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Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The best cat litter supports a clean, comfortable, and natural litter box experience for your cat. It enables digging and burying without kicking up clouds of dust. It quickly soaks up urine so your cat doesn’t have to step in wet litter on their next visit. It feels comfortable under their paws and doesn’t irritate their nose with overwhelming synthetic fragrance.
The benefits of a good cat litter product for cat parents include a fresher-smelling home, limited scatter outside the litter box, and easy scooping. The options are vast and varied, with products landing all over the price spectrum. Even eco-conscious cat owners can find quality cat litter products that support their interests in sustainability.
At a Glance: Best Cat Litter to Buy
850
hours of
research
34
brands
vetted
12
features
reviewed
12
top
picks
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Overall Best
10.0
Picked by 31 people today!
Boxiecat BoxiePro Deep Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Litter
- Infused with odor-controlling probiotics
- Forms tight clumps on top of the litter surface
- Fine granules for sensitive paws
Budget Pick
9.8
Picked by 31 people today!
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Unscented
- Priced around $0.50 per pound
- Large, heavy granules track less than other clay formulas
- Forms hard, easy-to-scoop clumps
Premium Pick
9.8
Picked by 25 people today!
Ever Clean Extra Strength
- Very strong odor-controlling ability
- Forms hard, easy-to-scoop clumps
- Free from synthetic fragrances
Best Natural
9.4
Picked by 21 people today!
Sustainably Yours
- Forms firm, cohesive clumps for easy scooping
- Fine granules are gentle on your cat’s paws
- Biodegradable, made from plant-based materials
Premium Natural
9.4
Picked by 21 people today!
SmartCat Unscented Clumping Grass Litter
- Made from 100% renewable grass materials
- Doesn’t produce crystalline silica dust
- Lightweight, sandy texture is gentle on cat’s paws
Best Pellet Style
9.5
Picked by 25 people today!
Feline Pine Original
- Made from sustainably sourced pine
- Large pellets are very low-tracking
- Free from synthetic fragrance
Best for Automatic Litter Boxes
9.6
Picked by 18 people today!
World’s Best in Best Cat Litter
- All-natural alternative to clay litter
- Free from artificial fragrance
- Granule size and texture reduce tracking
Best Crystal Litter
9.7
Picked by 21 people today!
Frisco Micro Crystal Unscented Non-Clumping Litter
- Fine, sandy texture is gentle on cat paws
- Highly absorbent, soaks up liquid quickly
- Dehydrates solid waste for easy scooping
Best Health Monitoring Litter
9.7
Picked by 21 people today!
PrettyLitter
- Contains pH-detecting particles that change color
- Lightweight litter with a soft, sandy texture
- Absorbs urine and dehydrates solid waste
$26.99 At Pretty Litter
Best for Kittens
9.5
Picked by 31 people today!
Fresh News Recycled Paper Litter
- Non-clumping formula may be safer for kittens
- Incredibly low in dust, great for sensitive noses
- Made from 100% recycled paper materials
Best Low-Tracking
9.4
Picked by 18 people today!
tuft + paw Really Great Cat Litter
- Biodegradable, compostable, and flushable
- Lightweight, low-tracking pellets
- Forms easy-to-scoop clumps
$29 At tuft + paw
Best Non-Clumping
9.6
Picked by 31 people today!
Tidy Cats Breeze Litter Box System
- Sifting litter box system with an absorbent pad
- Zeolite pellets dehydrate solid waste
- Large pellets are low-tracking
Why Trust Cats.com
Along with other members of the Cats.com team, I’ve personally purchased, tested, and reviewed over two dozen of the most popular cat litter brands and more than 50 individual litter products. The products were purchased at full retail price and the entire testing process was funded by Cats.com without direct input or influence from the companies involved.
