Cat Person co-founder Jimmy Wu on how the pet supplies industry could be pandemic-proof

As existing commerce companies adapt to survive a global pandemic, Jimmy Wu instead launched one.

Cat Person sells cat food, toys, furniture and treats in a market that Wu sees as skewed toward dog owners.

The coronavirus gave pause to Wu and his co-founder, Harry's alumnus Lambert Wang. "If we were in another category in another industry -- selling travel accessories, luxury fashion -- we probably would have made a harder decision" about delaying the brand's launch, Wu said on the Modern Retail Podcast.

But more time at home has inevitably led to cat owners spending more time with their pets. "It felt like it actually was a good moment for us to launch, that people actually needed a service and products to help better connect and have a better relationship and interaction with their cat," Wu said.

Since its start in late March, items like cat toys and treats have sold at three or four times the rate Wu first expected.

Wu talked about why you won't find Cat Person on Amazon, his take on the DTC revolution and how the company's packaging itself can be turned into cat-pleasing objects.