Without question pet-related companies and green businesses are two of the hottest start-ups these days. As a pet lover and recycler myself, I get it. So it was only a matter of time until an entrepreneur fused the two. Meet CitiKitty, a device that allows you to toilet train your cat so Fluffy can reduce his or her carbon footprint.

The idea is that by using the toilet, you and kitty can reduce the waste stream by curbing the amount of litter you send to landfills. The payoff for the consumer is the ultimate hipster fantasy: a green pet!

Here's the problem: I'm a member of their target demographic, but something about it—no, many things about it —just doesn't feel right to me. CitiKitty unfortunately strikes me as a great example of an entrepreneur taking a trend way.too.far. Sure you should follow what's happening in the market when developing your start-up, but be mindful that trends pass, and that while some businesses inexplicably work (doggie birthday party planners) others might not. I don't want to completely hate on CitiKitty, though. They've gotten recent press coverage in the likes of the New York Times, Gizmodo, Wired's Gadget Lab, and Daily Candy.

So—brilliant entrepreneurship or a well-intentioned business gone bad?