When testing cat litter products, I use them in my own home for at least ten days. I make observations about the litter’s appearance, granule size, scent, and dust level when pouring it into the litter box. I also test the litter for odor control, ease of scooping, and tracking. My two cats, Wessie and Forest, make their opinions known when they show preference for one product over another.
Based on extensive research, hands-on testing, and expert insights, I’ve selected the following 12 cat litter products as the best you can put in your cat’s box.
Our Veterinary Advisors
The Best Rated Cat Litter: Our Top 12 Recommendations
Having tested countless cat litter products, I often find myself coming back to Boxiecat. I’ve awarded it my top pick for its hard-clumping action, easy scoopability, and strong odor control. But it may not be the ideal cat litter for every household.
Every cat is different and it’s important to take their preferences into account when choosing a product—especially one they’ll be using every day, like cat litter. To help you find the right fit for your unique cat, I’ve included an assortment of products categorized by key features and price.
#1 Overall Best: Boxiecat BoxiePro Deep Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Litter
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Boxiecat
- Material: Sodium bentonite clay
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: No
- Features: Infused with probiotics, forms flat-top clumps
- Price per lb:$1.15 per lb
Winner of the 2018 Industry Recognition Award, Boxiecat litter has several unique qualities that set it apart from other clay litters. It’s designed to absorb liquid immediately on contact, forming flat clumps on top of the litter surface. This helps prevent urine from seeping through and pooling on the bottom of the box where it makes a sticky mess.
The flat-clumping design helps trap odor before it becomes an issue, a benefit compounded by the infusion of probiotics. These probiotics help control bacteria that cause litter box odor. These same bacteria can be spread to the surfaces in your home via your cat’s paws.
In our in-box testing, I found Boxiecat litter highly absorbent and it formed tight clumps that were easy to scoop. It didn’t produce a significant amount of dust, but the fine granules tracked to a moderate degree. My test cats seemed to like the soft feel of the litter, preferring it over alternative litters like silica and corn-based World’s Best Cat Litter.
What We Liked:
- Infused with probiotics for added odor control
- Absorbs quickly and clumps on top of the litter
- Fine granules are gentle on sensitive cat paws
What We Didn’t Like:
- Lightweight granules may track more than some litters
- May not be heavy enough for use in automatic litter boxes
#2 Budget Pick: Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Unscented
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Dr. Elsey’s
- Material: Sodium bentonite clay
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: No
- Features: Low-tracking, hard-clumping, inexpensive
- Price per lb:$0.59 per lb
Dr. Elsey’s offers several cat litter formulas designed to address specific issues, but this product is the most popular. Priced around $0.50 per pound, it’s an inexpensive product. This clumping litter is one of the most popular options on the market, though recent customer comments point toward a steady decline in quality over the years.
Made from sodium bentonite clay, this cat litter absorbs liquid quickly to form easy-to-scoop clumps. It’s a heavy litter with fairly large granules, so it tracks less than some formulas. Where it seems to fall short of the market is the amount of dust it produces. Owners of cats with respiratory issues may want to look elsewhere.
While this litter certainly isn’t perfect, its price and low-tracking qualities may make it worth considering. If you’re looking for a lightweight litter, however, this isn’t it. It only comes in 20- and 40-pound bags.
What We Liked:
- Priced around $0.50 per pound
- Large, heavy granules track less than other clay formulas
- Forms hard, easy-to-scoop clumps
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some customers report a decline in quality
- Can be very dusty
#3 Premium Pick: Ever Clean Extra Strength
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Ever Clean
- Material: Sodium bentonite clay
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: No
- Features: Strong odor control, forms hard clumps
- Price per lb:$1.08 per lb
For its strong odor control and hard-clumping ability, Ever Clean is an attractive option if you’re willing to spend a little more. Rather than relying on synthetic fragrance, this formula harnesses the superior absorbency of sodium bentonite clay to reduce odor in the litter box. It offers some of the best odor control I’ve experienced in a cat litter product.
