What do you get when you combine a hilarious actor, a popular social media influencer, and some furry best friends with a well-known brand? A hilarious series of videos that puts a playful spin on an everyday reality of being a cat parent that’s sure to make you laugh.
Actor Kumail Nanjiani and viral content creator Jordan Howlett teamed up for the purrfect collab that will have you running to your nearest pet store to stock up on Tidy Cats litter.
Kumail Nanjiani had some time earlier this week to sit down with The Blast to talk exclusively about the new partnership and collaboration, his upcoming roles, and what he loves about being a cat dad.
Kumail Nanjiani And Jordan Howlett Team Up To Put A Stop To ‘Litter Crimes’
Kumail and Jordan recently joined forces to help put a stop to a crime every cat parent is well aware of – bad litter. The cat litter brand from Purina just launched the Special Litter Unit, a three-part crime series starring Kumail and Jordan. Fans can follow the case online and New York City cat lovers can join the investigation in person on Friday, Oct. 2 for a one-day pop-up experience that features some loveable adoptable feline agents.
In the video series, Kumail plays the role of lead agent with Jordan as his rookie officer. Together, they prove they can solve any litter box crime, regardless of just how dirty it is.
“I’ve been a cat person my whole life, so I know exactly what a litter box crime looks like,” Kumail said, according to a press release sent to The Blast. “Between my last cat, Bagel, and our new kitten, Biscuit, I’ve been training to lead the Special Litter Unit for years.”
Why This Was The Purrfect Fit For Kumail
While chatting with The Blast, Kumail said he only partners with brands that he actually uses personally, so this collab was a no brainer for him.
“I’ve been a cat dad for 18 years and cleaning kitty litter is something I do, you know, a lot. So it’s a product I use and for me, when they came to me, I was like, yeah, absolutely,” he told The Blast exclusively. “I think one of the ways I show love to my cats is by cleaning their poop. I really think it’s a good metaphor in general for love. Loving someone or something means sometimes you have to clean their poop. And I’m a huge fan of ‘Law and Order’ so the parody of that sounded very appealing to me.”
He also added that working with popular content creator Jordan Howlett was a great time.
“He’s so funny. I think we’re gonna do something together after this,” Kumail added. “He’s just so funny and you know, he would improvise so much, and he’s such a nice guy. So, it was really, really good to work with someone who understands comedy in that way.”
Kumail Is A Cat Dat Through And Through
Kumail shared more about his love for cats by explaining that his 1-year-old kitty, Biscuit, can easily read his moods.
“If I’m in a bad mood, the cat comes and sits on me. She knows when I’m sick or before I fall sick,” he said. “To me, the best feeling is…she’s slightly over a year old, she’s a baby…I love when I go into her room and if I make a little noise while she’s sleeping, she wakes up, she’s like scared, and then she looks at me and she relaxes. I love that feeling.”
When asked what advice his cats would give him if they could talk, he quickly said, “don’t work, stay home all day.” He added that he would “love to just be home with Biscuit all day.”
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From Standup To TV To Film Writing – Kumail Has Done It All
Kumail has done a little bit of everything – from standup to television shows to film writing, producing, and more. When asked how he thinks of himself, he said “primarily as a writer.”
“I find every other thing I do sort of comes from that [being a writer]. I think when I first started doing standup, it was because it was the most efficient way to get my writing out there,” he told The Blast. “That’s why I started performing.”
One thing he has yet to do but will be able to cross off his list soon is directing. He told The Blast he will “hopefully direct a movie next year.”
“It’s a horror movie. I’m a huge fan of horror. I’ve been a fan of horror my entire life,” he said about “Howl.” “When I read it, immediately it spoke to me.”
Upcoming Projects For Kumail Nanjiani
Kumail stays booked and busy. When he’s not starring with furry friends in a comedy series or getting ready to direct his first movie, he’s got many other projects to keep him busy. He’s currently shooting season 4 of “The White Lotus” and will be part of Judd Apatow’s upcoming “The Comeback King.”
“I have a few weeks of shooting left on that [“The White Lotus”]. We’ve been shooting since April. I’ll say, it’s by far the biggest scope the show has ever had. It’s the longest. It’s the biggest location, the biggest cast,” he said.
As far as “The Comeback King,” he said that Apatow asked him to “come and do a day on it,” and he immediately jumped at the chance. “I really love the script,” he said. “I love everyone involved.”
You can watch episode one of Special Litter Unit beginning Thursday, Oct. 1 on Tidy Cats Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with new episodes releasing through the week.
Fans can visit The Stakeout: Litter Crimes HQ, a one-day-only pop-up located at 45 Grand in SoHo, New York City, on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. to enjoy interactive missions and meet some adoptable feline agents from Petfinder. For more information on Purina Tidy Cats, visit the website.
The Kumail Nanjiani And Jordan Howlett Take On A Different Kind Of Crime In Hilarious New Series first appeared on The Blast