- Cats are picky about the litter in their boxes, so it's important to choose a formula that's healthy for your cat and easy to clean.
- Because there are so many different types of cat litter out there, it can be a challenge to make the right choice.
- Our top pick is Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping Litter because it's a hard-clumping litter that traps liquids and odor without generating tons of dust.
Though cats can certainly be difficult at times, they are a
low-maintenance pet in the sense that you don't have to take them
outside for a walk to do their business. Cats are fastidiously
clean animals that spend hours grooming themselves each day and
they do their business in a litter box. It makes your job as a
pet owner easier - you simply have to scoop the litter a few
times a week and change it out as needed.
When it comes to your cat's litter, there are many options to
choose from and each cat has their own unique preferences for
texture, fragrance, and absorbency. Because there are so many
different types of cat litter out there, it can be a challenge to
make the right choice. Lucky for you, we've done all of the
research. We've looked into the different kinds of cat litter and
read reviews for all of the top brands. We've also tested many of
them ourselves to bring you our top picks for the best cat
litters on the market.
Here are the best cat litters you can buy:
- Best cat litter overall: Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping Litter
- Best clumping cat litter: World's Best Cat Litter Clumping Formula
- Best newspaper cat litter: Purina Yesterday's News Unscented Litter
- The best natural cat litter: Ökocat Natural Wood Cat Litter
- The best multi-cat litter: World's Best Cat Litter Multiple Cat Clumping Formula
The best cat litter overall
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| © Precious Cat/Business Insider |
Although cats are naturally very clean, the litter box can get
messy if you don't choose the right litter. The perfect cat
litter forms hard clumps to make cleanup a breeze, it's dust-free
and low-tracking, and it controls odors for days at a time. And
that ideal litter is the Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping
Litter.
Made from traditional clay materials, this litter creates hard
clumps from your cat's urine and feces that are easy to scoop up.
It is unscented and dust-free so it won't cause respiratory
problems, and its unique heavy clay granules help to reduce
tracking. Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping
Litter is surprisingly inexpensive as well, making it ideal
for multi-cat households.
Named the number-one pick by Buy the Best,
Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping
Litter is super-affordable and its hard-clumping action traps
both liquids and odor, helping to keep your house fresh and
clean. This litter is also a top pick for The Wirecutter, and it
receives a positive review from Heavy. Both reviews
mention that this litter can be used in sifting litter boxes as
well for easy cleanup.
With more than 18,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4-star rating, Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clumping
Litter is one of the most popular cat litters on the market.
Consumers love the dust-free, hypoallergenic, and hard-clumping
formula, though some suggest that smaller bags would be helpful.
Pros: Hard-clumping formula traps liquids and
odor, unscented, dust-free and hypoallergenic formula,
low-tracking, works well for multi-cat households, very
inexpensive
Cons: Only available in large bags 18 pounds and
up, lack of deodorizers may not mask smells as well as scented
litters, not biodegradable
The best clumping cat litter
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| © World's Best/Business Insider |
Made from all-natural corn granules, World's Best Cat Litter
Clumping Formula is biodegradable, forms hard clumps for easy
cleanup, isn't dusty, and offers excellent odor control.
When it comes to cat litter, there are two main types to
consider: clumping and non-clumping. Clumping cat litter works by
absorbing liquid, turning it into solid clumps that can be
scooped up and thrown away. This type of litter is usually low in
dust and can be great for odor control, though some clumping
litters are not biodegradable. Our top pick for clumping cat
litter is World's Best Cat Litter
Clumping Formula.
Made entirely from renewable, whole-kernel corn, World's Best Cat Litter Clumping Formula is both environmentally-friendly and biodegradable. The hard-clumping action makes scooping the litter box a breeze, and, because the granules are made from corn and not clay, they can be flushed or composted. This litter absorbs liquid quickly and controls odors for days at a time. It is also very low in dust, which is beneficial for your cat's respiratory health.
This litter is a top pick from Cat Litter Expert because of its odorless, all-natural formula. A detailed review from Pet Helpful speaks to the hard-clumping action, though the review does note that the clumps may dry out and crumble over time if you don't scoop them within a few days. This formula is fairly pricey compared to other litters, but it lasts a long time and it controls odors well if you scoop it often.
