Litter litter!

adventuregirl

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Messages
137
Purraise
286
So what is everyone's best method of keeping up with litter tracking every where? I have tried everything! I currently am using a high sided litter box to prevent it from getting everywhere. Then I have it on top of a big doormat, but litter still is getting tracked everywhere! I used to use the mats designed for litter, but they were to small and to light and the cats turned them into toys... I currently am vacuuming around the litter box but I have yet to find a vacuum that works perfectly for litter! Any tips?
 

EmersonandEvie

Mom to Evie, Emerson and Dexter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
1,691
Purraise
2,769
Location
Northeast Georgia
This is the main reason I switched to pine pellets instead of clay litter. Our boxes were in a spare room, over several feet of carpet, and I would STILL find litter in out living room/hallway. It drove me up a wall, I hate feeling grittiness under my feet.

If you want to look into pine pellets, there is a ton of tutorials on youtube! Just be aware that some cats never take to it, no matter how hard you try. I want to say it took a solid month to do a full transition for my group.
 

klunick

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
4,354
Purraise
12,135
I use non-clumping clay litter and honestly, the tracking isn't that bad with Boone and Gracie. Usually just around the boxes and a quick tidy with a small hand held vacuum every other day is good enough. The boxes aren't in "high traffic " areas either so I don't ever step on any loose litter.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,429
Purraise
33,191
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Hi. Curious about how many cats you have, how many litter boxes, how big are the litter boxes, and how often you scoop out debris. The kind of litter you use may also play a role in the tracking.

I have found that with just one cat if I don't stay on top of scooping her stuff from the litter box (more than once a day), she invariably steps into a previous deposit and that is when I find the tracking outside the litter box the worst. She could also probably use a larger box as well, but at 16+ yo, I am kind of scared to change to another one. If I keep on top of cleaning the stuff out of the box, a plain old washable throw rug underneath the box is sufficient for collecting what she manages to drag out of the box.

I am not sure what to advise about vacuuming; all of the vacuums I have ever used have been successful in sucking up litter. I do know that doing it more often seems to make it easier in terms of getting all of the litter off the rug/carpet.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

adventuregirl

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Messages
137
Purraise
286
I have two cats. I have two litter boxes. Since we only have one floor the cats are allowed and it's open concept two is good. They don't have issues with going outside the box or anything like that they just track litter every where. The large box is the one they use the most (it's the location not the box they like - I've tried other boxes in that spot and no matter what box is there it's used the most) I scoop daily or every other day depending on what's needed and my work schedule. Sometimes I work doubles and it doesn't get scooped on those days because my house is allergic so he only feeds them. I don't vacuum every time I scoop, that might help.
 

ladytimedramon

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
808
Purraise
772
One thing I just did was change the mat. The litter box is in the bathroom and I had noticed that most of the time she jumped over the mat rather than step out of the litter box. The one I just got is a bit softer and squishier. Its made out of the same stuff that you use sometimes as kitchen shelf and drawer liners. Now she's stepping out and I have less tracking than before.
 

debbila

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
32,863
Purraise
5,544
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I use Tidy Cats Breeze litter box. It uses pellets and has a grate that the pee drains through onto an absorbent pad in a drawer underneath the grate. There's no litter to track all over your house AND no smell because the pee is in the pad. Depending on many cats you have, you just change the pad ( one cat, about a week ), and scoop the poop. I love it. I'll never go back to using litter again.
 

nunnc84

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
This is the main reason I switched to pine pellets instead of clay litter. Our boxes were in a spare room, over several feet of carpet, and I would STILL find litter in out living room/hallway. It drove me up a wall, I hate feeling grittiness under my feet.

