This is one of the most brilliant DIY projects I’ve seen! Moderncat reader David was looking for a mat for outside the litter box that would actually trap the litter to prevent it from scattering. He also wanted something stylish, so he searched the internet and found some excellent products that do just the trick. It’s perforated floor tile that snaps together to fit almost any size. It’s usually used for garage floors, workshops, decking and various commercial applications, but it is perfect for creating a customized litter mat!
David found two companies that offer these tiles at reasonable prices and in a variety of colors. The first is Swiss Trax where you can purchase a 2′ x 3′ sample doormat kit in your choice of colors complete with tiles, edges, and corners for just $34.95. David ordered the Ribtrax Garage Tile pictured above which I think is perfect. He also found Kiwi Tile, another company that offers a perforated floor tile in lots of colors. Kiwi Tile will send you two free sample tiles for just $10 shipping so you can see if you like it.
I’m so excited about this! I’m ordering some right away so we can test it out! Thanks, David!
October 25th, 2011 at 6:48 am
I just ordered 4 RibTrax tiles – what a perfect solution!!!! No more litter tracked up the stairs!
October 25th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Great idea!
October 25th, 2011 at 9:24 am
This is such a great idea!!
October 25th, 2011 at 9:40 am
Wow! It’s easy to use, easy to locate, looks cool, not expensive and it works well. What a winner! Thanks for sharing this.
October 25th, 2011 at 10:22 am
So does the litter fall through to the floor, or do the tiles have a backing that actually keeps the litter “inside” the file? I.e., do you move the tiles and vacuum underneath, or vacuum the tiles themselves?
October 25th, 2011 at 10:32 am
One day a DIY project will be the death of me, it seems to be a way of
life, so I almost passed on reading this, but happy I didn’t. Nice,
although I will be looking for materials even cheaper than this. Thanks
October 25th, 2011 at 11:04 am
BRILLIANT! I love it! Thanks to David and Moderncat too
October 25th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
“Free” for $10 shipping isn’t “free” to me, or the millions of others out here in the real world to whom $10 represents quite a bit. But it may be a good idea for those who can afford it.
October 25th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I have two cats and this has reduced the litter tracking considerably. There used to be a trail of litter outside the bathroom door but so far after just a few days I haven’t seen any litter tracked outside the bathroom.
This is not perfect, it doesn’t catch all the litter but it’s better than the litter mats from pet stores.
There is no tray underneath, although I wish there was. I wrote in and suggested having a tray. The panels snap together so it’s easy to remove one panel to vacuum underneath.
For cheaper than this I’d suggest using the cooling racks bakers use but there will still need to be work done to make that effective.
October 25th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Thanks David for sharing this idea with moderncat and also for answering our questions in your comment. Appreciate it!
October 25th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
David thanks so much for sharing this. I have to keep my litter boxes in my bedroom 10 days a month. This should help cut down on at least some of the litter vacuuming
October 25th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Reminds me of one I have that has the tray underneath but is not made anywhere now. But the Swiss Trax looks so much nicer than the one I have. Thanks for tracking this down, I’ll definitely be looking into this!
October 26th, 2011 at 9:02 am
I’ve been looking EVERYWHERE for a litter tracking solution! Thank you so much for sharing your ingenious idea! I’m ordering a sample door mat now. So often with pet products, we have limited choices with regard to colors. I love that this solution is customizable!!! Thanks again!
April 30th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Too bad they’ve also raised their prices. It’s gone up $10 since this was posted. Plus $15 shipping to Minneapolis, MN? $60 would be too much for me. Smart idea on David’s part though. Way to be ingenuitive
June 26th, 2012 at 10:26 am
I ordered one of the mats from Swiss Trax shortly after I saw this blog post, and I could not be happier. I cannot believe how much it has cut down on litter making its way out of the laundry room. I use Feline Pine (original) cat litter and it really keeps it from traveling. Yes, I do have to lift the mat (it stays together) to vacuum under it, but its so much easier than dealing with the litter that used to be all over the house. Thanks so much for sharing a great tip!
August 25th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Been thinking about this for a month. I found similar drain tiles at Menards (a box of 10 1 ft x 1 ft) for $20. I am putting mine on carpeted floor but I put plastic runner under them. If it helps keep the litter contained…it will be well worth the $40.
October 4th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
You can find tiles like this at places like Home Depot, Lowes, Canadian Tire etc. They are usually designed for use in a garage or laundry room. You’ll have to make sure to look for slatted/grated tiles. I recommend checking out local hardware stores for before dishing out for shipping.