This Ever Clean unscented litter appears to be a favorite among cats as well. The granules are soft under your cat’s feet and, because they’re so dense and heavy, this litter tends to track less than many formulas.
Availability of this litter can be variable depending on where you shop. It’s most easily accessible on Chewy where you can purchase it in 25-pound boxes or in a 4-pack of 10.5-pound bags. Chewy also offers the most competitive pricing on this brand.
What We Liked:
- Very strong odor-controlling ability
- Forms hard, easy-to-scoop clumps
- Free from synthetic fragrances
- Fairly low-tracking formula
What We Didn’t Like:
- Significantly more expensive on Amazon than Chewy
- Very heavy, may be difficult to manage for some cat owners
#4 Best Natural: Sustainably Yours
$18.45 At Chewy$18.45 At AmazonRead Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Sustainably Yours
- Material: Corn and cassava
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: Yes
- Features: Sustainably sourced, fine-grained texture
- Price per lb:$1.85 per lb
While clay cat litter is technically natural, many cat owners are in the market for plant-based or biodegradable cat litter. Sustainably Yours Multi-Cat Plus Cat Litter is a fine-grained cat litter made from corn and cassava. This plant-based cat litter comes in three different formulas—two for multi-cat households and one with large grains to help prevent litter tracking and scatter.
In testing, this litter produced a little bit of dust when pouring it into the litter box, but I found it performed quite well overall. This litter forms very firm, cohesive clumps that are easy to scoop, and the odor control was pretty strong.
While the odor control of this litter isn’t as strong as some of the clay litters on this list, I found it to be much stronger than some other plant-based litters I’ve tested. The primary downside of this litter is the degree to which it tracks—it has incredibly fine granules that can stick to your cat’s paws and make their way out of the litter box onto your floor.
What We Liked:
- Forms firm, cohesive clumps for easy scooping
- Fine granules are gentle on your cat’s paws
- Biodegradable, made from plant-based materials
- Performed fairly well in odor control
What We Didn’t Like:
- May be a little bit dusty when you first pour it
- Very fine granules tend to track and scatter easily
#5 Premium Natural: SmartCat Unscented Clumping Grass Litter
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: SmartCat
- Material: Grass
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: No
- Features: Biodegradable, lightweight, gentle on paws
- Price per lb:$1.98 per lb
Averaging over $2.00 per pound, this all-natural cat litter yields a higher monthly cost than the average clay formula. In exchange, however, you get the peace of mind knowing it’s made from renewable resources and that it’s biodegradable. This litter is made from 100% grass.
This grass-based formula is very lightweight which makes it a good option for cat owners who hate lugging around heavy bags or boxes of litter. The fine, lightweight texture also makes this litter gentle on sensitive cat paws. Because the granules are so light, however, they may track more than a denser clay litter.
This formula clumps on contact with liquid but some customers find that the clumps remain softer for longer than clay litter. If you scoop before the clumps fully absorb the liquid to harden completely, they may break apart and leave small pieces behind. As a result, the odor control ability of this litter may be weaker than the typical clay formula.
What We Liked:
- Made from 100% renewable grass materials
- Doesn’t produce crystalline silica dust
- Lightweight, sandy texture is gentle on cat’s paws
What We Didn’t Like:
- Lightweight granules make tracking an issue
- Clumps may take longer to harden than clay
#6 Best Pellet Style: Feline Pine Original
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Feline Pine
- Material: Pine
- Clumping: No
- Flushable: No
- Features: Sustainably sourced materials, no synthetic fragrance, large pellets
- Price per lb:$0.68 per lb
Pellet-style litters are popular among cat owners because they tend to track less than finer granules and natural varieties don’t produce silica dust. Feline Pine is a non-clumping, clay-free formula made from 100% sustainably sourced pine. The pine fibers are highly absorbent, and the new and improved formula absorbs liquid twice as quickly as the original.
