​I’ll freely admit that Smiling Paws is far and away my favorite and the best litter mat on the market. It falls into the category of the grabbing type mat.

I like it a lot for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one is that it simply does an excellent job at trapping and holding on to cat litter.

Here are the key features that I think are worth calling out:

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​iPrimio is one of the most well known names in cat litter mats because of their innovative two layer design that is specifically setup to enable the insertion of an absorbent pad for liquids.  

While you of course can insert an absorbent pad into other two layer models, iPrimio has designed to account for liquid and ensure it contains any associated mess. This is the best cat litter mat among the multi layer designs.

Let’s look at a few additional features:

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​The Blackhole Cat Litter Mat, one of the most coveted of all the litter mats on the market. It was one of the first to bring about the two layer trapping and pouring system that has become a staple of many litter mats on the market today.  

The Blackhole Mat is essentially designed so that litter falls through the top layer of the mat into the bottom layer where it is locked away. The huge perk that comes with this is it is super easy to dump the trapped litter into the garbage or right back into the litter box.

The Blackhole comes with a bunch of other great perks as well:

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​Easyology makes mats in a bunch of different forms and formats, but this one is specifically designed to cover a massive amount of space.  This is the behemoth of cat litter mats and that is the biggest feature worth noting.

Now that being said, Easyology makes a wonderful mat in general, so let’s review the other things Easyology does right with their mat:

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​The PetFusion ToughGrip is an interesting mat in that it doesn’t follow the normal train of thought in litter mat design. It doesn’t have anything to grab the litter or a special place for the litter to fall, it is mostly a large tray that is a heck of a lot more comfortable for cats to walk on than an actual tray.

It also has ridges built into it to help hold onto litter and potentially knock it off of your cat’s paws as they walk across the mat. Let’s dig into some of the major features beyond that:

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Pawkin is an excellent mat that’s been on the market for years and years. The biggest rivals it has are Smiling Paws and Easyology which both employ similar techniques from a design standpoint to trap and hold litter. 

The Pawkin mat uses the grab and pull style system to remove litter from the bottom of your cat’s paws and hold onto it until you shake it out.

The Pawkin mat does an awesome job of capturing and holding on to litter, so let’s see what else it features:

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​Vivaglory is a little less well known brand, but that doesn’t take anything away from the wonderful job it does controlling litter tracking. The The Vivaglory litter mat is another of the grab & pull type mats on the market where it will lightly pull the litter off of your cat’s paws.  

Key features of the mat include:

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​Now Gorilla Grip might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to cat litter mats. In fact before I ran across this mat the only thing that came to mind for me was actually Surf Boards & their wax.  That being said, Gorilla Grip makes a kick butt litter mat.

The major features are:

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​Quite a name for a litter mat isn’t it? Who knew you could name your mat with 15 words?!?! That’s right, I counted them, all for you.  Now that being said, Caldwell’s does justice to the name of their mat by providing an all around wonderful product. They also do it an in incredibly low cost.

Let’s take a look at the key features:

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​This is a unique cat litter mat in that it is specifically designed to fit into a corner and flare out as a circular shaped litter mat. Ninety nine percent of the litter mats on the market are either rectangles or cat head shaped.

This one ​one is truly unique it its own right just because it is created for corners.  Easyology also makes another amazing litter mat that is rectangular (you saw it above), but this one is worth reviewing separately just for the unique shape.

Key features include:

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​Cleanhouse is ​a name on the scene of high performing cat litter mats, but that doesn’t take anything away from their product.  They provide an amazing product, and they provide it at one of the lowest prices on the market for a large litter mat.

It has great features similar to that of the other big names in the litter mat space too:

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​The SmartGrip cat litter mat approaches things a little differently than most litter mats on the market. It doesn't use the traditional 'grabbing' or 'dropping' methodologies.

It instead uses a softer material to act as a cushion so little doesn't bounce around. It also features an outer channel to catch litter that is already rolling or bouncing along.  This also makes it a heck of a lot easier to clean compared to other litter mats.

A few other things worth noting:

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​If you like the idea of a trapping litter system but you have a specific draw to Smiling Paws (I couldn't blame you there, I love their products) then this is an excellent option. You won't see much difference in this product and the iPrimio or the Blackhole ​litter box mats, but it is another great option.

