The 8 Best Cat Litter In 2023
It may not occur to new cat owners that the type of litter they decide to purchase for their pet can make a big difference in their homes as well as their cat’s comfort.
You may find you’re pet will be more likely to use their new bathroom if it contains certain materials.
Features that affect how your pet will feel when they use their litter box include texture, scent, and dustiness.
These factors can also make a big difference for you and your family. When you are deciding on the best litter for your feline, it is always a good idea to read as many reviews as you can.
Other people may have some excellent advice or tips on transitioning your cat to using a new litter, or what features work best for problem kitties.
8 Best Cat Litter Reviews
1. Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
This cat litter advertises that it is almost 100% dust-free other than a little bit of powder that created when opening a fresh bag. I like this feature because it means that there is little chance of breathing in the harmful dust by my cat or me.
This brand is also hypo-allergenic, so if your cat has a history of bad allergies, then this should be a safe product to use.
The unique formula in this litter mixes two different types of heavier ‘non-tracking’ litter together to drastically reduce the number of granules that may mess up your floor.
Pro-Cat’s litter formula clumps into a nice tight ball the minute liquid hit it because of the combination of granules and clay.
Precious Cat boasts a formula for their litter that features ‘superior odor control’ and ensures you will never have foul smells emanating from your litter box.
The material is scentless, so there is also no danger of a strong perfume smell that you find unpleasant.
The all-natural ingredients in this litter are healthy for you, your cat and the environment.
Pros
- Litter clumps neatly making it easier to dispose of
- Scentless means no harsh chemicals that may harm a cat or irritate allergies
- 99.9% dust-free means that litter won’t create a big mess on the floor
- Eliminates tracking because the granules won’t stick to your cat’s feet
Cons
- Cat’s urine can seep through litter and stick to the bottom of the box
- The company recently changed a formula, so the quality is not as good as the previous version
- Odor control is not always effective
2. World’s Best Cat Litter
This product is one of the best dust-free litters available, claiming to be over 99% dust-free, so there is little danger of you or your cat breathing in harmful powder or triggering any allergies.
Even if you have some tracking with this litter, the consistency of corn kernels makes it much easier to clean than the standard granules you find in other litters.
The mixture of wood and corn kernels creates a very active material for clumping and produces nice tight balls that are very easy to scoop and throw out. The clumping is also very quick when even the slightest bit of liquid falls on it.
The wood fibers found in this litter give it a pleasant natural scent which effectively covers up any offending odors.
A combination of wood fragments and corn kernels make the World’s Best Cat Litter one of the best natural cat litters available and 100% safe for your feline. The corn kernels create a very absorbent layer for your litter box, so any odors get seeped into the box effectively.
Pros
- Super absorbent material eliminates odors that are caused by leaks in other litters
- Even when a new bag is opened and poured, the litter box remains dust free, so there is little chance of breathing in harmful powder
- The texture of the litter is very soft, so most cats like stepping on it
- The wood fibers that make up the material creates a very pleasant scent
Cons
- This litter is on the expensive side when compared to other litters in this category
- Wood fibers don’t always cover up the smell and can be unpleasant
3. Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey’s litter is almost 100% dust-free even when pouring out a new bag. What this means is that there won’t be any harmful dust in the air and your pet won’t develop an aversion to using the litter box.
The texture of the natural materials in this litter significantly reduces the amount that sticks to the bottom of your pet’s paws that gets tracked into your house.
Dr. Elsey’s is on the best clumping cat litters on the market today. The herbal material in this cat litter clumps effectively into tight, dry balls that keep moisture in so they can be disposed of cleanly.
The liquid that falls on the granules clumps up quickly within the litter, so there is no leaking or mess at the bottom of the box.
The natural ingredients in this litter cover up any foul odors caused by cat waste. You won’t have to worry about offending smells wafting out from the location of the litter box.
One feature that stands out with this litter is the ‘herbal essence’ attractant it boasts will make it irresistible for any cat. The all-natural materials in this litter are designed to be safe for any cat to use.
Pros
- The herbal mixture in the cat litter creates an irresistible attractant for any cat
- Perfect for problem cat’s that previously would not use a litter box
- All-natural ingredients make this litter safe for animals, humans and the environment
- Dust-free means no harmful powder will get kicked up and inhaled by you or your cat
Cons
- Attractant doesn’t always work with every cat and can cause the animal to avoid the using the box
- The clumping balls can sometimes be difficult to scoop because they get very hard and sticky.
