Best Cat Litter Mats and How to Choose One

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Cats step out of the litter box with litter stuck between their toes, and it ends up across the floor and, sooner or later, in your socks. A litter mat in front of the box catches much of it. This page explains the main types of litter mat, what to look for, how to keep one clean, and our picks based on hands-on tests by other reviewers.

The short answer: pick a mat big enough that your cat takes a few steps on it after leaving the box. A solid silicone or rubber mat with a raised edge is easiest to clean and best if your cat sometimes misses the box. A double layer honeycomb mat traps the most dry litter but is harder to clean when wet. Coiled mesh mats catch fine litter but can be harder to vacuum.

How we wrote this: the product notes come from hands-on tests by Reviewed, Cats.com and Your Best Digs and from the Gorilla Grip product page, all linked where they are used and checked on 29 October 2026. The brand sites for PetFusion and iPrimio were not reachable, so their details come from the testers. We did not test these mats ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings. If your cat suddenly starts going outside the box, see a vet, because a mat will not fix a medical or behavior problem.

Types of cat litter mat

• Solid silicone or rubber with a raised pattern. Ridges or bumps catch litter from the paws, and a raised edge keeps spills on the mat. Easy to wipe and wash, often heavy.
• Double layer honeycomb. Litter falls through holes in the top layer and stays between the layers until you open the mat and shake it out. Good at trapping dry litter, but Cats.com notes clumped litter can get stuck in the holes.
• Coiled mesh. Thick coils and grooves grab litter, and the mats come in many sizes and shapes. Testers found them harder to vacuum, and Cats.com says they may not catch pellet litter as well.
• Foam or fabric. Soft and often machine washable, but lighter mats can slide.

What to look for

• Size. Our view, not a quote from the sources: measure the box opening and the floor space, and pick a mat wide enough that your cat walks across it, not around it. Large boxes need large mats.
• A surface your cat will walk on. The ASPCA says cats have sensitive senses of smell and touch, which can influence how they react to their litter. In the tests, cats reacted differently to the same mat: Reviewed’s cats bit and kicked at one mat or jumped over it, and Your Best Digs found one textured mat uncomfortable for its cat.
• Waterproofing if your cat sometimes pees on the edge or kicks out wet clumps. Reviewed ran a waterproof test, and the results varied a lot.
• Easy cleaning. Decide whether you will vacuum, shake or wash the mat, then pick the type that suits it.

How to clean a litter mat

Our view, not a quote from the sources: tip or shake the caught litter back into the box or into the bin every day or two, and wash the mat whenever it gets wet or smelly, following the maker’s instructions. Gorilla Grip, for example, says to tip the litter back into the box, vacuum or shake out the rest, and use mild soap and water for a deep clean, then air dry (Gorilla Grip). Wash your hands afterwards. For keeping the box itself fresh, see how often to change cat litter.

A mat will not fix these problems

If litter ends up far from the box, the litter type may be part of it: lighter or finer litters track more. Our types of cat litter guide compares them. And if your cat pees or poops outside the box, rather than just tracking litter, that is a different issue. The University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital says many cats dislike aromatic or dusty litters, litter deodorizers and box liners, and most prefer soft unscented clumping litter. The ASPCA says to place boxes in accessible spots away from busy areas and places where a cat might feel trapped. A sudden change in litter box habits can have a medical cause, so see your vet.

Our picks

PetFusion ToughGrip Cat Litter Mat

Best for wet messes. A silicone mat with a raised wave pattern, an outer lip and a side spout for pouring litter back, in 30 by 23 and 38 by 26 inch sizes (Reviewed). Reviewed named it the best mat overall: in its waterproof test it held all its liquid for over an hour, and it was easy to vacuum, wipe and wash. Testers at Reviewed and Your Best Digs found it heavy, and Your Best Digs saw it stay put when their cat kicked off it. Cats.com found it easy to vacuum but notes some reviewers say urine escapes from the spout.

Best for: cats that sometimes miss the box. Skip if: you want a light mat to shake out.

Gorilla Grip Coiled Mesh Litter Mat

Best for size choice. Thick mesh coils and deep grooves catch litter, with a textured backing to stay in place, in sizes from 17 by 11 to 47 by 35 inches plus corner and half circle shapes (Gorilla Grip). Gorilla Grip calls it water resistant and designed not to let liquids pass through, but in Reviewed’s waterproof test liquid seeped through breaks in the bottom layer, and Reviewed’s cats did not like it. Cats.com and Your Best Digs found it hard to vacuum; Your Best Digs says a quick shake does the trick.

Best for: dry tracked litter and odd shaped spaces. Skip if: your cat pees on the mat.

iPrimio Cat Litter Trapper

Best for big boxes and lots of dry litter. A double layer mat with honeycomb holes on top and a waterproof bottom layer, in 30 by 23, 23 by 21 and 29 by 27 inch sizes; you separate the layers and shake them out (Reviewed). Reviewed found it collected litter well but lost litter out of the open sides while being carried. Cats.com named it best for large litter boxes, and says the one sided join makes it easy to open and wipe but also easier to spill, and that clumps are hard to clean from the small holes.

Best for: cats that kick out dry litter. Skip if: your cat pees on the mat.

For boxes, scoops and litter, see our cat litter and litter box buying guide and best cat litter for odor control.

FAQ

Do litter mats really work?

They catch a good share of tracked litter in hands-on tests, but no mat catches everything, and results vary with the cat, the litter and the mat type.

What is the best type of litter mat?

For wet messes, a solid silicone or rubber mat with a raised edge. For lots of dry litter, a double layer honeycomb mat. For dry litter in odd shaped spaces, a coiled mesh mat in the right size.

Why won’t my cat walk on the litter mat?

Some cats dislike certain textures. The ASPCA says cats have a sensitive sense of touch. Try a smoother mat, and if your cat starts avoiding the box itself, remove the mat and talk to your vet if the problem continues.

How often should I clean a litter mat?

Our view: empty it every day or two and wash it whenever it gets wet or smells, following the maker’s care instructions.

Can I put a litter mat in the washing machine?

Only if the maker says so. The silicone, mesh and honeycomb mats on this page are washed by hand with soap and water, according to the makers and testers.