Homemade Cat Litter Tracking Mats

Cat litter tracking mats are designed for keeping the cat from tracking litter from their litter box throughout the entire home. It also prevents a mess around the litter box when the cat digs in the litter. There are a variety of homemade options available, but one of the easiest to clean up is the use of newspapers.

Things You'll Need

  • Newspapers
  • Towels
  • Washing machine
  • Rugs
  • Broom or vacuum
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Instructions

  1. Newspaper Mat

    • 1

      Select areas of the newspaper that are unwanted or use an old newspaper for the mat material.

    • 2

      Open the newspapers and cover the floor under and around the cat litter box. Lift up the litter box and put some newspaper under the box and then cover the floor around the box so that newspapers surround the litter box. Put the box back down.

    • 3

      Clean up the tracked litter by removing the box, folding the newspaper around the litter that got tracked onto it and then throw it away. Replace with new newspaper. This is not only inexpensive, it prevents huge messes and will not typically prevent the cat from going into the litter box.

    Towel Mat

    • 4

      Get out a large towel; it must be larger than the litter box, such as a bath towel or a beach towel. Ideally, select a towel that is worn out or no longer used.

    • 5

      Lift the litter box and put the towel under the box. Place the towel so that all sides of the littler box have a towel sticking out. If necessary, put the box against the wall on one side so that the towel needs to cover only three sides.

    • 6

      Clean the towel by lifting the litter box and folding up the towel from the outside toward the inside. Take the towel outside or hold it over a large trashcan and unfold the towel so the litter falls in the trash. Put the towel in the washing machine.

    Rug Mat

    • 7

      Get out an old rug. Small kitchen rugs that are getting worn out or an old welcome rug used at the door is appropriate. The size should be larger than the litter box. With smaller rugs, use two instead of one.

    • 8

      Lift up the litter box and put the rug under it. If the rug is a small welcome rug or kitchen rug and is only slightly larger than the litter box, use two rugs. If two rugs are needed, place the rugs together so that the short side is against the wall and the long sides match up. Place the litter box on top so the middle of the box is intersected by the line where the rugs meet.

    • 9

      Remove the litter box and sweep the rugs or vacuum the rugs to clean them. If sweeping, remove the worst of the litter by sweeping and then take the rugs outside and hit them with the broom to remove the smaller dust particles.