OUR STORY
We believe you should do more epic shit.
Because you want to. Because you can. Because any other way of living, isn’t really living at all.
This isn’t just a philosophy. It’s a lifestyle. And it’s the reason we do what we do.
Hi! We’re Missy and Matt Kelly, the Co-Founders of CatTongue Grips . And you know what? Slip happens. But it doesn’t have to.
How It All Began
We created our first anti-slip solution, the CatTongue phone grips, out of personal necessity. Matt bought a new phone and case, and realized the case was just as slippery as the phone. He knew immediately he needed more grip in his life. His solution? Skateboard grip tape.
While it solved his immediate need to get a better grip, the sandpaper-like surface didn’t feel good in his hands and it scratched everything it came in contact with. Envisioning a house full of scratched furniture, Missy outlawed it, leaving Matt empty-handed--literally.
Our quest for a non-abrasive phone grip sticker began.
It didn’t take long before we realized the non-slip phone grip solution we were seeking didn’t exist. We were left with two choices: live without it or invent it.
Always up for a new adventure, Missy and Matt went all in. Determined to invent a phone grip unlike anything the marketplace had seen before, they got the scientists working at the #1 manufacturer of anti-slip solutions in the world on the job.
8 prototypes later, we had a patent-pending, feels-great-in-your-hands, non-abrasive phone grip that was latex-free, waterproof, wouldn’t pick up hair, dirt or lint, and was 100% recyclable. Matt-loved and Missy-approved, CatTongue Grips was born.
Growing Up
CatTongue Grips quickly began to create a significant buzz. Wired Magazine, ABC, Men’s Axis, Tech Savvy Mama, Parenting Healthy, Family Handyman, and more included our products in their feature stories.
Our original product, the non-slip phone grip, was resized to a non-abrasive, non-slip laptop and tablet grip. And then, our flagship product, the CatTongue Non-Abrasive Grip Tape was launched, empowering people to get a better grip on...everything. Most recently, we brought the Gription Pad to market, an adhesive-free, double sided gripping pad which allows people to take their gription on the go.
An Epic Turn Of Events
We knew the anti-slip solutions we’d invented solved lots of problems, but we never imagined just how much our products would help members of the disabled community on a daily basis.
When Paralympic Hall of Famer Chris Waddell--a guy who never lets his disability stop him from doing epic shit--opened our eyes to the solutions our non-slip grip products could create for the disabled community, we lit up.
Chris demonstrated how our anti-slip laptop grips could prevent wheelchair users from damaging their devices due to slip and fall accidents, and all of a sudden, we started dreaming up endless possibilities for usage.
It wasn’t long before additional members of the disabled community began sharing countless stories of how our products were making a powerful difference in their lives.
Wheelchair users said our grip tape helped them secure their feet to the footplates on their chairs.
Those who had trouble feeding themselves because they couldn’t get a good grip on their flatware told us they applied a small strip of the grip tape to the stem of their eating utensils, and regained their independence.
This is when our non-slip grip solutions became more than just a product line, they became a calling. An opportunity to help the disabled community--and so many others--get a better grip on every aspect of their lives.
We discovered, and fell in love with, a new purpose. #LiveIntentionally
About The Cat
We’re often asked where the name for our company came from. The truth is, Missy said that the scratchy skateboard grip tape Matt adhered to his phone way back when, felt just like a cat tongue to the touch. And the name stuck.
To be clear, we don’t own a cat. In fact, while we used to have two, Missy is actually allergic to cats. We do have three dogs!
Where We’re Going
Like many start-ups, the growth of our company has been a family affair. We’re on a mission, along with our kids, Ava, (a.k.a. “Spicy Tiger”) and Wade, (otherwise known as “Wade-o The Tornado”) to stop unnecessary slips worldwide. Because, simply put, when things are in place, you can do more epic shit. So go ahead, get a grip.
Our Mission
We’re on a mission to help everybody, everywhere get a better grip on life through the use of our innovative product line which includes phone grips, tablet and laptop grips, grip tape, and gription pads.