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I have three cats at home, which means I have four litter boxes. Lucky for me, the only type of litter my picky kitties can handle is a clumping clay that tracks absolutely everywhere. Thankfully, cat litter mats exist to help contain the mess.
Litter mats are designed to trap small pieces of litter that naturally track out of the box on your cat’s paws. You can think of them as doormats for your cat—a place for them to wipe their feet before walking around the house. Of course, most cats can’t be trained to intentionally wipe their paws. That’s why most litter mats have a textural element to gently capture litter as cats walk across them. Some are made from silicone or heavy-duty plastic that’s easy to rinse off in case of non-litter substances (we’re talkin’ poop here).
PetLike Litter Mat
Perk up your kitty’s litter area with a lightweight litter-trapping mat in one of 10 vibrant colors.
How to Use a Litter Mat
Litter mats work with almost any kind of litter box. The key is size and placement: a litter mat should be big enough in relation to the box, and/or placed close enough to it, that your cat naturally has to step on the mat when exiting their litter box.
For front-entry litterboxes, a mat situated right at the entry point will do. For open-top litterboxes, you may want a large litter mat that extends around all four sides. And for top-entry litter boxes, it depends on the size of the box and how your cat exits it.
Wondering how often should you clean off the litter mat for best results? In general, clean the mat alongside the box. Shake extra litter back into the box after scooping, and do a full wash and disinfect every two to four weeks.
The Best Cat Litter Mats
We’ve read countless online reviews and considered our own experience with litter mats to recommend the litter mats here on our list.
We’ll be honest: one reason we love this litter mat is that it comes in a choice of 10 bright colors to complement your home decor—no more navy blue, gray, or tan. But this rug-style litter mat isn’t just pretty, it’s functional, made from sturdy, textured PVC with a floral pattern that helps wipe paws clean. The lightweight plastic material is easy to shake off, vacuum, or soap up and rinse down. And it’s available in three sizes to fit any space.
PetLike Litter Mat
Perk up your kitty’s litter area with a lightweight litter-trapping mat in one of 10 bright, vibrant colors.
This little mat works like magic, trapping sandy litter and clumping litter and preventing them from turning your hallways into gravel pathways. It’s one of the smaller mats we checked out (23.5 by 18 inches) so you might want two of them. On the other hand, the small size makes it a breeze to work with when you go to shake it out or to rinse it off if your cat makes a mess. You don’t need to be a Kitty Poo Club subscriber to buy this highly affordable mat.
Kitty Poo Litter Mat
A small, easy-to-handle mat that is especially good at getting sandy litter and clumping clay litter off of kitty’s paws.
The Blackhole Litter Mat is a popular favorite because it makes clean up so easy. The textured honeycomb top layer collects litter through the holes and traps it on the solid rubber bottom. To empty it, just hold it over the litter box and press the edges in to open the layers. The litter will slide right out. Both layers are 100% waterproof so no liquid messes will reach the floor, and you can clean the whole thing with soap and water or an enzyme cleaner of your choice. Dimensions: 30 by 25 inches.
Blackhole Litter Mat
Designed to work with any type of litter, the envelope-style mat uses a top layer to trap and sift litter, which then collects on the bottom layer for easy disposal.
Made from FDA-grade silicone, this waterproof cat litter mat catches and contains litter scatter. The soft ridged texture is comfortable for cats to walk on and gently cleans their paws, and the elevated outer lip helps keep litter on the mat. You can easily pour collected litter back into the box or trash can, or even vacuum it in a jiffy—reviewers say that this mat is exceptionally easy to keep clean. Lay it down against the litter box exit, or underneath the litter box. Available in two sizes.
PetFusion Silicone Toughgrip Litter Mat
This silicone mat is soft on your kitty’s paws and easy to clean with a vacuum.
This is the perfect litter mat for front-entry covered litter boxes. The smooth, tapered end slides under the litter box, so your cat steps out directly onto the rubber nubs that capture litter, preventing it from scattering around your house. The litter mat comes in blue and tan, both with a cute paw design. Shake it off and hose it down to clean. At 17 by 14 inches, it works well if you are short on space.
PetMate Flex Rubber Litter Mat
This small, easy-to-handle mat has a tapered end that fits neatly under the front of a covered litter box.
The iPrimio folks make a heavy-duty litter scoop, and they make a heavy-duty litter mat as well. This large, double-layered litter mat collects clinging litter through large holes in the top layer. The bottom layer is lined with a urine-repelling plastic film that prevents stains and lingering odors. For extra mess protection, you can insert a puppy pad under the top layer — a good solution for senior cats who sometimes miss the litter box. Made of lightweight rubber, it’s available in several sizes.
iPrimio Large Cat Litter Trapper Mat
This two-layer mat is great at picking up litter before your cat tracks it all over the house.
Looking for a jumbo litter mat for your jumbo cat(s)? This mat from Gorilla Grip is big enough to span two side-by-side litter boxes or surround one like a litter-trapping island. The slip-resistant backing prevents the mat from sliding around on the floor, so litter and debris stay put right where your cat’s feet fall. It’s pricey but gets some of the highest ratings we’ve seen.
Gorilla Grip Jumbo Litter Mat
Do you have more than one litter box for your cats? This spacious mat is for you.
If textured mats are too rough on your cat’s paws, then this soft microfiber litter mat is the perfect solution. Thousands of strands gently massage your kitty’s feet to catch all kinds of litter and lock it into the mat. The mat is also highly moisture absorbent. The bottom is non-skid, so the mat will stay in place. Best of all, this microfiber litter mat is machine washable. Available in brown or gray.
Dog Gone Smart Washable Microfiber Mat
Something different: A soft, machine-washable litter mat that’s easy on kitty’s paws—and cute, to boot.
This is my personal choice for the best litter mat in my home. The bright colors and fun design are what first caught my eye, but the lightweight ribbed foam and extra-large size are what really sold me. This soft mat catches and contains loose litter without irritating kitty feet. To clean, just shake out or rinse. We like that it’s affordable and is sold in quantities of one to four so you can stock up for multiple litter boxes. And it comes in an extra-large 40 by 25 inches.
Fresh Kitty Foam Litter Mat
This lightweight ribbed-foam mat in an extra-large size is easy to clean—and affordable.
This top-rated mat has a slip-proof backing and waterproof coating, and the mesh material captures litter and keeps it in place. Reviewers say it works well to rein in litter tracking. But the main reason this cat litter carpet stands out for us? Cattitude. We just love that cheeky message! You can also get one that says “Dogs have owners; cats have staff.” It’s 30 by 20 inches.
WePet Cattitude Litter Mat
This classic cat litter mat is easy to clean and effective—but you want it because, like your cat, it has cattitude.