Feline Pine is completely free from chemical additives and synthetic fragrance, though it does have a natural pine scent. Some customers say it develops an unpleasant odor when wet, however, so it may need to be scooped and refreshed often. In testing, I found it to be very low-tracking and low-dust.
What We Liked:
- Made from 100% sustainably sourced pine
- Pellets track less than fine clay granules
- Completely free from chemicals and fragrance
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not a clumping formula
- Can be heavy, especially the 40-pound bag
- May develop odor when wet
#7 Best For Automatic Litter Boxes: World’s Best in Best Cat Litter
$33.79 At Chewy$36.69 At AmazonRead Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: World’s Best
- Material: Corn
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: Yes
- Features: All-natural, good for automatic litter boxes
- Price per lb:$1.21 per lb
Automatic, self-cleaning litter boxes are great if you hate scooping. Most models cycle automatically, separating clean from dirty litter, and collect waste in a discrete compartment. Our top pick for the best cat litter for automatic litter boxes is also a natural alternative to traditional clay cat litter: World’s Best.
Made from whole-kernel corn, World’s Best Cat Litter doesn’t produce irritating silica dust. Plus, this multi-cat formula is free from artificial fragrance. Because it clumps quickly, this litter does a good job of controlling odors and the size and texture of the granules help reduce tracking.
Some users dislike the smell of the litter when it gets wet but odor shouldn’t be an issue with automatic litter boxes. Depending on the type of automatic litter box you’re using, however, you may need to adjust the cycling delay to give clumps a little extra time to harden so no pieces are left behind.
This litter comes in 15- and 28-pound bags with an average price under $1.25 per pound. It’s also available in several scented formulas.
What We Liked:
- All-natural alternative to clay litter
- Free from artificial fragrance
- Granule size and texture reduce tracking
- Good for automatic litter boxes
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some users dislike the smell when wet
- Clumps may take longer to harden than clay
#8 Best Crystal Litter: Frisco Micro Crystal Unscented Non-Clumping Litter
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Frisco
- Material: Silica gel
- Clumping: No
- Flushable: No
- Features: Fast-absorbing, fragrance-free
- Price per lb:$2.24 per lb
Frisco offers crystal cat litter in both clumping and non-clumping varieties. This non-clumping crystal litter has very fine, lightweight granules. Sold in 7-pound bags, the litter is very easy to manage but the small granules do tend to track more than heavier clay litters.
Because crystal cat litter is extremely absorbent, it soaks up urine very quickly. It also dehydrates solid waste, making it easier to remove from the litter box. Both of these features contribute to odor control but odor still tends to accumulate as the litter becomes saturated. This isn’t a clumping formula, so you need to stir the litter daily to help redistribute the saturated crystals.
Customer reviews for this product are varied. Tracking appears to be an issue across the board. I found the litter’s odor control on par with other crystal litters like Pretty Litter and the texture is very similar. It may be a good option for cats with sensitive paws who don’t like sharp or large-grained litter.
What We Liked:
- Fine, sandy texture is gentle on cat paws
- Highly absorbent, soaks up liquid quickly
- Dehydrates solid waste for easy scooping
What We Didn’t Like:
- Limited odor control once saturated
- Not a clumping formula
#9 Best Health Monitoring Litter : PrettyLitter
$26.99 At Chewy$26.99 At Pretty Litter
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Pretty Litter
- Material: Silica gel
- Clumping: No
- Flushable: No
- Features: Fine sandy texture, changes color with pH, highly absorbent
- Price per lb:$3.30 per lb
Crystal cat litter is nothing new but PrettyLitter takes it up a notch with the addition of pH-detecting particles. When exposed to urine, these particles change color to indicate the approximate pH of your cat’s urine. Changes in the acidity of your cat’s urine can be an early indicator for a number of health problems including struvite crystals, urinary tract infections, and kidney tubular acidosis.