There are a few things worth noting on this model:

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​If you are looking to make your purchase based both on shape and on capability then the Pets N' All paw shaped model should have you covered.  Not only is it a significantly large paw, but it also features great litter trapping technology used by other 'grabbing' style litter mats.

There are a couple of other key items worth noting on this option:

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​If shape factors in and you're not too interested in a cat paw then perhaps you're interested in a cat head instead! This is one of the best options out there when it comes to cat head shaped options.

​A few other things worth noting on this option:

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​Two Words: Litter Tracking

​A litter mat is ​the first line of defense in ​combating litter tracking in your house.If you don't want to step on cat litter throughout your whole house then you'll absolutely need a litter mat.

Litter mats will catch a huge portion of the litter as your cat enters and exits the litter box. If you don't have a hooded or covered litter box then they'll also do a great job of catching some of the litter your cat kicks out of the box while doing her business.

Without a litter mat you'll find litter everywhere your cats go. Even in the corners ​of your house that are farthest from the litter box you'll find bits of it.  Every cat owner should have a litter mat right next to or outside of their litter box.

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​There are two core types of litter mats out there:

• Grabbing: The grabbing style of litter mats are designed with a bunch of interlocking or interweaved fibers that essentially grab and hold onto litter as your cat walks across the mat. This is the more traditional style mat and they've been around for ages.
  • Biggest Pro: It will actually grab litter off your cat's paws as they walk across it.
    
  • Biggest Con: More annoying to dump litter out of as it is designed to hold onto it.
    
• Trapping: Trapping style mats are not exactly new, but they are definitely newer. Instead of grabbing at the litter they are designed to let the litter fall into them and then trap it in between the different laters of the mats.
  • ​Biggest Pro: Super easy to clean litter out of it.
    
  • Biggest Con: Litter has to basically fall into it for it to work.
    

If you've never had a litter mat before and you're looking for a recommendation then I'd go with a grabbing style mat. That's what the Smiling Paws option is which is my favorite overall litter mat.

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​There are a bunch of different kinds of litter out there on the market. They range from paper to pine to the traditional clay clumping style litter that is the most well known by far. There are even absorbent crystals that are specifically designed to not be easy to kick around or drag out of the box.

​Most litter mats are specifically designed for traditional clay clumping style litters. This is because these litters more traditionally stick to your cat's paws and get tracked out of the box. If you decide to use a different form of litter you'll want to make sure that the holes in trapping style mats will be big enough to catch anything that gets kicked out of the box.

If you're not sure what kind of litter to go with for your first cat then you'll want to ask the shelter or rescue you're adopting from what the cat has been exposed to. Buying the type your cat is used to will minimize litter box problems.

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​I've of course already given my recommendations above based on my favorite mat as well as by calling out some of the key features and functions of each mat above. If you have special requirements for your cat or based on your location then you can use that information as guidance.

There are of course a couple of other things you should consider when making your purchase:

• Litter Box Type: ​When you have an open style litter box you'll definitely want to aim for a larger format litter mat. This ensures more coverage and will help minimize tracking from kicked litter.
  
• Short vs Long Haired Cat: Long haired cats tend to get litter stuck in their fur quite easily. The larger the mat is the more opportunity you'll have for the litter to get caught. You'll also tend to want to aim for a grabbing style mat that might help pull litter out of their fur.
  
• Cat Age: Young cats and senior cats are far more prone to have urine accidents. Be sure to buy a waterproof style litter mat if you have an older cat.
  
• Cat Behavior: ​Some cats are notorious for sitting on the edge of the litter box to pee. If you know this about your cat be sure to get a larger style mat that is water proof and skid proof.
  

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Choosing a litter mat is a key part of combating litter tracking throughout your house. The market is flooded with all types of mats and in all honesty there’s a lot of overlap between feature and function.  I’d say the key things to keep in mind are:

• The size and shape of the space you need to cover
  
• Your preferred cleanup method
• If your cats have urine accidents or not

If this article was a bit too much then definitely check out my side by side comparison of the top 4 mats out there: Easyology, iPrimio, Blackhole and Smiling Paws. This article will provide a comprehensive breakdown on all the main points worth considering and help you choose the best mat for you and your cat.

If you have any other mats you like or tips worth mentioning then please please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.

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Additional References: Moonshuttle Blackhole Cat Litter Mat Website, Smiling Paws Website, iPrimio Cat Litter Trapper Website, Easyology Cat Litter Mat Website, Petfusion Website, PawkinWebsite, Caldwells Website