When it comes to cat litter and Bengals, it’s always important that you provide them with a cat litter that is going to help keep down odors, is something your Bengal will use, and cleanliness. You can read our article on Best Litter for Bengal Cats to find out more about cat litter and Bengals. One key thing that most Bengal owners, or all cat owners for that matter, are concerned about is how often the litter gets tracked onto the floor when their cats are done. In this article we will cover the following:
- What is a Cat Litter Mat?
- Why You Need a Litter Mat
- What to Look For When Buying a Litter Mat
- Our Top Picks for Best Litter Mats for Bengals
What is a Cat Litter Mat?
Simply put, a litter mat is something that you put under your cat litter box. It’s main purpose is to help clean up your Bengals paws after they use their litter box. It is something that should be somewhat bigger than the litter box so that it covers the area all around it. This will help remove litter that is clinging to their paws before they start roaming around your home.
Litter mats are quite a bit like a regular rug when you look at them. Often they'll be rectangular in shape and somewhat over-sized. However, what actually sets them apart from a regular rug is the texture they have. These cat litter mats are designed to have special perforations and/or ribbing in them to help trap the litter in the mat when your cat steps out of their litter box.
Why You Need a Litter Mat
The main reason of course is so that your Bengal doesn’t go around scattering that dirty litter all over the house. Even though cat litter is specifically designed for minimizing odor, see our article on Best Litter for Bengal Cats, the litter still isn’t something that’s what you’d call clean. Once the litter is used, it’s dirty and can smell.
A cat litter mat can be a great way to help prevent litter pieces from getting all over your house. They are specifically designed to trap those loose pieces between the ribbing or perforations found on the mats. This will cut down on messes, causing odors in other places in your home, and even helps to cut down on spreading germs.
Another good reason to have a cat litter mat is that it makes it more comfortable for your Bengal when they get out of their litter box. The mat allows your cat to wipe off litter from their paws. By removing the litter from their paws will cut down on hurting them since their paws tend to be sensitive.
Probably the most important reason as a cat owner is that it helps to make litter cleanup a lot easier. The mat serves as the first line of defense when it comes to cutting down on your cat tracking the litter all over the floor. With a litter mat you can easily and quickly take it outside and brush it off. You can also easily wash them in your washer when needed.
What to Look For When Buying a Litter Mat
Finding the right litter mat for your Bengal is important. Remember that cats, especially Bengals, can be pretty picky with the things you give them to use. To help you pick the right mat here are a few things to take into consideration:
· Make sure that the mat is a good size. The mat needs to be somewhat bigger than the litter box that your Bengal uses. The ideal size should be twice the size of your cats litter box. If you don’t already have a good litter box you might want to check out our article on Best Litter Boxes for Bengal Cats. This will give you more surface area that can be protected.
· Make sure that the texture you choose has the ability to trap the pieces of litter that clings to your Bengals paws. If the litter you use has larger pieces make sure that the texture of the mat will be able to hold onto these pieces.
· The mat also should be a soft surface to protect their paws. Even though the mats need to be textured, they shouldn’t feel harsh or rough on their paws. If the surface isn’t soft, your Bengal may want to avoid the mat by jumping off from their litter box. This in turn could end up causing even a larger mess.
· Finally, the mat you choose should be one that’s going to be easy for you to clean and keep clean. After all, the mat is actually an extension of your cat’s toilet, so it needs to be kept as clean as the litter box. So, make sure the material that you choose is one that is known to be easy to clean.
Our Top Picks for Best Litter Mats for Bengals
After taking a closer look at some of the litter mats out there on the market today, we discovered that there are quite a few to choose from. This is why we decided to pick a few of our favorites in the hope that it will help you narrow down your own search.
Here are the top five that we came up with that we believe could be ideal for Bengals and their pet parents.
Gorilla Grip Original Premium Durable Cat Litter Mat
ABOUT: This mats are very large and traps litter that your Bengal tries to track around the house. Very durable and great at holding litter, but also easy to clean.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: You can get this litter mat in Extra large, half circle, corner, or Jumbo. They also offer several colors which is nice when trying to decorate and consider the mat. The mat is soft to the touch which cats tend to like. It has a grooved pattern on the surface that catches traces of litter and other debris. It can be brushed off, vacuumed off, or washed with soap and water to clean it and keep it fresh.
PROS: It’s phthalate freee that is non-toxic and soft to the touch. It has a non-slip backing and is water resistant so it can be washed with soap and water when needed. There are multiple ways to wash it and keep it clean.
CONS: Some complain it's not as indestructible as advertised as some cats have ripped large holes into the mat.
