While we love to give our kitties the run of the house, we often don’t want them to bring their kitty litter along. Tracking litter out of the litterbox is often unavoidable for them. As their human companions it’s up to us to minimize it, as much as possible. There are a handful of simple and easy ways to stop “litter tracking” in its tracks!
1 – Scoop! One of the best ways to cut down on the litter you’ll find all around the area is to clean out the litter box as much as possible. Cats prefer to “go potty” in an area of the litter box that’s nice and clean. If the litter box is dirty, they will tend to dig around to find a clean spot. This digging ends up spraying litter all over!
2 – High Sides! This isn’t a great idea for older cats who may have trouble climbing in, or for kittens who are just too little (and cute!), but using a litter box with very high sides will help cut down on the litter spraying around outside. If they need to jump up, to get out of the box, this will also help knock the litter off their paws, and back into the litter box.
3 – Reconsider the Litter! A simple way to cut down on litter tracking is to try a heavier litter. Lightweight litter, while easier to buy and carry, usually scatters a bit more. Using a heavier weight litter will keep it in one place.
4 - Try a Mat! Using a rug or mat, placed just outside the litter box (in the direction the kitty will be traveling) can go a long way to cut down on litter tracked throughout your home. Really thick and shaggy bathmats work well, along with remnant pieces of thick, shag carpet.
You may also want to invest in a litter tray which sits just outside the litter box and usually has raised areas that help knock litter off of paws. Many are made of a silicone material, which will attract the litter off your kitty’s paws and hold it to the tray.
5 – Trim the Fur! If your cat has very long fur, you may consider trimming it just a bit around their paws. The fur tends to hold the litter, like a magnet! Less fur means less litter, means less tracking. Voila!