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Have you ever wondered what the best Kitty catch mat should look like?
Well so have I, and in this blog, I will take you through my journey as I help you find one to settle down with.
Having a cat in the house comes with its own set of issues – from litter tracking to scratching and from sprays to fighting.
One such problem is the challenge of catching litter from their paws when they are running out of the litter box.
People have been trying to catch cat litter from their paws for hundreds of years.
The problem is, no one ever really invented a good cat-catching mat. Now, the best Kitty Catch mats have come to the rescue!
For all cat owners and lovers, you know how frustrating it can be to find that perfect Kitty catch mat.
It has to be in just the right size, with just enough padding, can’t be too much of a hassle to clean, and is soft enough for your cat’s paws.
I know how long and arduous this research process can be, so I decided to create a blog about it.
Here is a breakdown of the five best cat litter tray mats.
The Best Kitty Catch Mat Top Picks
If you are pressed for time, here are the top 5 picks for the best kitty litter mats for cats that I recommend for your feline friends:
1. Pieviev Cat Litter Mat-Super Size
2. Bull-o Cat Litter Mat Litter Trapper
3. PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat
4. Fresh Kitty The Grate Cat Litter Mat, Medium
5. Fresh Kitty Jumbo Foam Circles Cat Litter Mat
The Best Cat Litter Mats
1. Pieviev Cat Litter Mat-Super Size
This kitty litter rug is designed with a double layer honeycomb design, with large holes that trap litter making it easy for disposal.
You simply pick up the cat litter box mat and empty the contents into the litter box.
Pros:
- Can be used for any type of cat litter
- This kitty catch mat is a urine proof mat preventing leaking out of trapped pee
- It is anti-slip preventing skidding
- It is a wash friendly cat litter rug that you can easily clean
- The kitty catch mat is soft on your cat’s paws
- The cat litter tray mats are long-lasting as they made from durable and quality phthalate free non-toxic material
Cons:
- Vacuum cleaning this mat isn’t as effective as washing.
- The kitty catch mat may be delivered folded and hence creased
- Your cat may jump over the mat hence its litter trapping role will be skipped.
- The size of the kitty catch mat may not be big enough to be placed under the litter box and cover a large area for the cat to walk on.
Is your cat litter rug creased? How to Solve This:
- Place some weights on the elevated side for several days until the original shape is restored.
- Using a hairdryer, work on the folds of the litter box rug while monitoring the temperature as you turn it upside down.
3. Bull-o Cat Litter Mat Litter Trapper
Description:
The Bull-o Cat Litter Mat has a two-layer sifting system that allows for all litter debris to be disposed of easily.
Pros:
- Prevents litter tracking due to the double layer design with large holes that trap litter.
- The kitty litter trapper mat is made from non-toxic and phthalate-free material
- This kitty litter trapper mat is soft and tender on your cat’s paw.
- Suitable mats for litter boxes-all types
- It is a durable cat litter rug.
Cons:
- Your cat may jump over the kitty litter rug hence its litter trapping role will be skipped.
- The size of the cat litter trapper mat may not be big enough to be placed under the litter box and cover a large area for the cat to walk on.
4. PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat
The PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat is a high-grade mat designed to trap litter from your cat’s paws as she leaves the litter box.
It traps litter easily, due to the elevated inner ridges and outer lip that captures the cat litter from your cat’s paws.
Pros:
- It’s a durable waterproof mat
- It’s nontoxic to your cat and hypoallergenic, suitable for cats with allergies
- Traps cat litter easily due to the design
- Very easy to clean it or vacuum
- It is an anti-slip litter mat
- It’s comfortable for your cat to walk on
Cons:
- It’s a heavy mat to pick up, plus the litter trapped, hence requires extra effort
- If your cat urinates on it, the mat will trap the urine which if left for long without cleaning may emit a foul smell.
5. Fresh Kitty The Grate Cat Litter Mat, Medium
This litter mat prevents litter tracking, as it has deep-pocketed double layers.
These layers capture the kitty litter from your cat’s paws, which you can then pour it back into the litter box.
Pros:
- This mat has dual layers that trap cat litter from your cat’s paws
- Traps litter from your cat paws pretty well
- The bottom layer is made of waterproof plastic material, hence doesn’t absorb cat pee and bad odors.
- It’s easy to clean
- The top side is soft enough for your cat’s paws
Cons:
- The mat slides all over the place
- Made from rather cheap plastic
6. Fresh Kitty Jumbo Foam Circles Cat Litter Mat
It is a large mat that covers the litter box environment and comes with a ribbed surface to capture any litter that lands on it.
Pros:
- It catches any spilled cat litter from the cat box or your cat’s paws, preventing litter tracking.
- The top is made from a soft foam that is comfortable on your cat’s paws even if they are sensitive.
- It is machine washable and easy to clean
Cons:
- This mat allows some of the litter to go straight to the floor
- The odor may be repulsive
- It’s not anti-skid
What is the best kitty litter mat?
