Do Lick Mats Help with Pet Anxiety?
When you adopt a pet, you never quite know how they're going to adjust to their new environment. Some pets can easily get overstimulated. Others may be prone to anxiety, whether due to loud noises, being home alone, or other reasons.
If your dog or cat has displayed signs of anxiety, you may want to invest in a cat or dog lick mat. Lick mats are designed to keep pets occupied and mentally stimulated.
Let's review the benefits of lick mats for pets and how they can help with anxiety so you can decide if it's worth buying one.
What Is a Lick Mat?
A pet lick mat is a textured mat designed for dogs or cats. You can spread soft foods (like peanut butter, pureed pumpkin, or wet food) into its grooves for your pet to lick. Those grooves are designed to encourage slow licking rather than fast eating, so they're good for keeping pets busy, stimulated, and preoccupied.
Lick mats typically include suction cups so they're easy to attach to floors and other surfaces. You may, for example, want to put a lick mat on a bathtub wall to distract your pet during grooming sessions.
Product Spotlight: WOOF LickMat Easy Clean Interactive Silicone Mat
If you’re looking for a simple, durable, and easy-to-clean option to start using lick mats at home, the WOOF LickMat Easy Clean Interactive Silicone Mat is a strong all-around pick.
This mat is made from flexible, pet-safe silicone with textured grooves designed to hold everything from peanut butter to wet food spreads. The low-profile suction backing helps keep it in place on tile, glass, or bathtub walls, making it especially useful for grooming sessions or calming distractions.
It’s also dishwasher-safe, which makes cleanup much easier if you plan to use it daily as part of your pet’s enrichment routine.
Why pet parents like it:
- Easy-clean silicone design
- Strong suction for baths or tile floors
- Great entry-level lick mat for anxiety support
- Works for both dogs and cats
Best for: First-time lick mat users, daily enrichment, grooming distraction
Why Licking Can Calm Pets
You might assume that licking is something pets do out of boredom. That may be at least partially true, but licking is said to have actual mental health benefits for pets.
Research shows that licking can trigger an endorphin release, which can have a calming effect on pets. It can also reduce levels of cortisol; a hormone associated with anxiety.
Not only can licking be a self-soothing behavior, but it can keep pets busy and provide mental stimulation. That, in turn, can reduce frustration. Many vets and trainers recommend licking activities as a form of calming enrichment.
Situations Where Lick Mats May Help Reduce Anxiety
At their core, lick mats are designed to help keep pets calm. That can be useful in situations like these:
- Separation anxiety. Presenting a pet with a lick mat before leaving the house could help distract them as you're gearing up to go. A lick mat can also be soothing when your pet is alone.
- Grooming and bath time. Some pets do not like getting wet or being groomed. A lick mat placed on a floor or tub wall could help keep your pet occupied, thereby reducing the amount of squirming they do.
- Vet appointments. Some pets get anxious going to the vet. A lick mat can help keep them occupied while they're being examined.
- Car rides. Some pets don't like being in a moving vehicle, whether due to feeling confined or potential car sickness. A lick mat can help a pet self-soothe while on the go.
- Boredom and excess energy. Some pets are more high-energy than others. A lick mat can be a form of mental stimulation, allowing your pet to burn off energy.
Product Spotlight: LUKITO Licking Suction Mat
The LUKITO Licking Suction Mat is designed with stronger suction power and a more segmented texture pattern, making it especially useful for situations where your pet needs longer distraction, like bath time, nail trims, or vet prep routines at home.
Its deep grooves help extend licking time, which can be helpful for dogs or cats that need sustained focus during stressful events. The suction base is designed to stick securely to tubs, glass doors, and smooth surfaces, reducing slipping or sliding when your pet gets more animated.
This is a great option if your pet is more reactive during grooming or struggles with handling.
Why pet parents like it:
- Strong suction grip for bath tubs and smooth surfaces
- Deeper grooves for longer engagement
- Good for grooming, nail trims, and vet prep
- Helps redirect nervous energy during handling
Best for: Bath time, grooming, vet visits, anxious or squirmy pets
What Foods Can You Put on a Lick Mat?
Foods that are both safe for your pet and easily spreadable are generally good options for lick mats.
- Peanut butter (just make sure it's xylitol-free)
- Pumpkin puree
- Plain yogurt
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Mashed banana
- Baby carrot puree
- Sweet potato puree
- Wet dog food
- Wet cat food
- Canned tuna or salmon
- Pumpkin and fish water
- Churu treats
Food used for lick mats should be spread thin to prevent your pet from getting too many calories while ensuring that there's enough to keep your pet occupied.
Lick Mat Benefits for Dogs and Cats
There are several benefits of using lick mats:
- Reducing anxiety. By promoting licking, these mats can help your pet feel more comfortable in general and in anxiety-producing situations, such as if you're leaving the house or there's outside noise, like construction or a storm. For some pets, lick mats can become part of a predictable calming routine.
- Mental stimulation. Sniffing and licking are good for a pet's brain. Sniffling and licking can redirect energy into specific activity, allowing your dog or cat to be stimulated.
- Reducing boredom. You can't be expected to entertain your pet at all times. A lick mat can reduce boredom, which may also reduce the likelihood of your pet getting into things they shouldn't.
- Training. Lick mats can serve as a reward, which can lend to positive reinforcement training.
Product Spotlight: Freezable Enrichment Lick Mat
For pets that blow through regular lick mats in minutes, a freezable enrichment lick mat can significantly extend engagement time and boost calming effects.
This style of lick mat is designed to be filled with wet food, yogurt, or purees and then frozen. The result is a slow-release enrichment activity that can keep pets occupied far longer than standard spread-only mats.
Frozen lick mats are especially helpful for high-energy dogs, separation anxiety routines, or hot-weather enrichment when pets need indoor stimulation.
Why pet parents like it:
- Freezing capability extends engagement time
- Great for separation anxiety routines
- Helps slow eating and improve digestion
- Ideal for high-energy or highly food-motivated pets
Best for: Separation anxiety, high-energy dogs, long enrichment sessions
When Lick Mats May Not Be Enough
Although lick mats can be a helpful tool for pets with minor or moderate anxiety, if your dog or cat is showing signs of severe anxiety, a lick may not be enough. If your pet has serious behavioral issues, they may need further intervention, including:
- Vet-approved medication
- Vet-approved supplements
- Professional training
If a lick mat isn't enough to help your pet's anxiety, it's important to see your vet for professional guidance.
Tips for Using Lick Mats Safely
If you're going to use a lick mat, a few basic guidelines could help ensure you're doing so safely:
- Supervise your dog or cat the first few times they use a lick mat to ensure they aren't chewing the mat itself.
- Make sure to only use safe, vet-approved foods.
- Clean the mat thoroughly after each use to avoid buildup or bacteria.
- Spread the food out in a thin layer to avoid excessive calorie consumption and use the mat in moderation to prevent weight gain.
The Bottom Line on Lick Mats
Do lick mats help with anxiety? There's reason to believe that for some pets, they do.
A lick mat can be an easy, affordable way to help address your pet's anxiety issues and provide stimulation. Just make sure not to over rely on a lick mat. And seek help from your vet if your pet seems to be exhibiting signs of severe anxiety.
Also be mindful that using a lick mat means giving your pet extra calories. You may want to adjust their exercise or meal portions to avoid weight gain. Your vet should be able to offer guidance on how to integrate a lick mat into your feeding routine to steer clear of negative repercussions.