hi there, I'm Kat!
I started Austin and Kat almost a decade ago in my home kitchen. While many things have changed over the years, my mission and values are exactly the same
crafted for my pets
I created my first recipes to enrich the lives of my own pets through high-quality, natural supplements. Today, we proudly make formulas for pets across the country at my Seattle MAKERY™
100% made by us
Unlike most companies, we do everything in-house (with love). We make and design everything ourselves, from our small batch formulas to our packaging
Austin + Brady: our original recipe testers
Austin and Kat began as a solution to a personal challenge. My young dog Austin had boundless energy that sometimes needed balancing, while my senior companion Brady struggled with the aches and stiffness that come with aging. I searched everywhere for something that could help both of them using ingredients I believed in.
After experimenting with hemp, I created our very first batch of biscuits in my home kitchen. The transformation I witnessed was remarkable—Austin became more centered while still maintaining his playful spirit, and Brady moved with a comfort I hadn't seen in years.
Ingredients matter. This lesson from my athletic training became the foundation of everything we do. I knew then what I know now: the source, quality, and ratio of ingredients make all the difference in supporting wellness.
from triathlons to test kitchens
After seeing the dramatic difference in Austin and Brady, I couldn't keep this discovery to myself. I shared batches with friends, neighbors, and my triathlon teammates. Their responses were overwhelming—their pets were experiencing the same positive changes I'd seen in my own dogs.
Soon, I was hand-delivering boxes from the back of my station wagon (with Austin riding shotgun, of course!), getting firsthand accounts of how these simple, natural ingredients were making profound differences in pets' lives. Orders came in faster than I could write them down, and by November, I launched our very first website—a milestone that marked the official beginning of Austin and Kat.
our first big milestone
Those early days were a whirlwind of learning and growth. Every batch I made taught me something new about formulation, and every pet who tried our products showed me the profound impact natural wellness could have. I knew we were onto something special when customers started coming back not just for refills but with stories and photos of their pets' transformations. These moments of connection fueled my passion and convinced me this journey was much bigger than my kitchen experiments.
After building our community and connecting with passionate pet parents for a few years, we reached a pivotal moment in 2017—seeing Austin and Kat's purple packaging on the shelves of Seattle's All the Best Pet Care. For those who know this beloved Pacific Northwest institution, you'll understand what a pinch-me moment this was.
I had moved from Maine to Seattle that same year, following my instincts that the progressive, health-conscious Pacific Northwest would embrace our natural approach to pet wellness. That first store partnership validated everything I believed in and gave me the courage to dream even bigger.
taking on the country, one store at a time
Back in 2017, I set myself what seemed like an impossible goal: I wanted to see Austin and Kat in 100 stores across America. I spent hours cold-calling pet shops around the country, and got hung up on a lot, but I persisted because I believed so deeply in what we were creating. Each time a store said "yes," it felt like winning the lottery—a validation that our approach to natural pet wellness was resonating beyond my local community.
Working my way up to 100 stores meant forging meaningful relationships with independent retailers who truly care about the products they recommend. These partnerships became invaluable as they provided direct feedback from pet parents nationwide. Their stories—like the 13-year-old retriever enjoying walks again or the anxious rescue now calm during car rides—weren't just testimonials; they were real lives being improved.
These experiences legitimized what I knew already: we were making amazing products and people (and their pets!) were seeing the benefits. But more importantly, it showed me that doing it the best way—creating thoughtfully crafted supplements with transparent sourcing—was what pet parents had been searching for all along.
finding a new place to call home
Our reputation spread as we made our way into more stores across the country, which gave us the opportunity to talk to customers and find out exactly what their pets needed for a better quality of life. As we added products and grew as a company, we started searching for a bigger, better HQ for Austin and Kat. We’d already moved from Maine to Seattle back in 2017, and in the fall of 2021 we found a new home that gives us plenty of room to experiment with ingredients and formulate products while being in complete control of everything we create.
crafting small batches in my Seattle Makery
We’ve come a long way since those first batches in my kitchen, but Austin and Kat has always been, and always will be, inspired by the pets in our lives that encourage us to try new things and learn from every experience.
Every dog in my life had a different need, which is why every Austin and Kat product is named after the pet they’ve helped. No matter what comes next in our journey, our commitment to offering every pet a new approach to wellness, along with honest ingredients, will always remain as steadfast as Austin’s love of belly rubs.
I started with a holistic approach making CBD chews for my own pets, and today we proudly still make everything ourselves in my Seattle Makery™ - we're still one of the few 100% employee owned businesses that independently sources the very best ingredients we can find, and the results speak for themselves. We hope you join us on our journey forward!