A kitty litter mat is also called a litter tracking mat
The cat’s paws are caught in a grid-like mat as he walks across it after leaving the litter box.
The litter tracking mats keep tracking at bay in three different ways:
- They trap the litter stuck on your cat’s paws preventing tracking of the litter all over the house.
- Cats that kick litter and it spills over the edge, land on the mat rather than the carpet or floor. This saves you from cleaning up the floor or carpet.
- In instances where your cat urinates outside the litter box or pees over the side of the litter box, the moisture gets trapped in the easy-to-clean mat. This avoids soaking and messing up your floor or carpet creating an odor issue and future litter box problems.
Key Features of the best cat mat
1. Easy cleaning:
It should be easy to sweep, wash, vacuum, and shake off the litter from it. Grooves should be present to enable shaking off the litter easily.
2. Great litter magnet:
It should be designed in such a way to open the grids as soon as the cat paws land on it, causing the litter to drop and get retained on the catch mat.
3. Mat size and design:
The cat litter box tray mat should fit easily around or even slightly under the litter box. This means it should be proportional to the litter box size and extend well enough to catch all the extra litter on the cat’s paws. A large box will need a large cat litter catcher mat and vice versa.
4. Moisture retention and odor masking:
Rubberized mats for litter boxes have better odor control than PVC-based cat litter catcher mats. This means, if your cat pees over the litter box, the rubberized one is a better option. Avoid those made from microfiber or other absorbent materials.
5. The durability of the mat:
It should be made of a material that’s scratch resistant since your cat may opt to scratch or chew on the cat litter box tray mat. Having a heavier cat litter box mat that’s anti-slip is better to avoid slipping when stepped on even by humans in the house. PVC-based litter mats are the most durable.
6. Your cat’s choice:
Does your cat like the particular catchy mat? Is it gentle on the cat’s paws? It should be BPA-free as it’s toxic to your cat and the environment. Cat-friendly mats are made from PVC, silicone, microform, and EVA.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do cat litter mats work?
Yes, cat litter mats work by trapping cat litter from your cat’s paws or any litter spilled from the litter box.
Litter mats for cats are a great way to help keep your floors clean.
How do you trap cat litter?
It works by capturing any litter that clings to the cat’s paws as soon as he steps out of his litter box.
This avoids the fine granules of the clumping litter from being tracked all over the house.
Finding cat litter on your carpet, bed, shoes, furniture, and clothes is not a pleasing sight. Hence the need for a cat litter mat that captures the litter like a magnet leaving your cat’s claws litter-free.
These cat litter tray mats are made to fit close against the cat’s litter box so that it’s the first thing the cat lands on as soon as he leaves the litter box.
The grid texture of the mat triggers the paws to open and the excess litter is deposited through the grids.
Here, it can be emptied back into the cat’s litter box for reuse.
How do you clean a kitty catch mat?
Kitty catch mats are made of synthetic fibers that can easily trap pet hair, dirt, and dust.
Procedure:
- Vacuum up any loose fur or dust and litter that is stuck to the mat surface
- Heat some water in the microwave or on the stove until hot but not boiling. Pour into a bowl large enough for the mat and leave it there until cool enough to touch.
- Add mild detergent to the water
- Remove the mat from its backing and place it in the bowl of water until completely saturated (this should only take a few seconds).
- Use a mild detergent to gently clean the mat and let it air dry.
- If the mat is still dirty, repeat the process until it is free of all dirt and hair.
You may notice that some fibers seem to be “missing” from the cat litter box mat after cleaning. This is normal and will not affect the effectiveness of your kitty catching pad.
The only reason to wash your kitty litter pad more often than once every few months would be if your cat vomits or defecates on the kitty litter pad while sleeping on it.
If this happens, simply wash in warm water with mild detergent right away and hang to dry again.
What can I put under my litter box to protect the floor?
- Plastic litter mats — these are the best option for controlling litter tracking and capturing moisture
- Carpet runner — for older cats who may have trouble gripping slick surfaces, a kitty litter carpet.
- Linoleum squares — for areas of your home with linoleum flooring
- Rubber doormat — if you want something more decorative than plastic mats
Conclusion:
There are few things more frustrating than a floor covered in kitty litter, so hopefully, these helpful tips are enough to keep your kitty’s paws safe and free from litter.
If you don’t mind cleaning up a mess every day, you can get by without them.
Finding the best cat litter mat is no mean feat, but I managed to find a few of them just for you.
When considering your options, you will want to choose litter box rugs that are of optimal size for your particular Kitty’s needs.
This means that you should consider height, as well as the width and length of your pet.
If you’re not sure what to look out for, we recommend beginning with the options listed first on our list.
We looked at the most durable, easy to clean, and appealing mats on the market today.
Though there are certainly other cat litter catcher mats that may be equally good, these stood out from the rest.
They are perfect for kitty owners that want to reduce their stress levels and help keep their homes clean.
Hopefully, you will find this information useful in assisting your choice of kitty litter mat.
