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Crystal Raypole/Business Insider
Cats perform all sorts of antics in the litter box, from leaping out wildly to kicking half its contents onto the floor. Then that spilled litter gets tracked across your house, into your bed, and even across your pillows. I've lived with cats my entire life, but I'll never learn to live with the trail of litter they leave behind. If you also hope to cut down on litter in your home, the best cat litter mats can trap loose litter and keep it by the box where it belongs.
I tested several cat litter mats to find the ones that trap litter most effectively. I also talked to a veterinarian and veterinary behaviorist to learn more about cat litter box behavior and when it's worth using a litter mat. My overall top pick is the Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat. This waterproof mat has an extra soft cat-friendly texture, comes in several sizes and colors, and has grooves that effectively trap litter and keep it off your floor. For a less expensive mat, I recommend the Frisco Rectangular Cat Mat, a durable mat that costs less than most other mats I tested.
Read more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.
Best overall: Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat - See at Amazon
Best budget: Frisco Rectangular Cat Litter Mat - See at Chewy
Best easy to clean: PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat - See at Chewy
Best honeycomb: iPrimio Cat Litter Trapper EZ Clean Mat - See at Chewy
Best for sensitive paws: CatGuru Litter Mat - See at Chewy
Vigorous diggers are more likely to fling litter out of the litter box, says Dr. Mark Freeman, a veterinarian and clinical associate professor of community practice at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. But nearly all cats will leave the box with bits of litter clinging to their feet, he says, and they'll track that litter everywhere they walk.
I've used Gorilla Grip cat litter mats for years. In my experience, they consistently do the best job preventing these litter trails in both single-cat and multi-cat homes. The durable, waterproof mat keeps litter in place by trapping it with tightly woven fibers. After a week of testing, I shook a quarter cup of litter out of the mat — my cat is a vigorous digger.
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This is one of the best cat litter mats you can buy, but its tightly woven fibers do make cleaning up wet messes difficult. If your cat tends to urinate outside the box, you may want to consider a mat that's easier to clean.
This generously sized mat helps keep floors litter-free at a budget-friendly price. It has a similar style and texture to our overall best pick, but it doesn't have grooves across the mat. Instead, grooves border the outside of the mat to prevent litter from spreading across the floor. This design seems slightly less effective, but the mat may be a good option for cats who dig a little less vigorously.
Crystal Raypole/Business Insider
The mat is thin, but the backing doesn't skid. My cat leaped out of the box and dashed away when someone entered the room unexpectedly, and the mat and box both stayed in place. If your cat is a big-time scratcher, you might want to skip this mat since our scratch test loosened the fibers slightly. The mat's texture makes cleaning up wet messes, like urine or hairballs, difficult.
I love this silicone mat. The ridges and the raised edge trapped litter so effectively that I didn't have to sweep up any loose litter around the mat at the end of the testing period. There's a small slit in the raised edge so you can fold the mat and pour litter back into the box, and the silicone makes it easy to sponge off wet messes. It's also large enough to fit under one of the best large litter boxes — your litter box should be 1.5 times the length of your cat from the nose to the base of their tail, says Dr. Kate Anderson, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and assistant clinical professor at the Duffield Institute for Animal Behavior at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
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My cat was less of a fan. Twice during testing, I caught him jumping out of the side of the box instead of exiting from the front like he typically does. Avoiding or stepping over a litter box mat may mean your cat doesn't like it, Anderson says. Other cats who dislike textured surfaces may also avoid the wave-patterned ridges on the mat's surface. However, if your cat isn't picky, this mat is definitely worth a try. It's on the pricier side, but the durable, easy-clean surface makes it one of the best cat litter mats available.
Freeman says he thinks honeycomb mats may be the most beneficial type of cat litter mat. These mats have a top layer with small holes for litter to filter through and a solid bottom layer that traps the litter so you can throw it out or put it back in the box. The bottom layer is waterproof to prevent messes if your cat urinates on the mat. It opens on two sides so you can easily fold back the top layer and scrub the bottom of the mat clean.