PrettyLitter isn’t intended to be a diagnostic tool, but it can help you keep tabs on your cat’s health. The bag clearly indicates which colors suggest which conditions. Dark yellow/olive indicates urine within the normal pH range while blue, orange, or red indicate a problem. If you notice a change in your cat’s urine, you’ll be able to contact your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.
PrettyLitter has a very fine sandy texture. It’s very gentle on your cat’s paws but it does tend to track due to the small particle size. This litter doesn’t clump but it does help control odor in another way. The silica gel absorbs liquid and dehydrates solid waste. You’ll need to scoop solids daily and stir the litter to keep it fresh, however, as odor may accumulate more quickly than with other litter varieties.
What We Liked:
- Color-changing crystals indicate changes in urine pH
- May help cat owners detect developing health problems
- Absorbs urine quickly and dehydrates solid waste
- Lightweight, soft texture is gentle on cat paws
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not a clumping litter, should be scooped daily
- Needs to be stirred daily to distribute soiled litter
- Above market average price, over $3 per pound
#10 Best For Kittens: Fresh News Recycled Paper Litter
- Brand: Fresh News
- Material: Recycled paper
- Clumping: No
- Flushable: No
- Features: Made from recycled materials, highly absorbent, low dust
- Price per lb:$1.22 per lb
Cat litter for kittens should be soft enough for sensitive kitten paws and non-toxic in case of accidental ingestion. Fresh News is a non-clumping cat litter made entirely from recycled paper, making it eco-friendly and biodegradable. It’s also safer than clay, which can swell up to 15 times its size in the stomach if your kitten accidentally swallows it.
Non-clumping cat litter doesn’t typically contain odors as well as clumping varieties, but Fresh News is infused with baking soda to help neutralize odors. Customers confirm that the litter does have decent odor-blocking properties and it is very low in dust.
One thing to be mindful of with recycled paper litter is that moisture can build up in the bottom of the box. While this litter may be up to three times more absorbent than clay, large volumes of litter or diarrhea may seep through to the bottom of the pan and make cleaning a little more difficult.
What We Liked:
- Non-clumping formula may be safer for kittens
- Incredibly low in dust, great for sensitive noses
- Made from 100% recycled paper materials
What We Didn’t Like:
- May accumulate moisture if not changed often enough
- Non-clumping litter has limited odor control
#11 Best Low-Tracking: tuft + paw Really Great Cat Litter
$29 At tuft + pawRead Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: tuft + paw
- Material: Soybean byproduct
- Clumping: Yes
- Flushable: Yes
- Features: Biodegradable, low-tracking granules, lightweight
- Price per lb:$3.05 per lb
Many low-tracking litters are dense and heavy but Really Great Cat Litter from tuft + paw isn’t. It’s made from soybean byproduct and shaped in small, oblong pellets. The shape and size of the pellets helps keep the litter from tracking outside the litter box.
While you’ll pay a premium for this litter, it offers a few benefits few other products can boast. It’s biodegradable and compostable, for one. It’s also flushable. Though you’ll need to let the clumps soak in the toilet for a while before flushing, the material breaks down very well.
In the litter box, this natural cat litter absorbs liquid quickly and forms cohesive clumps. I found that the clumps are a little more delicate than clay litter, but if you scoop slowly they’re less likely to break apart. My cats didn’t seem to mind the texture of the pellets and the formula controls odor well, despite the lack of added fragrance.
What We Liked:
- Biodegradable, compostable, and flushable
- Lightweight, low-tracking pellets
- Forms easy-to-scoop clumps
What We Didn’t Like:
- Only available by subscription
- Costs significantly more than market average
#12 Best Non-Clumping: Tidy Cats Breeze Litter Box System
Read Our Full Brand Review
- Brand: Tidy Cats
- Material: Mordenite zeolite
- Clumping: No
- Flushable: No
- Features: Low tracking, unscented, moisture-wicking
- Price per lb:$2.61 per lb
Clumping cat litter makes the task of scooping the litter box a little easier but they can be bulky and heavy. If you’re looking for a convenient alternative, consider the Tidy Cats Breeze litter box system which utilizes unique mordenite zeolite pellets.
