Having cats use a litter box is a wonderful thing. Especially if you have an automatic box or good clumping litter. But having them track litter all over the home can be a nightmare.
Litter has a habit of getting stuck in carpets, in the cracks of hardwood floors, and it’s just not fun cleaning up everytime your cat visits their litter box, is it?
It’s not a problem with all cats. Your cat is more likely to track litter if they have long fur, some cats are messier than others, or it might just be that you have the wrong type of litter or box as I will explain.
I’ve had this problem with a couple of cats over the years and found a solution pretty easily each time.
So, how do I keep my cat from tracking litter everywhere?
There are a few different methods I’ve tried and used. All of which work, some better than others depending on your cat and circumstances.
Take a read of the following tips and see which methods you want to use to stop your kitty tracking litter all over your carpets and floors.
Swap to a Bulkier or Heavier Litter
The main reason your cat is tracking litter after they use their litter box is because the litter is getting stuck in their paws and on their fur.
The bigger the litter the more difficult it is for the individual bits of litter to get stuck to your cat. So, the first thing you can do is change the litter you’re using.
A little tip – change over the litter gradually. Start by mixing in the new litter with the old one before completely changing it over.
This is because cats become used to the feel and smell of their litter and if they find a totally new litter without warning they might not use it.
Use a Cat Litter Mat
This is a common solution to the problem of cat litter being tracked out of the box. Cat litter mats are designed with special tufted plastic fibers to trap litter particles and keep them on the mat.
You can then easily hoover the mat or just shake it off over a bin to remove all the litter that was tracked out of the box.
I like mats because they also help keep the litter box in place. They protect the floor or carpet around the box, cats don’t mind them being there, and are super-easy to use.
A little tip – having a handheld hoover nearby will make cleaning the mat quick and easy.
Click her to see this cat litter mat on Amazon
Try a Different Design of Litter Box
If you currently have an open top litter box with low sides a lot of the litter might be getting kicked out when your cat is burying their business.
Try using a box with higher sides, or a covered box with a flip door on the front. These types of litter boxes will make it more difficult for your kitty to kick the litter out.
They can still track the litter if it’s stuck to their paws and fur though. You might want to try this first then use a mat as discussed above too.
A little tip – If you’re switching from an open box to a covered one leave the door open for the first few days until your cat is used to their new box.
They should just use the flap door from then on. If not, show them how to use the door and open it for them a couple more times closing it when they are in the box.
Final Thoughts
Stop stressing and getting annoyed at finding litter being tracked over your home. By using one or more of the above methods you can put a stop to this problem and have a wonderfully clean home in no time.
If you have any other tips that have worked for you I’d love to hear about it. Just leave me a comment below and share with the other readers, thanks.