This mat effectively traps litter and keeps it off the floor, and it earned the highest score of the three honeycomb mats I tested. However, I discovered a few downsides during testing. My cat didn't seem to mind the holes in the mat's top layer, but not all cats may feel comfortable walking on this texture. Plus, wet messes like urine and hairballs can get stuck in the holes, and cats who scratch their litter mats may also get their claws stuck in the holes.
Crystal Raypole/Business Insider
The mat mostly stayed in place, but it didn't grip the floor quite as securely as the Gorilla Grip mat. It only comes in two sizes, so you may have a harder time finding the right size for your home, especially if you use a large litter box. The "Jumbo" size mat is significantly smaller than those offered for our other picks.
The best cat litter mats are the ones that work for your cat. If your cat avoids other litter mats, this soft microfiber mat may be a good option. It has a thick, soft pile that's gentle on paws. It's also machine-washable, so you can easily clean messes like hairballs or urine. My cat had a hairball on this mat, and the stain came off completely once I washed it.
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One downside of this mat is that the thick texture makes it hard to shake litter out completely — which you'll definitely want to do before you wash the mat. It may take some vigorous shaking and vacuuming to get all the litter out. However, this means the litter doesn't easily scatter across the floor. Barely any litter escaped the mat during the testing period.
Just keep in mind that if your cat likes to scratch anything and everything, their claws may get stuck in the thick fabric.
When shopping for one of the best cat litter mats, it's important to consider your cat's specific needs and preferences. There's also some general criteria that can help you narrow down your options.
Effectiveness: You can get an idea of how well a cat litter mat works by considering the overall style and texture of the mat. Cat litter mats with raised edges and grooves will probably do a better job than smooth mats without edges. Mats made of woven textures or thick-pile carpet fabric will also trap more litter than mats made of smooth materials or thin carpet. The overall texture of the mat will play more of a role in its effectiveness than the material, however.
Size: I've found that mats do the best job trapping litter when they sit completely under the litter box and extend about a foot or two in front of the box. The litter box helps keep the mat in place, and the "landing space" in front gives your cat room to step out of the box and rake their paws before they wander away.
Cat comfort: If your cat doesn't like the mat, they'll either avoid the box or avoid stepping on the mat. You can't always tell if your cat will like a mat before you try it out, but it can help to consider your cat's history with various textures. If they have a lot of preferences about where they walk, sit, or sleep or seem hesitant about approaching rougher surfaces, you may want to opt for a soft mat or try a cheap cat litter mat before you spring for a pricier pick. Once you've placed a new type of mat, you'll monitor your cat for a few days to ensure they are comfortable walking on it.
Durability: The best cat litter mats hold up to regular vacuuming, sweeping, scrubbing, and machine washing, depending on their care instructions. They are also sturdy enough to resist occasional scratching if your cat tends to use all available space as a scratch pad. In testing, I found that mats made of foam were the least durable, while silicone, PVC, and thick carpet mats were the most durable.
Cleaning process: You can sweep or vacuum cat litter mats, and some are also machine washable. If you have a cat who eliminates outside the box, you may want to make sure you can scrub the mat with soap and water to remove germs. Anderson recommends cleaning urine-soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner, but the textured surfaces of some litter mats make scrubbing difficult. In some cases, you may simply have to take the mat outside and hose it off.
Price: Litter mats come in a range of prices to fit every budget. Larger mats tend to cost more, but you don't necessarily need to pay a lot to get a good mat.
I tested 10 mats for the best cat litter boxes across various categories, considering different scenarios for using cat litter mats. For example, does the mat trap enough litter for homes with multiple cats? Is it soft enough for sensitive paws? Can it stand up to wet messes like urine and hairballs?
I tested each mat for one week, placing it underneath a jumbo cat litter box and making sure the mat extended forward in front of the box. I didn't sweep or vacuum any litter until the testing period was over. My tester was a 13-year-old large male cat who has a tendency to dig, fling litter, and shoot out of the box if startled. He's generally not picky about textures or surfaces, so I paid close attention to the mats he disliked walking on.
I used two different types of cat litter during testing: Boxiecat Litter and World's Best Cat Litter, our budget pick for the best natural cat litter. My cat prefers the finer grains of Boxiecat, so this is my main choice for litter. I also wanted to test how litter mats trap larger litter pieces — like World's Best, which is made of corn.