4. Purina Tidy Cats BREEZE Cat Litter
There is virtually no dust when you open up a new bag of Purina Tidy Cat, and after the initial pouring, you will not notice any powder lingering.
This system uses pellets rather than clay, so there is little tracking when your cat is finished using their box. It is rare that small bits will get lodged in your cat’s paws and even if there is some spillage, it will be very easy to clean.
Purina Tidy Cat’s is a pellet system, so it does not clump but rather uses a pad at the bottom to absorb any excess liquid.
The pellets used in this system keep any solid pieces of waste on top of the pile for easy cleanup and disposal. The liquid is then absorbed into the pad underneath which is specially designed with odor control pads.
The effect is the elimination of lingering nasty smells caused by left-over moisture. This system is one of the best odor control cat litters on the market today.
These pellets are made with silica gel, which is entirely safe for your cat, are dust-free and also less messy than traditional clay or corn pellets. Silica gel is commonly used in all kinds of products to reduce food spoilage and mildew caused by moisture.
Pros
- Odor control works well with this litter and virtually eliminates foul smells
- Cats like the feel of the pellets and don’t have an issue with using this system
- Hard pieces of waste are quickly picked up and disposed of
- Pad system at the bottom absorbs any additional liquid that makes it past the pellets
Cons
- Not widely available so needs to be ordered online to get a good price
- Expensive compared to other cat pellets on the market
5. WORLD’S BEST CAT LITTER
The World’s Best Litter is dust-free, so you will feel safe letting your cat use this litter box knowing they won’t be breathing in harmful particles.
While there is always some tracking with any cat litter, this product reduces the number of granules that get stuck to your cat’s feet, so less comes off after your pet is finished.
The materials in the World’s Best Litter create smaller and tighter clumps when any liquid touches the surface. You will end up using less litter every time waste is scooped out.
The tightness of the balls also means less moisture is leaking in the garbage bag when you throw it out. The trick to getting perfect clumped balls is to put more litter in the box than normal.
The natural materials found in this product absorb any odors caused by liquid waste and allows you to scoop up solid waste quickly before it can cause a foul smell in your home.
This litter is made of corn, which absorbs much of the liquid caused by cat waste, and is also safe for your animal, you and the environment.
Pros
- Excellent clumping qualities and easy to clean up balls of waste by flushing them
- The odor fighting ingredients work well, so there are no detectable smells
- Almost entirely dust-free so there is no harmful residue to be breathed in
- Other scents like lavender available for this brand of litter
Cons
- The product is more expensive than most other cat litters in this category
- Quality control is not always the most stringent, so there are issues with some packages
6. Feline Pine Original Litter
When a new bag is poured, there is a fine dust that quickly dissipates. There is some dust if the litter is left for too long, so it is always a good idea to change the box often to reduce mess and tracking.
The only tracking occurs when the litter is left for too long and turns to dust that sticks to your cat’s paws. If you clean the litter on a regular basis, then there will be little tracking.
The litter will clump easily with liquid but it does need to be cleaned quickly, or it will turn to a fine dust and track all through the house.
The pine scent of this litter is enough to cover up foul odors of cat waste, but it doesn’t overwhelm the nostrils.
You won’t need to use as much litter in your box with this unique formula, as even a small amount lining the bottom will stop any excess liquid from leaking to the bottom.
It is also hypoallergenic so that it won’t cause any skin or breathing irritations in humans or felines.
Pros
- Odor control is very effective at eliminating foul odors that emanate from the litter
- The material is comfortable for cats to walk on and won’t create a big mess on your floor
- The clumping balls are easy to clean up, and the material turns to a fine dust when it is ready to be changed
- Hypoallergenic for the safety of owners and felines alike
Cons
- Once the product changed owners, the quality of the litter went downhill
- The odor control does not always work, and the pine scent can be unpleasant
- Not readily accessible in most stores so can only be bought online regularly
7. Purina Yesterday’s News Unscented Cat Litter
The paper material this product is made with doesn’t create any dust when used, so there is no harmful powder to be inhaled.
Purina’s unscented litter is made with material that rarely gets stuck to the bottom of your cat’s paws and tracks through the house. If it does end up spilling out of the litter box a little bit, it is easily cleaned up.
The recycled paper pellets are non-clumping, so they absorb liquid and odors, but won’t create balls for scooping. The paper pellets will get soft and noticeably wet to indicate when it is time to clean these areas.
