Best Cat Litters Revealed: Top 10 Tested and Reviewed for Odor Control and Comfort
Best Cat Litters Revealed: Top 10 Tested and Reviewed for Odor Control and Comfort🐈💩🔝
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To find the purrfect cat litter, we put 24 products from various brands to the test, including clumping clay, absorbent crystals, and biodegradable pellets. Our testing process involved real cats and kittens, with their humans providing valuable insights. The ideal litter should: - Be compatible with your litter box - Scoop easily - Absorb odors effectively - Not stick to your cat's paws or track throughout your home - Minimize dust when pouring or cleaning We also considered disposal methods, including trash bags, dedicated litter bags, and litter disposal systems. Some litters are even suitable for flushing when broken into smaller clumps. After months of rigorous testing, Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter emerged as our top pick. It excels at clumping, odor absorption, and dust control, making it perfect for multi-cat households
No 1 . Highest Recommendation
Arm & Hammer Multi-Cat Clumping Litter
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter excels at moisture absorption, forming strong clumps that remain intact during scooping. The coarse sand-like granules produce minimal dust and reduce tracking. Although technically scented, the aroma is faint, with a mild baking soda and fresh laundry scent that's barely noticeable unless you're up close. Despite the subtle fragrance, it effectively neutralizes odors, even when left unscooped for a few days. Our multi-cat households loved this formula, but be aware that Arm & Hammer offers various Clump & Seal products, which can be confusing. After testing six formulas, Clump & Seal Multi-Cat remains our top pick. Please note that this litter should not be flushed and is best disposed of in the trash. The recyclable cardboard box features a handle for easy pouring and storage. It's moderately priced, widely available, and comes in 14, 19, 28, and 38-pound boxes. Key details: - Litter Type: Clay - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Box with handle - Sizes: 14, 19, 28, 38 pounds
What We Like: - Effectively eliminates unpleasant odors - Forms strong clumps that remain intact during scooping - Produces minimal dust - Ideal for multi-cat households - Exhibits very low tracking, even with high-traffic What We Don't Like: - Overwhelming variety of Clump & Seal formulas, making selection challenging
No 2 . Best Organic Choice
Purina Fragrance-Free Cat Litter
Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter harnesses the non-toxic power of activated charcoal to absorb odor-causing bacteria in the litter box. The natural clay formula forms strong clumps when exposed to moisture, making scooping easy. While occasional edge cleanups may require extra scooping, this litter effectively eliminates detectable odors. It's also dust-free and fragrance-free, making it suitable for multi-cat households. Note that slight tracking may occur, especially with cats that kick after using the litter box. However, this is contained within the litter box area. Key details: - Litter Type: Clay - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Box with handle - Sizes: 20, 35 pounds
What We Like: - Effective odor control with activated charcoal - Fragrance-free and dust-free - Easy pouring from the box What We Don't Like: - Side clumps can be challenging to scoop - Slight tracking around the litter box area
No 3 . Top Tofu Pick
Tuft & Paw Really Great Cat Litter is a fragrance-free, dust-free, and low-tracking litter made from soybean byproduct pellets, also known as 'tofu litter.' This eco-friendly litter effectively masks odors and comes in resealable bags through a monthly subscription on the Tuft & Paw website. The pellets clump with urine but dissolve in water, making them flushable (check local regulations). Unlike clay litter, it doesn't cover solid waste. Our younger cats adapted well to the change, but older cats may take time to adjust. Key details: - Litter Type: Soybean byproduct pellets - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Resealable bag - Size: 9.5 pounds
What We Like: - Minimizes cat waste odors - Easy-pour resealable bag - No tracking or dust - Pellets dissolve in water, expand with urine, and don't stick to feces What We Don't Like: - Monthly subscription only - Cats may resist unique smell and texture
No 4 . Top Dust-Free
Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Platinum Clumping Cat Litter offers a dust-free and odor-neutralizing solution for cat owners. This hypoallergenic litter is lightly scented and contains baking soda to neutralize odors without affecting your cat's experience. Even after extended use, odors remain under control. For optimal hygiene, clean the litter box at least once a month. The clay litter forms clumps upon contact with urine, but these clumps can be fragile and may require two rounds of scooping. Key Features: - Litter Type: Clay - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Box with handle - Sizes: 18, 27.5, 37 pounds Benefits: - Dust-free - Odor-neutralizing - Hypoallergenic - Lightly scented - Contains baking soda for odor control
No 5 . Best Crystals
PrettyLitter Cat Litter offers a unique, sand-like texture made from absorbent silica gel crystals. Unlike traditional clay-based litters, this innovative formula absorbs liquids and odors, eliminating the need for regular scooping. Instead, daily stirring is recommended to maintain its effectiveness. The litter changes color to detect urinary health issues, with a healthy range of yellow to olive green. While this feature can be challenging to monitor in multi-cat households, PrettyLitter is suitable for homes with multiple cats. Key Features: - Litter Type: Silica gel crystals - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Resealable bag - Sizes: 8 pounds Benefits: - Absorbs liquids and odors - Non-toxic and unscented - No dust or tracking - Monitors urinary health - Suitable for multi-cat homes Note: Cats with established bathroom habits may take time to adjust to the new texture, and owners will need to adapt their litter routine.