Specific cat litter mat features I tested include:
Trapping abilities: I kept each mat under the litter box for a week. At the end of the testing period, I shook out the litter and swept it up. Then, I used an empty handheld vacuum to clean the remaining litter out of the mat and measured all of the litter to get the total amount. I also swept up loose litter on the floor to determine how much litter escaped the mat.
Ease of cleaning: I shook out each mat and checked how much litter remained on the mat. Then, I tested how easy it was to vacuum or brush out the remaining litter. I also followed the label instructions to hand wash, machine wash, or wipe down each mat to determine how well I could clean it.
Waterproofing and absorption: I poured ¼ cup of water onto each mat to evaluate what happened to the water and how long the mat took to dry. Some mats I tested weren't waterproof, so the water soaked through the mat to the floor below. On waterproof mats, the water would pool, run along the mat's grooves, or trickle out the side. A waterproof cat litter mat with grooves or ridges around the edge will help prevent urine leaks on your floor.
Cat comfort: I observed whether my cat continued to use the box with the mat, showed any hesitance, or avoided it. I also evaluated the materials, texture, softness, and construction of each mat.
Durability: I evaluated how each mat held up to a week of use, including accidents, sweeping, vacuuming, and cleaning. I also raked each mat with a metal dinner fork 30 times to simulate scratching.
Skid resistance: I noted whether the mat moved at all during my cat's regular use of the box. I also conducted bumping tests by lightly kicking the litter box to determine how much effort it took to move the mat with the box on top.
Color and size: I noted how many colors and sizes each mat came in. Mats available in at least four colors and sizes scored the highest.
Price: I considered the price of each mat and whether it was comparable to other mats of the same style and size. The mats I tested ranged in price from $10 to $54. Most mats, however, cost somewhere around $20-$30.
Litter box mats will definitely reduce the amount of litter that is tracked through your home, but Freeman says they won't prevent it entirely. Keeping the area around your cat's litter box clean will also help cut down on the amount of litter in your home, which can help reduce the spread of bacteria. "My best advice is to give it a try to find out how using a mat affects your individual cat, the amount of litter you have to clean up daily, and your quality of life," he says. "If you're spending just as much time cleaning with the mat as you do without, it is probably not going to make a positive impact on your life or the cat's."
Depending on your cat's litter box behavior, some cat litter mats may work better than others. If your cat digs vigorously in the box, you may want to choose a large mat capable of holding a lot of litter. If your cat tends to eliminate outside the box, you may want to choose a mat that's fully waterproof and easy to clean, like the silicone PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat.
The best thing to put under your cat's litter box is something that traps litter effectively and is comfortable for your cat. It should be your cat who decides what, if any, mat will be acceptable. You can purchase a cat litter mat, but if you prefer a more cost-effective option, you can also use a bath mat that you can easily shake out and wash, Freeman says. Just keep in mind that bath mats aren't meant to trap litter, so they may not work quite as well as the best cat litter mats.
What mats stop cat litter from spreading?
The best cat litter mats are designed to cut down on litter scatter. Any cat litter mat can help stop the spread of litter, but litter mats with ridges or grooves around the edge may work most effectively. Mats that have grooves across the entire surface, like the Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat, may trap even more litter.
You can clean a cat litter mat by shaking out the litter into the box or the trash and sweeping or vacuuming any remaining litter. You can wipe away any stains with soapy water and let the mat air dry. Some of the best cat litter mats can be machine-washed, but most mats can only be hosed down or spot-cleaned.
Freeman says it can be challenging to determine whether your cat does or doesn't like something, especially because many cats don't like change of any kind. It may take some time for your cat to adapt. But as long as you choose a mat with a soft cat-friendly texture, they'll likely adjust to using the mat. If your cat refuses to use the litter box once you add the mat, Freeman says you may need to remove it.
"Litter box mats can be used based on personal preference," Anderson says. "I think general litter box hygiene is more important than a litter mat to prevent the spread of litter around the house." Guidelines for litter box hygiene include adding unscented litter, like our picks for the best cat litters, to a depth of about 3 inches, removing waste at least once a day, changing the litter completely every week or so and washing the box with soapy water, and giving each cat a space to eliminate privately. Most veterinarians recommend having as many litter boxes as you have cats, plus one extra.
