5 easy ways to prevent cat litter tracking in the home

Long-haired cats often have a lot of fur in between their toes. If you can keep the fur on their feet trimmed, this means less material for litter and poop to stick to.

When the litter box is contained or just put inside another box, litter is more likely to stay in the enclosure, versus scattering throughout the house. There are various cost effective ways to contain the litter box.

The best cat litter boxes do a decent job of containing litter. Some have internal overhanging edges; some have high sides and some are fully covered.

Well, there is no one magic fix this super annoying problem. That said, there are a few easy things you can do to reduce the amount of litter your cat scatters around the house.

One of the best things you can do to reduce litter tracking is using a low-tracking litter.

So, maybe having litter flung out of the litter box is a fact of cat life. But, that still doesn’t mean it needs to be tracked all over the house! You scoop the boxes at least once a day (and if you have multiple cats, probably more than once) so incorporate a quick clean-up into your daily routine. In other words, tackle the litter before it has a chance to get tracked.

As the experts in all things kitty business, we know a thing or two about how to stop litter tracking around your home. Read on for our best tips for how to stop cat litter tracking that will help you keep your home looking fresh, and your cat feeling loved and wanted.

You might think cat litter scattered around your house is a normal part of owning a cat, but it really doesn’t have to be.

The best cat litter boxes do a decent job of containing litter. Some have internal overhanging edges; some have high sides and some are fully covered.

Cats love comfortable litter mats. They’re easy to clean, skid-resistant, and — most importantly — they’re great for removing litter from their paws. Besides being the right size for your litter box, your mat should also look good in your home.

Cat litter box mats remove pebbles from the bottoms of little paws, which is why they are crucial to litter scattering.

So what can you do to minimize litter tracking by your cat? Here are five simple solutions that work to keep litter in the litter box – and out of the bed, off of the sofa, out of the living room rug…you get the idea…

The best cat litter enclosures not only hide litter boxes. They also contain tracked litter inside so it doesn’t get everywhere.

Kittens learn many behaviors by watching their mothers and litter-mates. Bottle-fed kittens and young rescue kittens miss out on being properly taught how to use a litter box. Many simply benefit from a quick poop-covering lesson. When your cat is in its box, gently take its paws and show it how to cover its poop.

Long-haired cats often have a lot of fur in between their toes. If you can keep the fur on their feet trimmed, this means less material for litter and poop to stick to.

You might think cat litter scattered around your house is a normal part of owning a cat, but it really doesn’t have to be.

Shop the Modkat litter boxes and accessories to freshen up your cat litter area today! 🖤🐈

There are natural cat litters with larger granules or dense pellets designed specifically to combat tracking. Larger size results in less tracking, especially for longer haired cats or those that like to kick litter around to cover up their business. Be sure to transition gradually if you have a finicky cat.

How can you not love that sweet face and soft purr? There are certain parts of cat care that can be a little challenging, however; like cat litter tracked all over the house, on the floor, in the bed, on the couch… ugh! All litters track to some extent, but keep reading to discover 5 easy tricks to contain litter in the box where it belongs.

There are also some litter boxes that are actually designed to gently wipe your cat’s paws before she exits the box. Genius!

A clean litter box means no poop can be tracked around the house. Some people have success stacking a few litter boxes of the same size on top of each other, with holes in alternating places along the bottom of the box.

How to Stop Litter Tracking

The solutions above will reduce the amount of cat litter you’ll find about the house. But nothing will stop it completely.

Arthritis, hip dysplasia, or other chronic ailments make it uncomfortable for cats to jump in an out of litter boxes, cover their poop, or self-groom. Talk to your vet if you think your cat is in pain. They can prescribe pain medications or suggest environmental modifications to help your painful cat use their box. For example, switching the location of your cat’s box could make it easier for them to use it. Litter boxes with “walk up” entrances, or low-bottomed entryways are easier for cats to use than boxes they have to hop in and out of.

A hooded box such as the Modkat or the Modkat XL litter box can help stop your cat from flinging litter over the walls during an enthusiastic scratching session. If you have a high-jumping or large cat, consider using a litter tray with high walls to contain the litter.

Litter sticks to your cat’s paws and fur when they use the litter box. As they walk around the house, this litter falls off your cat’s paws. The litter can then end up anywhere that your cat has been: on the couch, in your carpet, or all over your freshly laundered bed.

As your cat probably doesn’t stop to wipe her feet on your welcome mat, litter mats can assist in catching pebbles before they track them across your bare floor. Choose a mat with ridges or a honeycomb design to catch more litter.

We find it on the floor, in our shoes, on the sofa and even in bed.

Cat litter box mats remove pebbles from the bottoms of little paws, which is why they are crucial to litter scattering.

Cat litter scatter can be irritating, but it is not inevitable. A well-designed, hooded litter box with a mat of the right size can help protect your house from litter and keep your cat healthy.

When the mat gets dirty, you can just fold the mat (hot dog style) and dump the granules in the trash.

One size does not fit all when it comes to the actual litter box either. A large (bigger is better), high-sided box is an excellent choice, with room to move around and blockage for any kicking or overflow action. A covered or top-entry box is a good solution if your cat is easily able to get in and out.