What We Like: - Excellent odor control, completely masking unpleasant smells - Effective urine absorption and feces clumping - Innovative health indicators track your cat's urinary health - Attractive, beach sand-like appearance What We Don't Like: - The crystal litter can be a significant change for cats accustomed to traditional clay litters, potentially causing an adjustment period
No 6 . Affordable Crystal Option
Fresh Step Premium Crystal Cat Litter with Fragrance
Fresh Step Crystals Premium Scented Cat Litter boasts a silica gel formula that effectively absorbs cat urine and odor, mirroring the performance of our top pick, PrettyLitter Cat Litter. This crystal litter shares similar benefits, including: - No clumping around urine - Zero dust clouds when pouring - Fine, sand-like crystals that don't stick to paws - No tracking While it lacks PrettyLitter's reliable resealable feature and colored health indicators, Fresh Step Crystals offers a more affordable price point for an 8-pound bag. Daily maintenance involves scooping out poop and stirring the litter, with full refreshes recommended every 3-4 weeks. On average, crystal litters like this one tend to outlast clay-based options. Key Features: - Litter Type: Silica gel crystals - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Resealable bag - Sizes: 8 pounds Note: This review was conducted by The Spruce Pets/Kaya Abrahamson.
What We Like: - Excellent odor absorption from both feces and urine - Effective urine absorption - Longer-lasting compared to traditional clay-based litters for most users - Zero dust and tracking What We Don't Like: - Resealable bag can be challenging to close
No 7 . High Attraction
Dr. Elsey's Cat Litter Attractant
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter features a natural herbal attractant that draws cats to the litter box, reducing accidents in new environments or with new litter boxes. This clay-based clumping litter is versatile, suitable for both automatic litter boxes like the Litter-Robot 3 and standard litter boxes like the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan. It provides effective odor control through plant-derived chlorophyll and has a sand-like texture that appeals to most cats, allowing them to cover their waste while minimizing dust and tracking. We also recommend Dr. Elsey's Ultra Litter as a budget-friendly, hypoallergenic option, offering a cat-pleasing texture from 100% natural clay that forms scoopable clumps. Although Dr. Elsey's was our previous Best Budget pick, we found a better option during testing, as the heavy, floppy bag was a drawback for many users. Key Features: - Litter Type: Clay - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Resealable bag - Sizes: 20, 40 pounds Note: This review was conducted by The Spruce Pets/Maddy Newton & Brooke Kane
What We Like: - Compatible with automatic litter boxes for convenient use - Natural herbal attractant effectively lures cats to the litter box - Odor control is achieved through plant-derived chlorophyll What We Don't Like: - Inconsistent grain size, with some pieces prone to sticking to paws
No . 8 Best Pelletized Litter
Ökocat Biodegradable Paper Litter
For a dust-free experience that's gentle on respiratory systems and allergies, Ökocat Dust Free Non-Clumping Paper Pellet Cat Litter is an excellent choice. Made from clean paper without inks, dyes, or scents, these biodegradable pellets provide a healthy and sustainable litter solution. During our real-world testing, our feline friend took just two days to adjust to the unique texture. Similar to crystal litter, the non-clumping pellets fully absorb liquids and odors, requiring daily scooping and periodic litter box overhauls every three weeks or as needed. Note that the larger pellets may lead to some tracking around the litter box area, but cleanup is easy. Key Features: - Litter Type: Paper pellet - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Box with handle - Sizes: 8.2, 12.3 pounds
What We Like: - Perfect for individuals with respiratory issues or allergies - Biodegradable paper pellets that are gentle on the environment - Effective absorption of odors and liquids - Easy scooping of poop from the litter - Free from harmful inks, dyes, and scents What We Don't Like: - Occasional tracking of large pellets can be distracting - Some cats may not accept the litter box pellets
No 9 . Best Smelling Litter
