Cats aren’t too fussed about the mess they leave in their wake.
Their paws may be clean, their fur immaculately groomed, but between the fur-balls, occasional rodent “presents” and cat litter tracked through the house, they can be a bit of a whirlwind on your home (and that’s without mentioning the smell)
Depending on how fastidious your cat is, sometimes it can seem like they are digging a tunnel out of your home (and are getting sneaky at hiding the evidence)...
Tracking occurs when cat litter sticks to your cat’s fur and paws, and is one of the most common problems pet parents face.
We’re breaking down the top tips from our cat experts to tackle the problem of cat litter tracking.
INVEST IN A TRACKING MAT
Perhaps one of the most important factors in preventing cat litter from tracking is the use of a litter mat.
At Natusan, we have done a lot of research into tracking mats, testing them with a jury of our “pee-ers” including both short-haired and long-haired cats, cats that hop in and out and cats who like to squat down low to pee.
It’s safe to say that we’re litter mat maestros, and we’ve pulled together the things to look for in a tracking mat for your cat:
- Double Layered mats are one of the best ways to combat tracking as the litter falls through to the second layer, which can then be emptied back into the tray to minimise waste.
- Like our litter, the tracking mat should also be soft on paws, with nothing that would discourage your cat from using it.
- It is also important that the litter tracking mat stays in place, so bear gripping and non-slip mats in mind, particularly if you have wood or tiled flooring.
- This goes without saying, but a litter mat should be long lasting and durable enough to be used for many years. Many long-lasting products are made cheaply at the cost of the environment, making it difficult to find a sustainable tracking mat, however there are some companies that make cat litter mats from recyclable EVA, meaning that when it comes to the end of its service, it can be reborn.
- The mat should be waterproof, easy to clean and empty out the captured litter.
- Size matters with your mat, it needs to be large enough that your cat will take more than one step with each paw when exiting their tray, but not so large that it gets in the way or trips you up.
Finding the right kind of mat for your cat’s litter tray can be tough, but if you find the right one, it’ll work like magic…
TRY A TALLER LITTER TRAY
A simple solution, and one we took into consideration when designing our Collect & Compost kits, is to use a litter tray with higher walls, so less litter is likely to be knocked out when your cat is digging.
Most cats don’t have any issues with climbing up into a higher tray, but older cats may need a hand in the form of an entry point or something to offer a step up, this should help avoid the perils of a shallow tray...
We found that an enclosed tray with a lip of at least 10cm works best with Natusan litter.
Some cats don’t like enclosed trays, if this is the case then a good hack is to use a larger tracking mat (or two mats) and place the whole litter tray on top so there is at least 20cm of mat surrounding the tray without affecting the balance. This way, whichever side your cat jumps out, you’re covered.
Another good hack we have found is that if your cat is particularly messy, and you find that your litter still tracks even with our Collect & Compost tray, then reversing the bottom of the tray so the lip is higher (15cm) will help with this. The higher the lip, the less tracking there will be.
KEEP IT TRIM
Cats with longer hair tend to track litter more frequently, as they have more fur for the litter to stick to.
A tip here is to use a small trimmer to gently trim the hair between their paw pads.
Whilst removing their “slippers” can be traumatic for us (they’re sooo cute, after all), it doesn’t negatively affect your cat in the slightest, and can actually help give them more grip.
ROLL UP THE RED CARPET
Not only does carpet show tracked litter more than other types of flooring, it is also harder to sweep.
The quickest and easiest surface to clean is nice and flat, such as wood, tile or laminate floor. Carpets tend to trap litter and make it tougher to remove.
Instead, keep a dustpan and brush nearby to sweep up the initial scattering around the front of the tray (your cats “trail”, if you will). Sweeping this up as soon as possible means it won't get tracked further throughout your home.
Some people use cordless mini-hoovers that they can whip out when their cat gets a little bit “generous” with their digging.
Whilst it saves time and effort unfurling the cord and plugging it in, portable hoovers aren’t exactly known for their powerful vacuums, so a lighter litter works best for this solution. Cats aren’t the biggest fans of rugs, after all...
USE A CAT LITTER THAT IS QUICK-CLUMPING
When litter doesn’t clump immediately, cats often end up stepping in wet litter, which then clings to dry litter and tracks it out of the box. Quick clumping litter will help to prevent this from occurring and reduce tracking.
A litter that clumps quickly keeps the rest of the tray dry, meaning less chance of it clinging to your cat’s fur and being tracked out of the tray.
Natusan forms tight clumps fast, it is also completely natural and sustainable without the need for any nasty added chemicals such as bentonite.
Our litter is made from 100% natural recycled softwood and doesn’t contain clay minerals like bentonite which make other cat litters heavy.
Along with its fine texture, our litter’s composition means it’s 60% lighter than the average mineral clumping litter, and also super soft on paws. It also means that like so many cat litter, ours too can track.
Our Customer Care team are always on hand to provide bespoke advice on how to prevent tracking, get in touch, or if you have any tips for us, let us know on social media!
Why not see for yourself and discover Natusan cat litter today?
20/10/2020 by NatuTeam