Some cats love to scrape litter around in the box, and this can result in litter flying out of the box. It’s then much easier for this to get tracked around the house. Switching to a high-sided litter box can solve this problem and keep as much of the litter as possible within the box rather than on your floors.

Tips for a Cleaner Litter Box

There are plenty of mats and rugs designed specifically to catch the litter stuck to your cat’s paws when he exits the litter box. Make sure the mat is large enough so they can’t jump over it. Then lay a shaggy, plush rug or carpet runner leading away from the litter box. This allows plenty of time and space to dislodge the litter from your cat’s paws. Just shake back into the litter box as needed.

Even with a huge litter mat, somehow your cat will still manage to smuggle some sand away from the litter box! One of the best things I ever did to cut down on the litter tracking was to put down another plush mat in the hallway leading away from the litter boxes so the cats had to walk across another rug after they left the box. Try it!

That said, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of litter that finds its way around your house.

Cats are fastidiously clean animals. They constantly groom themselves, don’t like to be wet or dirty, and bury their waste matter when they use the litter box. But sometimes cats end up tracking their litter and poop outside of their box. Thankfully there are a few things you can do to keep the mess to a minimum.

High-sided litter boxes like NVR Miss help tremendously with the litter scatter issue (and with messy pee-ers, too). For a do-it-yourself option, you can use the deep, high-sided plastic storage box mentioned above and pour litter directly in it to use as your litter box.

Is there a cat litter that doesn’t track? Well, some cat litters track more than others. In my (nonscientific) experience, I’ve found lightweight litters track more than heavier ones. Also, newspaper pellets don’t seem to track at all. But often we don’t have a whole lot of say in the litter our cat prefers, so let’s move on to things that might help no matter which litter you use.

You’ll have less litter to clean up, and you’ll save money by using less.

The solutions above will reduce the amount of cat litter you’ll find about the house. But nothing will stop it completely.

Anyone who has ever had a cat can attest, litter rarely ever stays in the litter box. It gets tracked everywhere around the house. It’s almost as if our cats use the box and then, just for fun, grab paw-fuls of litter and toss them out onto the floor! In fact, I’ve watched in awe as one of my beloved kitties gleefully kicked every last grain from the box! I know I’m not the only one who has this problem.

Do you have any other anti-tracking tips to share? What has worked for you? What did you try that was a complete failure? Share with us!

When that happens, cat urine gets trapped between the liner and the litter box floor. Pebbles can fly everywhere during a scratching episode. And the box may get scratched badly.

Soft stools and diarrhea could indicate a health problem such as inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal parasites, food allergy or other issue. Dietary changes, certain cat foods, and stress can also cause loose stools in your cat. Any of these conditions can cause stool to be softer than normal and contribute to poop being tracked around the house. Formed, normal cat stool is more difficult to make a mess of than diarrhea.

Some cost a bit of money, some don’t. We’ll start with the things that won’t cost you a penny.

Clay litter also tracks more easily than other kinds. Why not try an option that’s good for your floors and for the biosphere?

It may go without saying, but keeping on top of the litter scatter in the immediate vicinity of the box helps control litter tracking. Sweep several times a day and you will have less of a problem. I have a broom and dustpan next to the litter boxes and a vacuum in the closet nearby. One woman told me her nonelectric roller vacuum does a great job as well.

So, to keep on top of it, you need to clean often. Either sweep or vacuum around the litter box every day. Then your cat can’t step in it and track it around.

The main way litter travels on your cat is on the hair between her toes. When the hair is long, litter can get trapped in the fur, so you’ll want to trim her toe fur as often as possible.

But you have to use the right kind of liner to get these benefits. Thin, plastic, disposable liners such as trash bags can make things worse because cats poke holes in them and scratch through them.

Do you have any other anti-tracking tips to share? What has worked for you? What did you try that was a complete failure? Share with us!

There are also double-layer mats that have mesh on the top and a solid layer on the bottom for loose litter. And when you want to clean up, you just open the pocket and discard the mess.

Cats are the best, but caring for them isn’t always sunshine and snuggles. Sometimes, it’s stepping on tiny granules of litter in your kitchen at 7 a. m.

Keep a great cordless vacuum, like a Dyson Stick or a Shark Navigator next to the litter box. Every time you scoop, do a quick pass with the vacuum, too. You’ll be surprised what a difference that makes in keeping tracked litter at bay. Just don’t run the vacuum if one of your little litter-tracking angels is actually using the litter box…we never want to scare a cat while they’re using the litter box. (That can create a problem a lot worse than litter on the floor!)

Adrienne Kruzer is a veterinary technician with more than 15 years of experience providing healthcare to domestic and exotic animals. She is trained as a Fear Free Certified Professional to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets.

The further it is away from your living space, the less chance of litter finding its way there. It won’t stop litter tracking but it might contain it in a part of the house you don’t use.

These days there are SO many choices when it comes to cat litter. We’ve come a long way from only having a few non-cl.

ökocat natural litter made from wood or paper tend to track less than traditional clay litter, which also leaves dusty paw prints all over. Tiny, sand-like pieces of clay are much harder to sweep and vacuum than larger wood particles.

It’s always helpful to have a litter mat down when your cat exits their box. Without evening meaning to, even tidy kitties can have any leftover litter on their paws. Having a mat provides space between your cat and the carpet to flick off anything that might be stuck to their tootsies.