to 4 parts methyl
nonyl-ketone to about 1 to 4 parts of cinnamic aldehyde. When
essence of red pepper or quinine is employed as the olfactory
repellent it is preferred to also employ the above-identified
sulfosuccinate. The sulfosuccinate can be present in the vehicle in
from about 5 to 30~ by wei~ht of the vehicle.
*Trademark for a pungent condiment sauce prepared from
the fruit of a variety of capsicum.
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It is contemplated that the compositions of the present
invention will ~e especially useful ahen applied to containers for
discarded edible refuse, as would commonly be present in homes and
restaurants. Such containers may be metal or plastic garbage cans,
plastic bags, paper and cardboard boxes and the like. For tne
purposes of this disclosure, any conventional container which might
be used to hold edible refuse, and there~y be subject to be ravaged
by a hungry animal in search of food, is considered suitable for
application of the repellent eompositions herein disclosed. Such
application may be by liquid application, by means of a spray
applicator of the pump type, or an aerosol-type spray can
containing, in addition to the repellent agents and the su~ject
carrier, a conventional self-propellant composition e.g. a low
boiling hydrocarbon or its equivalent. It is expected that the
application would be directed to the outside of the container
itself, but it is foreseeable that such repellent may be
beneficially applied to the area immediately surrounding such
containers, or mixed with the contents of the container.
The experimental data set forth hereinbelow shows the
results of applying the subiect repellent to plastic bags containing
an odoriferous food and old newspapers versus old newspapers alone.
In some cases the repellent was applied only outside the bag, in
some cases only inside the bag, in some cases inside and outside and
in some cases no repellent was employed.
The bags employed were commercially available polyethylene
garbage bags. Seven series of bags were employed. Test bags L-O
were filed with crushed newspapers and no repellent was applied to
or used in these bags. Test bags L-5A consisted of bags which
contained hal~ a bag load of newspapers, half of a 15 oz. can o~
mackerel and another half a bag load of newspapers. The L-5A Dags
were not treated with repellent. An identical series of bags, L-5B
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bags, contained the same arrangement of newspapers and fish but were
treated inside and out with 0.75 grams of a composition naving the
following ingredients:
di (n-heptyl, n-nonyl) adipate, 67.78 pts
cinnamic aldehyde 16.48 pts
methyl nonyl ketone 3.27 pts
Test bags L-6A and L-6B were prepared with tne same
arrangement of newspapers and mackerel. The L-6B oags were treated
on the outside only with 1.5 grams of the above-identified repellent.
Test bags L-7A and L-7B were also prepared as above except
that L-7~ was treated on the inside only with 1.5 grams of the
above-identified repellent composition.
At the beginning of the test, bags filled with crushed
newspaper alone were placed in pens with individual test dogs wno
had not been fed for 24 hours. The dogs were allowed one hour to
attack the bag. All dogs which attacked the test bags severely were
used in subsequent tests. ûccasionally it was necessary to also use
a few dogs which attacked bags only moderately.
The definition of the degree of damage done to the bags by
the dogs is as follows:
None - no marks on bags
Slight - small tear but no loss of contents.
Moderate - moderate tear but limited loss of contents.
Severe - destroyed bag scattered contents.
At about 1:00 P.M., the day before the test, both series of
bags were prepared. This permitted the odor of the fish to increase
and become pervasive. At 7:00 A.M. next day, before the dog was
fed, an A and ~ bag was placed in the pen of a dog which previously
attacked a newspaper-containing bag either severely or moderately.
After one hour the damage to the bag was classified as follows:
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Bag Series Total Bags None Slight Moderate Severe
L-0 - newspaper only 107 62 2 13 28
L-5 A - w/o repellent 27 15 1 5 6
B - with repellent 27 20 4 2
L-6 A - w/o repellent 5 1 - 2 2
B - with repellent 5 3 - 2 0
L-7 ~ - w/o repellent 29 4 1 7 16
B - with repellent 29 15 7 6 0
The foregoing test data shows that the active components of
the repellent compositions were effectively applied to the surfaces
of the plastic bags via the ester adipate vehicle.
