# US 2009/0260579 A1 · Low profile cage with refuse catcher > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260579 A1 - Document ID: US20090260579A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/363,726 - Filed: 2009-01-31 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-01 - Inventors: Alan Cohen; Vincent Senese - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260579A1 ## CPC - A01K 31/06: Cages {, e.g. for singing birds (for poultry A01K31/002)} - A01K 31/04: Dropping-boards; Devices for removing excrement - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS ## Abstract A cage for small animals includes a generally closed base having an open top; a grating structure upon the base forming a closed structure for containing an animal therein; and a refuse catcher surrounding the grating structure and removably fastened to the base so as to permit the refuse catcher to be removed from the base by being detached from the base and moved upward away from the base without removing the grating structure from the base. The cage can be a bird cage, wherein the refuse catcher is a seed catcher that is formed of a plurality of mating parts, the parts being releasable attached to each other and to the base. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An animal cage comprising: a generally closed base having an open top; a grating structure upon the base forming a closed structure for contain an animal therein; and a refuse catcher surrounding said grating structure and removeably fastened to said base so as to permit said refuse catcher to be removed from said base by being detached from said base and moved upward away from said base without removing said grating structure from said base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, wherein said refuse catcher is formed of a plurality of mating parts, said parts being releasable attached to each other and to said base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The animal cage of claim 2, wherein said plurality of parts may be released from each other so that a single part may released from said base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The animal cage of claim 2, wherein: said base is of generally polygonal shape; said refuse catcher is formed of a plurality of parts, each part corresponding to a side of said base, and said base is configured with opening to accept a projection from at least a plurality of said parts so as to removeably connect said parts to said base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The animal cage of claim 4, wherein two of said parts are sized and shaped to follow a corner of said base and to be in contact with two sides of said base, and two of said parts each contact only a single side of said base. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The animal cage of claim 2, wherein said base has a rim at its top, said rim defining a narrow ledge for receiving a bottom edge of said parts of said refuse catcher. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The animal cage of claim 2, wherein a plurality of said parts include a first projection for fitting into a first opening of an adjacent one of said parts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The animal cage of claim 7, wherein said first projection is formed in the shape of a solid rectangle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The animal cage of claim 8, wherein said first projection comprises a second solid rectangle perpendicular to said first solid rectangle, and said first opening is sized and shaped to receive said projection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The animal age of claim 9, further comprising an alignment fin extending along at least a portion of said second solid rectangle, said alignment fin being received in a opening in said adjacent one of said parts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The animal cage of claim 2, wherein a plurality of said parts include a second projection for fitting into a second opening of an adjacent one of said parts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The animal cage of claim 10, wherein said second projection is formed generally in the shape of a solid rectangle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, wherein said base is formed of a polymer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, where said refuse catcher is formed of a polymer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The animal cage of claim 14, wherein said polymer is of a type that is easily cleaned of debris. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The animal cage of claim 14, wherein said polymer is selected from the group comprising polystyrene and polypropylene. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The animal cage of claim 14, wherein said polymer is polystyrene. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, wherein said refuse catcher is shaped so as to curve away from said base. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, configured as a birdcage, wherein said refuse catcher is configured as a seed catcher. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The animal cage of claim 1, wherein said base is of a circular configuration.