BPA Free Premium Cat Litter Mat – Extra Large With Soft Touch for Paws
ABOUT: This is an extra-large litter mat that is designed to trap over 80% of the litter that can be found on cat paws. It is designed to be odor resistant and urine proof because liquids will not soak through to the floor.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$$
FEATURES: This mat comes in two sizes, the large size which measures 35” x 23.5” and the extra-large version that measures 47” x 33”. It comes with a non-slip backing on it so the mat will stay in place and not shift around when cats climb into their litter boxes. This mat is BPA free and is odor resistant and liquids including urine won’t soak through to the floor. It also comes in beige, black, brown, and gray colors.
PROS: This mat is made with very soft plastic fibers making it soft to the touch and very durable. Its large size covers a good amount of area around most litter boxes. The mat is extremely easy to maintain and keep clean. For cleaning, all you have to do is shake it off into the trash and from time to time you can simply hose it off outside since the mat is completely waterproof. The non-slip back not only helps keep it in place but it also adds extra support to the mat making it a lot sturdier that similar mats.
CONS: There have been some complaints that it’s not as easy to clean as the product claims.
Blackhole Cat Litter Mat
ABOUT: This cat litter mat was designed with a dual-structure style that is intended to help prevent litter from being tracked all over by trapping the loose litter in the lower part of the mat. This mat has been designed to be sturdy as well as scratch-free, so cats aren’t able to rip it up like with some other mats that are available.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$$
FEATURES: This is a decent sized mat that measures 30” x 23” x .5”. The mat is made from a soft non-toxic EVA material that is dual layered. The top layer is round shaped and helps meet the footprints of your cat and it softly removes the litter taking it down to the second layer of the matter where the litter is meant to stay until it’s cleaned. The mat is lightweight and the litter can be cleaned out by shaking it. It can also be washed off with water quickly and easily.
PROS: It has two layers one that helps remove the litter and the other traps it. It’s made of a soft rubber and isn’t easily scratched by cats using it. It’s lightweight, just weighing two pounds, so it’s easy to shake out the litter. Can also be easily cleaned off with water.
CONS: Main concern seems to be that the mat is open on both ends and if not careful when cleaning, the litter that is trapped in the bottom layer will fall out and cause a bitter mess.
Easyology Premium Cat Litter Mat, XL Super-Size
ABOUT: This litter mat is made from an extra thick PVC material that is designed not to tear like other mats have been seen to do. It has special grooves that are designed to trap nearly 37% more litter than similar litter mats.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$$
FEATURES: This is nice looking mat that comes in a variety of colors that includes beige, black, brown, light gray, ocean blue, and slate gray. This mat is water resistant so it is easy to clean by either just shaking it off or even use the vacuum on it. It can also be quickly rinsed off with water.
PROS: This mat is an extra-large mat that covers a good area and protects floors from litter. It can be washed with soap and water when it needs a good cleaning and can easily be cleaned often by vacuuming or just shaking it off into the trash. The PVC plastic it’s made from will stand up to heavy use and your cats sharp claws. It also has a soft surface cats tend to like.
CONS: Most concerns have been that it’s not totally waterproof and there have been issues with it sticking to the floor after getting wet.
Large Corner Cat Litter Mat
ABOUT: This mat was specifically designed for litter boxes that are placed in a corner in a home. It will fit under and around corner litter boxes as well as rectangular litter boxes. The mat measures 23” x 23”, but, it does also come in a jumbo size for larger areas. There are grooves on the mat that are designed to trap the excess litter from your cat’s paws.
OUR RATING:
PRICE:
$
FEATURES: This mat tends to be ultra-lightweight and has special grooves that help trap excess litter. It is made of a non-toxic soft plastic that is water resistant and easy to clean by rinsing with water, shaking it off or using the vacuum on it. Ideal for litter boxes located in corners.
PROS: Very lightweight and is soft to the touch. Fits nicely in areas where regular shaped mats might not be able to fit. It is easy to clean with water, a vacuum or just shaking off into the trash. Does have a nice look and comes in neutral colors that go well in any room. Also, it’s priced right for those who may be on a budget.
CONS: Most complaints have been that this particular size just isn’t big enough so often there is still litter getting on the floor.
After reviewing these five cat litter mats and comparing them to the criteria that many Bengal parents are concerned with, our top pick out of these five is the BPA Free Premium Cat Litter Mat – Extra Large With Soft Touch for Paws. Although each of the mats on this top five list have their good qualities, we simply believe that the BPA Free Premium Cat Litter Mat meets all the important criteria that most want for their Bengals.
Although it might be the most expensive on the list, it does tend to be the most reliable one and tends to cut down on almost all litter tracking and is quite gentle for your Bengals paws. It is also waterproof so no liquids of any kind will soak through and damage your floors. These and many other features this mat offers is why we chose it to be our top pick.