Fresh Step Antimicrobial Litter
Fresh Step Advanced Cat Litter with Gain combines the power of activated charcoal and Febreze's proprietary ammonia-blocking technology to eliminate odors. The added fragrance of Gain Original laundry detergent provides a fresh and clean scent. This sodium bentonite clay-based litter has a unique pebble-like texture and produces minimal dust. Clumps form quickly and hold their shape, making scooping easy. Tracking is minimal, mostly around the litter box area. The litter comes in a convenient cardboard box with a handle for easy pouring and storage, available in 22.5 and 37-pound sizes. Key Features: - Litter Type: Clay - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Box with handle - Sizes: 22.5, 37 pounds Source: The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
What We Like: - Excellent clumping ability for easy scooping - Fresh, clean laundry scent that effectively masks unpleasant odors - Easy pouring with minimal dust What We Don't Like: - Some tracking occurs, though minimal
No 10 . Best Litter for Easy Disposal
sWheat Scoop Eco-Friendly Litter
sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat Natural Litter is made from sustainably sourced wheat from US farms, ensuring a reliable and eco-friendly product. The litter's natural starches facilitate easy scooping, while enzymes break down organic matter to neutralize odors. This biodegradable litter can be flushed, but it's essential to check local regulations first, as flushing may be prohibited in certain areas, such as California. The litter is free from artificial dyes, perfumes, and chemicals, making it a more environmentally friendly option. While it produces minimal dust and tracking, our real-world testing showed that cats may take a few weeks to adjust to the litter. However, after several months, the cats became fully acclimated, and tracking around the litter box decreased significantly. Key Features: - Litter Type: Wheat pellets - Multi-Cat: Yes - Container: Resealable bag - Sizes: 12, 25, 36 pounds
What We Like: - Biodegradable and flushable (note: check local regulations, as flushing may be prohibited in certain areas like California) - Completely free of artificial dyes, perfumes, and chemicals - Extremely low dust production - Effective odor neutralization using natural enzymes What We Don't Like: - Some cats may require an adjustment period to get used to this litter - Minor tracking is likely, but overall tracking is minimal
Best Overall Cat Litter Our top pick for Best Overall cat litter is Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter. This clay litter clumps together for easy scooping, minimizes odors, and has a texture that agrees with most cats. Alternative Options If you prefer a crystal litter that absorbs urine instead of clumping it together, our choice for Best Crystals is PrettyLitter Cat Litter. This litter makes it easy to scoop poop, masks detectable odors, and helps you monitor your cat's urinary tract health. Types of Cat Litter Cat litter is commonly made from bentonite clay, which forms clumps when exposed to urine. However, there are also crystal litters made from silica gel, which absorb urine and odors. Biodegradable litters, such as those made from soybeans, paper, and wheat, are another option. Key Considerations When choosing a cat litter, consider factors such as dust level, odor-fighting capabilities, and tracking. Some litters produce more dust than others, which can aggravate respiratory issues and allergies. Odor-fighting methods include activated charcoal, baking soda, and enzymes that break down bacteria. Litter Box Maintenance To keep your cat's litter box clean and hygienic, scoop out clumps daily and change the litter completely every two to three weeks. You can also use a litter mat to prevent tracking and make cleanup easier. Litter Training To litter train your cat, start by placing them in a "transition room" with food, water, and a litter box. After meals or playtime, take them to the litter box to establish good habits. Reward successful uses with treats or toys. Disposing of Kitty Litter Most cat litter should be disposed of in the trash, but some biodegradable litters can be flushed down the toilet in small amounts. Always check with your local waste management system to ensure you're disposing of litter properly.
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