Do Cat Litter Mats Work? Yes!

Bella Americat mascot

I’ll never forget the time I realized how important cat litter mats are... It was when my well-trained Bella (this is her!) peed and pooped outside her litter box for the first time in 12 years. Since I wasn't using a litter mat, it went onto my carpet.

I was in shock. Was she okay?

I thought Bella’s accident was a fluke, but then it happened again a couple of days later. Something was wrong. This was not like Bella!

We went to the vet, and Bella was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. With medicine, Bella quickly felt better and resumed using the litter box. Thank goodness!

But this experience taught me that cat litter mats are a MUST! They benefit both new cats, as well as cats already litter box trained.

Cat litter mat

Cat litter mats are a must-have because they:

1. Protect Your Floor from Accidents
2. Reduce Litter Tracking
3. Keep Your Litter Box Area Sanitary

1. Protect Your Floor from Accidents

Accidents can happen out of nowhere. A cat that has never had a litter box problem before can suddenly go outside the box.

When this happened to Bella, the towel I had been using under the litter box provided no protection. Urine leaked onto my brand-new carpet.

Pee and poop can stain and leave behind a “hard to erase” scent on hardwood, carpet, tile, or any other floor surface. Cats may even continue to go to the bathroom on that spot, since they smell their prior scent. 

Waterproof backing of cat litter mat

 

Tip: Use an absorbent, waterproof cat litter mat to protect your floors.

Don't use a towel or anything that is not waterproof.

A proper cat litter mat (like this one) has absorbent fabric to catch pee and poop PLUS a waterproof backing to protect the floor below.

Now that we use a litter mat, I’ve seen it work! My other cat Lewie was an outdoor stray and sprayed the outside of the litter box. The litter mat protected my carpet (thankfully!).

2. Reduce Litter Tracking

Cat litter mats also work by reducing litter tracked throughout your home.

No matter what type of litter or litter box your cats use, it's inevitable that the area around the litter box will be a little messy. Bella has done the following…

• Sprinted out of the litter box, bringing litter with her
• Caught litter particles between her tiny toe beans
• Stepped on poop making poopy paw prints
• Shot litter out of the box while burying her business

Can any other cat parents relate?

Cat stepping onto litter mat

Tip: Invest in a cat litter mat with grooves to catch litter and prevent tracking.

Litter mats are like doormats. Cats use them to wipe their paws. The mats also catch litter and debris.

Now that we use this cat litter mat, anytime Bella comes out of her box, litter is contained within the grooves and ridges on the mat.

3. Keep Your Litter Box Area Sanitary

Lastly, cat litter mats keep your cats’ litter box area sanitary – a very important job!

Cat poop can contain bacteria (such as E.coli) or parasites (such as toxoplasmosis, tapeworm, and giardia). Gross, but true!

In fact, Bella had undiagnosed giardia when I adopted her. 

The area around cat litter boxes is prone to having fecal material and should be cleaned regularly.

Vacuuming the litter box area isn’t enough to kill bacteria or parasites. You need hot water and soap, or another cleaning solution to properly clean the area. 

Cleaning this area will reduce the risk of infection to your entire family (both pets and humans).

 

Cat sitting on top of litter box and litter mat

Tip: Use a machine washable cat litter mat.

If you want to avoid deep cleaning your carpets regularly (whether by using a carpet cleaning machine or hiring a carpet cleaning company), place a machine washable cat litter mat under your cats' litter box.

It is much easier to throw a cat litter mat into the washing machine than to deep clean the floor!

Solution: Every Litter Box Should Have a Litter Mat

Even if your cat gets an A+ for using the litter box, this can suddenly change like it did for Bella. You never know when an illness, stressor, or accident may occur. It only takes one incident to ruin your floors.

Cat litter mats 1) protect floors, 2) reduce litter tracking, and 3) keep the litter box area sanitary.

Cat litter mat

Each of our litter boxes now have Americat Company cat litter mats. Here are the reasons these cat litter mats work best:

  • Safe (BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PFAS-free)
  • Absorbent
  • Waterproof
  • Vacuumable for a quick clean
  • Machine washable for a deep clean
  • Soft on kitty paws
  • Ridges and grooves trap litter
  • Gray color camouflages litter
  • Non-slipping
  • Eco-friendly (made from recycled plastic bottles)
  • Large size (28 x 36 inches); can be cut to any shape without fraying
  • Long-lasting

It is better to be safe than sorry, so use a cat litter mat!

Place a cat litter mat under every litter box in your home. Shop Americat Company cat litter mats here.


About Us: Americat Company is where love for cats meets American craftsmanship. Founded in 2016, we are a cat-loving, woman-owned, small business. We make cat products in the USA from safe, durable, U.S. materials. Shop all our made in the USA cat products here.

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