Most floor damage around a feeding station happens slowly. Water splashed out of a bowl sits under the rim, kibble gets nudged over the edge and trodden into the carpet, and by the time you notice, the skirting board or the laminate joint has taken the worst of it. A mat that catches all of that, and then wipes dry in seconds, is a small thing that removes a recurring irritation.

The surface is a printed faux leather that water beads on rather than soaks into, so a paper towel is usually enough to deal with a spill. Around the outside there is a raised fence edge, and that is the detail that matters most: a flat mat lets a spill run straight off, while a lipped one holds it until you get to it. Underneath, a non-slip backing keeps both the mat and the bowls standing on it from skating across a tiled kitchen floor. It rolls rather than creases, so it travels well.

• Three sizes: 35cm x 50cm, 45cm x 60cm and 50cm x 70cm
• Waterproof printed faux-leather surface that wipes clean
• Raised fence edge to contain spills and stray kibble
• Non-slip base holds the mat and the bowls in place
• Four printed designs, two feline and two canine
• Rolls up for storage or for taking away with you

On choosing a size: measure the footprint of your bowls or stand first, then add room for the splash rather than just the bowls. Two bowls side by side usually want the 45cm x 60cm, while a single small cat bowl is fine on the 35cm x 50cm. The printed surface is decorative rather than absorbent, so this contains a spill, it does not soak one up.

Who it's for: Owners with hard floors or carpet near the feeding station, messy drinkers, and anyone tired of sweeping the same square metre every day.