If you want to look into pine pellets, there is a ton of tutorials on youtube! Just be aware that some cats never take to it, no matter how hard you try. I want to say it took a solid month to do a full transition for my group.
my cats prefer not to do #2 in pine.
 

wali_the_cat

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
48
Purraise
93
I'm a new cat guardian but the litter tracking is driving me bonkers. I've purchased a larger litter mat, since right now Wali just jumps right over the mat. I'm hoping that will help. I scoop his litter frequently so there's less of a chance of his stepping on wet litter. I've started sweeping the litter box area more vigilantly. I also just bought some house slippers.

I love the idea of pine litter but my cat has a history of elimination issues and I don't want to change up his litter routine for at least a year...
 

ladytimedramon

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
808
Purraise
772
I'm a new cat guardian but the litter tracking is driving me bonkers. I've purchased a larger litter mat, since right now Wali just jumps right over the mat. I'm hoping that will help. I scoop his litter frequently so there's less of a chance of his stepping on wet litter. I've started sweeping the litter box area more vigilantly. I also just bought some house slippers.

I love the idea of pine litter but my cat has a history of elimination issues and I don't want to change up his litter routine for at least a year...
Try a different texture mat. Delilah was doing the same thing. Her first mat was textured more like a door mat with curled up plastic loops. This one is soft and more like foam rubber. I'll try to take a pic when I get home.
 

CatladyJan

<><
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
2,132
Purraise
5,692
I use area large area rugs which keeps it off the hardwood floors and I vacuum at least every other day if not more.
 

charlie55

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
6
Purraise
3
What I do is I scoop his litter frequently so there's less of a chance of his stepping on wet litter. I've started sweeping the litter box area more vigilantly.
 

Tobermory

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
9,135
Purraise
25,924
Location
Pacific NW
I use clumping grass litter with my three, and it tracks quite a bit, particularly with the two long-haired cats. I use iPrimio mats which catch a surprising amount of litter. (Check out this thread for pics: Need Advice on a litter mat that works!!)

The previous owner of my last house recarpeted one of the bedrooms with cheap shag wall-to-wall carpeting and left remnants. I used those remnants and found that the shag captured litter pretty well. You might find shag carpet scrap leftovers at a rug store. Or...Amazon has shaggy bathroom mats that look like they might catch litter from kitty paws.
 

AmandaRox

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Messages
169
Purraise
691
I second the pine pellets. They also make pine crumbles(?) in the smaller pieces. No tracking, no smell. I've noticed that it is smelly for #2, but Rox goes outside for #2 most of the time.
 

debbila

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
32,863
Purraise
5,544
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I haven't had that problem for years. I use Tidy Cats Breeze litter box. No litter on the floors and no stinky pee smell.
 

crouton

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
148
Purraise
101
Some cats just won’t take to pine, I have three right now that refuse to use pine or anything pellet shaped. So my house is constantly full of litter. Have tried every single type of mat including area rugs and bath mats and cat mats, none work for them. They track it all over my house. I have to vacuum at least twice a day and can’t walk around barefoot. Slippers year round.
In the morning I literally vacuum my way to every box to get the trail cleaned up. But overnight they use all the boxes and track litter up flights of stairs or down flights of stairs etc.
 

nunnc84

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
Did I tell you I gave the cats their own space away from mine? They have a door, to they're litter boxes. Best decision yet!!! The basement, yes; I don't care if litter is everywhere.
The smell is non existent. Ok, maybe I'm biased.
They have food and water there also.
IT's their space.
Now, I don't have to worry about having guests over; and explaining the smell.
I'm happy. They are happy.
There are a few things to work through.
So, I got 5 extra large litter boxes. There are 3-4 kinds of litter.
Total, 9 litter boxes.
Now I don't have to scoop every full moon! Yeah, I think there is a ghost down there..
They have lights on at all times.
I put a warm, electric cat bed down there; in case they want to get away from the main floor.

I'm so happy.
 

Dave2006

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Dec 21, 2019
Messages
74
Purraise
212
Felipure, minimal odour, great clumping and only a few specks outside the litter box.
 
Top