Caterpillar Inc. sends cease and desist to Cat and Cloud Coffee shop

Caterpillar, Inc., a company that manufactures construction equipment like bulldozers and tractors, sent a cease and desist to the Cat and Cloud coffee shop in Santa Cruz, California because the coffee shop sells shirts and caps with the word "cat" on it.

Here's what a Cat and Cloud cap looks like:

And here's what a Caterpillar cap looks like:

See the similarity?

From 25 News:

It seemed ridiculous, so we responded, we got a lawyer obviously and asked them to further explain their case, asked them to drop it as we are in a completely different industry and they didnt want to, and so we went back and forth a few times and called them out for bullying, said [Cat and Cloud Coffee owner Jarred Truby].

Truby says when they opened the shop almost three years ago, they couldnt have predicted something like this happening.

Could anybody imagine a 54-billion-dollar machinery company coming after a coffee company? I dont think thats even in the cards, said Truby. The first biggest thing they want us to do is not print the name Cat and Cloud on anything again. And so, I think that is unbelievable. I dont think thats going to hold up.

Caterpillar issued a statement about the cease and desist letter it sent:

We are not suing Cat & Cloud, not targeting a small business and not focused on Cat & Clouds primary interest: coffee. Weve simply asked the U.S. Trademark Office to remove Cat & Clouds trademark registration on footwear and apparel only, products for which Caterpillar has long-standing trademarks and a considerable business.