Lick Mat for Cats
★ 4.9 · 49 verified ratings · 900+ soldThe same LickJoy Mat that slows down dogs has a quiet second life as a cat favorite. Thin smears of churu, wet food, or lactose-free yogurt become long, calm licking sessions.
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Do lick mats work for cats?
Feline researchers have been pushing this direction for years. A widely cited veterinary review argued that indoor cats do better physically and emotionally when they work for food instead of eating from an open dish (Dantas et al., Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2016). Food puzzles are the classic answer, and a lick mat is the lowest-effort entry point: no moving parts, no learning curve, just a surface that rewards patient licking.
There is a waistline angle too. Slower, smaller, more engaging servings make it easier to keep portions in check, which matters for the majority of US cats. If you want the full case for the format, our guide on whether lick mats are good for dogs covers the science that applies to both species.
of US cats were classified as overweight or obese, which makes slow, portioned treat formats genuinely useful for indoor cats
— Association for Pet Obesity Prevention survey, 2022
What to put on a lick mat for cats
Churu-style purees were practically made for lick mats: squeeze a line across the textured zones and smooth it flat. Wet food works just as well and turns an ordinary meal into a slower one. For yogurt, stick to plain and lactose-free, since most adult cats digest lactose poorly. A thin smear is plenty.
Two tricks worth stealing from dog owners. First, chill or freeze the loaded mat for a longer session on a warm day; our frozen lick mat treats guide has combinations that work straight from the freezer. Second, keep a shortlist of safe toppings on the fridge door. Our full guides on what to put on a lick mat and lick mat recipes both flag which ingredients suit cats.
Slowing down a wet-food gulper
If you share your home with a cat that treats the food bowl like a timed event, you already know the aftermath. The fix costs nothing but a different surface. Smear the usual portion of wet food across the mat, press it lightly into the honeycomb side, and set it down where your cat normally eats. The first session may involve some puzzled staring. By the third, most cats have settled into a long, quiet rhythm.
The suction cups on the back earn their keep here: they hold the mat still against a determined feline push, on the floor or on a feeding shelf, so the mat stays put instead of migrating across the kitchen.
Multi-cat homes get a bonus benefit. Because each mat pins a cat to one spot for several minutes, two mats set a few feet apart put an end to the classic bowl raid, where the fast eater finishes first and shoulders the slow one away. Each cat gets its own surface, its own pace, and its own portion, and dinner stops being a competition.
Cat lick mat vs dog lick mat: what actually changes
Here is the plain truth: the mat in the dog photos on our lick mat for dogs page is exactly the mat cats use. It is a flat square of food-grade silicone with suction cups on the back and two textures on top, a honeycomb that holds thicker spreads and a crosshatch grid for thin smears. It rinses clean with water in seconds, and it comes in Blue, Purple, Green, Gray, and Orange.
The calming logic carries over from dogs, where the evidence base is broadest. Licking is a self-soothing behavior, and in the largest behavior survey to date most dogs showed at least one anxious trait. Cat owners will recognize the same picture in vet-visit jitters and door-dash energy, and the same slow-licking ritual helps take the edge off.
of 13,715 pet dogs showed at least one anxiety-related behavior in the largest behavior survey to date, the best-documented case for calming lick sessions
— Salonen et al., Scientific Reports, 2020
A cat tester weighs in
"A bit smaller than expected, but the quality is excellent."
— Iryna S., verified buyer (translated)
Her photo says more than we could: an actual cat, mid-lick, on the actual mat. More photos and verbatim feedback from both product lines live on our reviews page.
One more option for feline homes: the LickJoy Bowl, our elevated slow feeder with a raised dome, runs small by design. A verified buyer notes the size is right for a cat or a small dog, which makes it a neat wet-food station for cats. See the slow feeder bowl page.
Lick mats for cats, answered
Will my cat actually use a lick mat?
Most cats do once the topping is right. Start with a lickable treat your cat already loves, smear a thin line across the mat, and let curiosity do the rest. Feline behavior researchers encourage food formats that let cats work for meals, and licking is the gentlest version of that.
What can I put on a lick mat for a cat?
Safe favorites include lickable puree treats such as churu, your cat’s usual wet food, and a thin layer of plain lactose-free yogurt. Keep layers thin, keep portions small, and skip anything seasoned. When in doubt, spread a spoonful of the food your cat already eats daily.
Can a lick mat slow down wet food meals?
Yes, and it is one of the best uses. Spread the usual serving of wet food across the mat instead of leaving it mounded in a dish. A cat that used to finish in under a minute now settles in for a long, calm session of licking, with far less risk of it coming back up.
Do I need a special cat version of the mat?
No. The LickJoy Mat is the same product for dogs and cats. A cat’s tongue is raspier and smaller, so the difference is in how you serve: thinner smears, smaller portions, and softer toppings. The two texture zones give you an easy side and a harder side to rotate.
Give your cat something to lick about
Free US shipping, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and the calmest ten minutes of your cat's day.
Get the LickJoy Mat · $24.99 →Written by Mark Delaney, canine-enrichment writer whose testing panel includes one extremely opinionated cat. See how we test.