The paper has no smell, and the absorptive qualities hide the smell of any liquid waste that is produced.
This litter is made with soft recycled paper that quickly absorbs any excess liquid and creates beautiful hard clumps that are easy to clean. The paper creates a nice soft cushion for your cat’s paws, so they are more likely to use the litter box.
Pros
- Made from recycled paper which makes it good for the environment and your animal
- Pellets are made with the softer material is more pleasant for sensitive paws
- Dust-free so no powder or particles can get inhaled by your cat
- Less litter is needed than most other brands so that a bag will last longer
Cons
- Litter box must be cleaned daily to maintain the scent-free quality
- Non-clumping makes it difficult to clean the litter box partially
- A lot of litter is wasted every time the box needs to be changed because there is no clumping
8. Arm & Hammer Double Duty Clumping Litter
There is quite a bit of dust that floats around when a new bag is poured, but this disappears once the litter settles.
The material doesn’t stick to cat’s paws so that you won’t find trails of granules tracking through your home.
The liquid clumps up nicely with the Arm & Hammer product and makes clean-up very easy with just a couple of scoops.
Arm & Hammer is known for their baking soda products, which are designed to absorb bad odors from inside fridges and freezers.
The expertise they have in this category has translated into their cat litter, which absorbs even the foulest smells that come from your litter box.
Pros
- Clumping is efficient and makes the cat urine easy to clean
- Arm & Hammer is known for odor absorption, so there is little smell to this litter
- There is little dust that flies around with this litter, which makes it safer for your cat
- Tracking is kept to a minimum, as this product doesn’t stick to cat’s paws as much as other brands
Cons
- The quality is not consistent from supplier to supplier
- Clumping quality is also inconsistent with some bags clumping nicely and others falling apart
- Can have an unpleasant odor and cause breathing issues with cats
What Should Look?
There are several questions you should be asking yourself before you decide on the best litter for your pet.
Does it Produce a Lot of Dust?
If the granules or pellets you are using create a lot of dust, then you could be making a problem for yourself and your cats.
Dust can cause allergies and skin irritations for humans and felines, so be mindful of the amount of powder produced when you are pouring a new bag.
Does the litter stick to paws and get tracked through the house?
The material used in most cat litter boxes is hard to clean up if it ends up sticking to your cat’s paws. Some tracking may be unavoidable but it can be messy and irritating, so it is a good idea to do some research on the brand of interest.
Clumping
Some cats prefer clumping litter because it is softer on the paws then non-clumping. There are also considerations to be taken with the age of the cat. Some kittens have sensitive feet, so clumping litter may not be suitable for them.
Smell
If your litter is scented, it may be a good idea to read the ingredients to make sure there aren’t any chemicals that are contributing to that aroma.
While the smell may be more pleasant than odor-free litter, it might also be more harmful to your pet and could trigger allergies in humans.
The top cat litter box prevents liquid from getting below the litter where it might cause a nasty mess and bad odors.
Other Considerations
- Price – Some companies advertise unique features like organic materials or a special formula that attracts cats. These will inevitably raise the price.
- Flushable – You will be able to dispose of some materials easily by flushing them down the toilet. This type of disposal system is much easier than carrying heavy bags of clumped up balls.
- Organic or inorganic – 100% natural ingredients are healthier for your pet and the environment, but some synthetics like silica are safe and cause less mess.
How To Litter Train Kitten
Last Word
The clear winner is the Purina Yesterday’s News Unscented Cat Litter because it is made with recyclable paper. This litter will be soft and pleasant for your cat’s paws as well as absorb whatever waste your feline can dish out.
The material is so absorbent that you will not need to use as much as other brands when you change the box, which will save you money. You will not be disappointed with the odor-resistant capabilities of the paper pellets because your home will never smell like cat waste.
You and your cat will be quite happy with this brand of litter, and you can feel proud that you are also helping the environment.
Sources
- http://www.mobilespca.org/Portals/0/downloads/documents/Choosing%20Litter.pdf
- https://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/litter/evr_ct_clumping-versus-non-clumping-cat-litter
- http://blog.vetdepot.com/why-does-cat-urine-smell
- https://kittentoob.com/cat-tips/10-interesting-facts-about-your-cats-bladder/
- http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/preventing_litter_box_problems.html
The Team That Worked On This Review
Elena
Senior Editor
Eric
Web Researcher
Kathy
Writer
Albert
Writer