World's Best offers a variety of different cat litter formulas but this particular product has a solid 4.8-star rating out of more than 4,800 user reviews on Petco. Buyers love the dust-free, environmentally-friendly formula, though some users dislike the price.
Pros: Hard-clumping formula makes cleanup easy, biodegradable and environmentally-friendly, made from all-natural corn, can be flushed or composted, can be used in mechanical and sifting litter boxes, offers excellent odor control, dust-free
Cons: Fairly expensive compared to other clumping litters, some cats dislike the texture or scent of the litter, some cats have trouble with tracking, clumps may dry out and crumble after a few days
Made entirely from renewable, whole-kernel corn, World's Best Cat Litter Clumping Formula is both environmentally-friendly and biodegradable. The hard-clumping action makes scooping the litter box a breeze, and, because the granules are made from corn and not clay, they can be flushed or composted. This litter absorbs liquid quickly and controls odors for days at a time. It is also very low in dust, which is beneficial for your cat's respiratory health.
This litter is a top pick from Cat Litter Expert because of its odorless, all-natural formula. A detailed review from Pet Helpful speaks to the hard-clumping action, though the review does note that the clumps may dry out and crumble over time if you don't scoop them within a few days. This formula is fairly pricey compared to other litters, but it lasts a long time and it controls odors well if you scoop it often.
World's Best offers a variety of different cat litter formulas but this particular product has a solid 4.8-star rating out of more than 4,800 user reviews on Petco. Buyers love the dust-free, environmentally-friendly formula, though some users dislike the price.
Pros: Hard-clumping formula makes cleanup easy, biodegradable and environmentally-friendly, made from all-natural corn, can be flushed or composted, can be used in mechanical and sifting litter boxes, offers excellent odor control, dust-free
Cons: Fairly expensive compared to other clumping litters, some cats dislike the texture or scent of the litter, some cats have trouble with tracking, clumps may dry out and crumble after a few days
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| © Purina/Business Insider |
One of the main benefits of
clumping cat litter is, of course, the fact that it makes
scooping the litter box easy. There are, however, some benefits
that non-clumping litter has to offer. For example, non-clumping
litters can be made from a variety of materials including natural
materials like wood, corn, and grass, which might be important
for cats who are sensitive to clay. Some of these materials also
have a naturally pleasant smell, and, for cleanup, you can save
yourself the hassle of scooping by simply dumping the entire
litter box and refilling it.
Though there are many
non-clumping litters to choose from, our top pick is Purina Yesterday's News
Unscented Litter. Made from 100% recycled paper materials,
our testing revealed that this litter is almost completely
dust-free and biodegradable. It works quickly, absorbing up to
three times the liquid of clay litter by volume, and it lasts
longer than non-clumping pine litters. Purina Yesterday's News
Unscented Litter is unscented so it won't irritate your cat's
respiratory system and it is super gentle on his paws.
Other reviewers like it, too.
Heavy
mentions the dust-free
benefits of the paper materials as well as the fact that they are
very soft and gentle on your cat's paws. BuytheBest10 notes that this litter is a top choice among
veterinarians and loves that it is made from recycled materials,
which is great for the environment.
With more than 1,200 reviews on
Amazon, Purina Yesterday's News
Unscented Litter has a solid 4.2-star rating. Buyers love
fast absorbency of the paper materials and the gentle, unscented
formula. There are some cats, however, who dislike the larger
pellets and paper litter needs to be changed often to control
odors and wetness. Our test cats had no trouble with the texture
of the litter, though.
Pros: Made from
recycled paper materials, three times more absorbent than clay
litter by volume, unscented and 99.7% dust-free, soft pellets are
gentle on paws, lasts longer than pine pellets, completely
biodegradable
Cons: Paper
pellets may start to dissolve after absorbing liquid, odor
control is limited which may require frequent cleaning, paper
materials do not clump at all, some liquid may bypass the
pellets
The best natural cat litter
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| © Ökocat/Business Insider |
When it comes to natural cat
litter, there are a number of different materials to choose from.