The Tidy Cats Breeze system is a sifting litter box that combines moisture-wicking zeolite pellets with an absorbent litter box pad. When your cat uses the litter box, urine passes through the pellets into the pad below. The zeolite pellets absorb moisture as well, helping dehydrate solid waste to make it easier to scoop.
This litter box system comes with everything you need to get started, including a scoop. The large, low-tracking pellets should be refreshed every 30 days and the absorbent pad lasts up to a week in a single-cat household.
What We Liked:
- Sifting litter box system with an absorbent pad
- Zeolite pellets dehydrate solid waste
- Large pellets are low-tracking
What We Didn’t Like:
- Large pellets can be tricky to scoop
- Some cats don’t like the pellets
What to Consider When Shopping for Cat Litter
No cat litter is perfect for every household but there are key qualities to consider when choosing between products. Ultimately, you want to select a litter product your cat likes while factoring in features that affect functionality and affordability.
Easy to Clean
Clumping cat litter is usually the easiest to keep clean and dry, but not all clumping litter works equally well. Some products create soft blobs that crumble when you scoop, and others yield firm clumps. You don’t want to feel like you’re scraping chunks out of a bowl of cookie dough. The clumps should be cohesive, firm, and easy to remove.
If you’re using a non-clumping product, it must do its job well. Any non-clumping litter should be insanely absorbent and not completely saturated after a day’s use. Keep in mind that because it’s non-clumping, you’ll likely end up emptying the entire box at once.
Odor Control
Good cat litter helps keep odors at bay, but don’t expect a box of litter to take over your job. We’ve found that the best odor control comes from great clumping and regular cleaning.
The more waste you can remove from the box, the better. That’s why we look for cohesive clumps, minimal stickiness, and great absorbency. Some products amp up the odor control with activated carbon and baking soda, which can significantly cut back on odors.
Low-Dust
Dr. Alex Crow, VetMed MRCVS cautions that “some litter that contains crystalline silica dust can be harmful when breathed in, which is something you most certainly want to avoid. This is why it is important to buy dust-free cat litters. Inhaling this dust can cause your cat to develop serious issues and cause them to have trouble breathing.”
Of course, most litter is advertised as low-dust or “99% dust-free”, but these are usually flimsy claims. Some so-called low-dust products create plumes of dust, so don’t trust the label blindly. Customer reviews can help you assess a product’s dustiness before you buy.
Also Read: Best Dust-Free Cat Litter
Affordable
Depending on what type you choose, you could end up forking over $70-$200 per year in cat litter expenditures. When you consider that a human’s annual toilet paper expenses are low as $15 and usually don’t exceed $50, cat litter starts to look a bit pricey.
The reality is that no cat litter is perfect, and spending more to fill your cat’s litter box won’t necessarily yield life-altering results. Daily scooping can help you extend the life of your cat’s litter. Clumping varieties tend to minimize waste but often cost more per pound than non-clumping varieties.
Low-Tracking
Litter tracks—it’s hard to get around them. Litter gets trapped in your cat’s paws and fur and hitches a ride out of the litter box. Although many litter companies call their products “low-tracking”, the best way to control tracking is by investing in a good litter mat.
Dense litter with heavy granules often tracks less than lightweight varieties. Pellet-style litter and litters with large grains also tend to be some of the lowest tracking options on the market.
Also Read: The 5 Best Non-Tracking Cat Litters
Fragrance-Free
Scented cat litter may help disguise the smell of a dirty litter box but it doesn’t do anything to resolve the odor issue. In fact, added fragrance can irritate your cat’s sensitive nose. If the smell inside the litter box becomes overwhelming, your cat may start avoiding it.
Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM confirms this, encouraging cat owners to “avoid highly-scented cat litters.” She says that “cats have a much better sense of smell than we do, so even if the litter smells good to us, cats can find it very irritating.”
Cat-Friendly
“The ideal cat litter would be a scent-free clumping litter that has good odor control, ” says Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM, but “the personality of a cat may be the final determination on what is the best cat litter.” While the best cat litter for you comes down to your cat’s personal preference and your household needs, some types of litter work better than others.
Let’s quickly break down the top three types of cat litter products.
Clay Cat Litter
Clay cat litter is by far the most popular type on the market today. It’s the most widely available and cost-effective. It has its critics, however. Because it’s gathered through strip mining and is non-biodegradable, its environmental impact has been described as an “absolute catastrophe.”
There’s also the risk of inhaling crystalline silica dust to consider, though the amount of dust produced by a good cat litter generally isn’t significant enough to cause serious health issues.
Clay cat litter products are divided into two categories: clumping and non-clumping. Clumping litter is usually made from sodium bentonite clay, a variety that expands 12-15 times its original size when wet. This swelling ability causes it to clump when it comes into contact with urine, making it easy to scoop out waste while preserving clean litter.
Non-clumping clay was the original commercial litter box filler and was first sold in 1947 as “Kitty Litter.” It’s made from a variety of absorbent clays, including sepiolite, attapulgite, and montmorillonite. Non-clumping litter tends to be cheaper than clumping litter but its odor-controlling ability is limited, necessitating more frequent replacement.
Also Read: Best Non-Clumping Cat Litter
Silica Gel Litter
Crystal or silica gel litter is a relatively new addition to the cat litter shelf. It’s made synthetically from silicon dioxide, oxygen, and water. Each crystal has millions of tiny pores that capture moisture. Instead of clumping, this type of litter dehydrates solid waste and absorbs liquids.
If you remove solid waste and stir the litter daily, crystal cat litter can effectively serve you for up to a month before disposal. Because this type of litter has such great longevity, it’s more expensive than clay and some biodegradable products.
Biodegradable Cat Litter
The most head-spinning part of the cat litter marketplace may be the natural and organic department. These products are made from a range of organic and recycled materials including wheat, wood, grass, paper, tofu, and more. While they may be eco-friendlier than many traditional cat litters, they come at a price and might not offer equal performance.
Some biodegradable cat litters are marketed as flushable. Be sure to carefully read the label and consult local laws before you flush cat litter down the toilet, however—flushing the wrong litter could be an expensive (and messy) mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cat litter is best?
In an ideal world, the best cat litter offers a combination of features that meet both your needs and your cat’s. Your cat’s natural instincts get the respect they deserve, and you get to control the smell and appearance of cat waste in the house. Each cat’s preferences are unique but most cats seem to like clumping clay cat litter.
What is the longest-lasting cat litter?
You can extend the life of any cat litter with daily scooping – this helps prevent odor from accumulating and contributes to a comfortable experience for your cat. That said, clumping varieties help minimize wasted litter. It’s still recommended that you empty, clean, and refresh the litter box once a month, but clumping litter doesn’t need to be replaced weekly like non-clumping and some alternative varieties.
Which cat litter is best for odor control?
How often you scoop the litter box has the biggest impact on odor. Litter that quickly absorbs liquids and forms tight, solid scoops tends to be the most effective. Non-clumping and silica gel litters become saturated more quickly which can contribute to odor accumulation.
Which cat litter do vets recommend for kittens?
Clumping clay cat litter may not be safe for kittens due to the risk of ingestion and intestinal blockage. When we asked vets about this hazard, Dr. Caren Carney, DVM shared that she has "had to treat a kitten for eating clumping litter, as it was causing an obstruction." Though this type of blockage is uncommon, Dr. Carney now recommends shredded newspaper for young kittens who've not yet been weaned.