One of the most popular materials, however, is wood because it is
cost-effective, absorbent, and it has a naturally fresh scent.
Natural cat litter is ideal for kittens, older cats, and cats who
are sensitive to more abrasive materials. Many of these litters
are also flushable for easy cleanup. Our top pick for natural cat
litters is Ökocat Natural Wood Cat
Litter.
This Ökocat Natural Wood Cat
Litter is made from 100% sustainable and natural wood fibers,
making this litter eco-friendly, biodegradable, and all-natural.
Our testing confirmed that this litter is free from fragrances,
chemicals, and dyes but it still offers excellent absorbency and
long-lasting odor control. Ökocat Natural Wood Cat
Litter binds to liquids to form scoopable clumps and the
natural antimicrobial benefits of the wood fibers help to kill
bacteria, keeping your home cleaner and fresher than more
traditional cat litters.
A detailed review from
Conscious Cat speaks to the benefits of the lightweight,
highly absorbent wood materials. This litter absorbs liquid very
quickly, though the clumps aren't as hard as clay litter clumps,
and cleanup is easy. Another review from Me, Him and
the Cats mentions that
the litter is virtually dust-free and it has a fresher natural
scent than clay litter. Our test cats did take a few days to
adjust to the texture of the materials but, once they did, there
were no problems.
Ökocat Natural Wood Cat
Litter has more than 1,498 user reviews on Amazon and a solid
4-star rating. Consumers love the lightweight formula as well as
its fast absorbency and 7-day odor control. Some users note,
however, that this formula tracks a little more than other
natural litters due to the size of the granules.
Pros: Made from
100% sustainable natural wood fibers, absorbs up to 500% its
weight in liquid, forms clumps that can be scooped away,
lightweight and dust-free, naturally inhibits bacteria growth,
provides up to 7 days of odor control, contains no fragrances or
chemicals, soft texture is gentle on paws
Cons: May track
more than natural litters with larger granules, some cats dislike
the texture of the wood materials, clumps aren't as hard as clay
litter
The best multi-cat litter
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| © World's Best/Business Insider |
Made from all-natural, renewable corn materials, World's Best Cat Litter
Multiple Cat Clumping Formula offers fast-clumping action and
excellent odor control for multi-cat households.
As clean as your cats may be,
litter box waste and odors accumulate quickly in a multi-cat
household. A cat litter designed for multi-cat households should
offer excellent odor control as well as antimicrobial benefits to
kill bacteria. Many multi-cat litters have strong fragrances that
may help to mask odors but doesn't actually eliminate them. These
fragrances can also be irritating to your cat's respiratory
system. Our top pick for multi-cat litter that is fragrance-free,
hard-clumping, and highly-effective is World's Best Cat Litter
Multiple Cat Clumping Formula.
Made from all-natural,
whole-kernel corn, World's Best Cat Litter
Multiple Cat Clumping Formula is one of the safest and most
effective multi-cat litters on the market. The natural corn
materials absorb liquid quickly and form hard clumps that are
easy to scoop away. The formula is eco-friendly, fast-clumping,
and excellent for odor control. Though this litter may be a
little on the pricey side, a 7-pound bag will last a two-cat
household up to 15 days.
With an A rating from
Taildom, a detailed review notes that this
corn-based litter is heavier than pine but easier to scoop. Named
among its top 10 litters, Heavy suggests that while you might be able to
flush this litter, composting may be a better option just to be
safe. Cleaner Paws names this litter its top choice for cat
litter overall, mentioning that it is all-natural, biodegradable
and 99% dust-free. Our own testing confirms the low-dust benefits
as well as the fast absorbency of this multi-cat litter.
Pros: Made from
all-natural whole-kernel corn, renewable and environmentally
friendly, can be flushed or composted, excellent odor control for
multi-cat households, high absorbency and fast clumping action,
free from chemicals and fragrances, gentle on soft paws, 99%
dust-free
Cons: More
expensive than many cat litter brands, some cats may not like the
texture of the corn materials, litter may need to be changed more
often in multiple cat households
