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One of the best parts of having a cat, aside from the unconditional love and many laughs it brings, is not having to take it outside to do its business. However, litter boxes, even self-cleaning litter boxes, come with their own set of problems, from the smell to scooping to having your cat track litter across the floor. Plus, not all litter is accepted by all cats, so choosing the wrong one can be cause for concern, communicated by hissing.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute, our home and pet care experts test all kinds of products that can help keep pets and owners happy, from cat toys to pet cameras. To find the best cat litter, we tested 20 different brands and took into account factors like the litter's odor control, tracking, clumping ability and dust.
Our favorite litters are easy to scoop, control odors and don't stick so much to cats' paws, which can lead to litter particles on the floor. That said, one of our testers noted, "You can't get around the fact that all litter is a bit messy," and we find that to be true. Here are the best cat litters you can buy, based on top-performing brands, home testing and online reviewers' favorites.
Our top picks:
1
Best Overall Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey's Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
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2
Best Value Cat Litter
Special Kitty Odor Control Tight Clumping Cat Litter
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3
Best Unscented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Arm & Hammer Fragrance-Free Super Scoop Clumping Cat Litter
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4
Best Scented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Fresh Step Outstretch Concentrated Clumping Litter with Febreze Freshness
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5
Best Clumping Cat Litter
World's Best Cat Litter Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter
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6
Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter
Tidy Cats Naturally StrongMulti-Cat Litter
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7
Best Plant-Based Cat Litter
ökocat Unscented Featherweight Clumping Wood Cat Litter
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8
Best Non-Clumping Cat Litter Pellets
So Phresh Odor Control Paper Pellet Cat Litter
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9
Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats
Scoop Away Multi-Cat Scented Cat Litter
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10
Best Flushable Cat Litter
sWheat Scoop Premium+ Wheat-Based Natural Clumping Cat Litter
Read more
At the bottom of this guide, you can find more information about how we choose the best cat litter and what to consider when shopping for the best cat litter for your pet, plus advice from a veterinarian on how to make sure your cat is satisfied with its bathroom arrangement.
Want to treat your feline friend to a few other upgrades? Check out our picks for the best cat carriers and the best water fountains for cats and dogs.
1
Best Overall Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey's Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
1
Best Overall Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey's Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter
Now 13% Off
Pros
- Medium-size clay granules clump easily and control odor
- Works well for multiple cats and self-cleaning litter boxes
- More than 48,000 five-star Amazon ratings
Cons
- 40-pound bag can be hard to carry and pour out
Our Lab experts named this the best overall cat litter, and online reviewers love it as well, to the tune of more than 48,000 five-star Amazon ratings.
Some other brands we tried were fine-grained (like sand), which can cause clumps to break apart as you scoop, or they had large grains that wouldn't clump at all. Dr. Elsey's Ultra Premium litter's medium-size clay granules form hard clumps that you can scoop out easily. In our at-home tests, daily litter-box cleaning became a 20-second chore with this litter. It's also one of the best litters to use with the Litter-Robot 4.
This brand has no added scents but controls odor well, even with multiple cats. While the 40-pound bag is tough to lift and carry (unlike a box, it has no handles), we like that this litter can be delivered to your door (unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii). The large bag can last up to two months with one cat. You also have the option of ordering a smaller, 18-pound bag designed to last a month.
Clumping | Yes |
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Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | 18-lb bag or 40-lb bag (shown) |
2
Best Value Cat Litter
Special Kitty Odor Control Tight Clumping Cat Litter
2
Best Value Cat Litter
Special Kitty Odor Control Tight Clumping Cat Litter
Pros
- Fantastic price
- Clumps well
Cons
- Does track and makes some dust
If you're looking to pay less and don't mind the occasional sweep around the litter box to pick up a few tracked granules, this litter from Special Kitty is easily half the price of most other litters. It absorbs messes quickly and forms tight clumps, which helps minimize odor and scooping time.
This "fresh scent" choice is strongly fragranced, so it's best for cats (and owners) who are less sensitive to scented products. Many online reviewers have multiple cats, which makes frequent cleaning necessary, so this light-on-the-wallet brand is especially attractive for owners with multiple furry friends. Each 20-pound, easy-pour plastic jug lasts at least a month for one cat, and the jug can be recycled.
But it isn't much more money to bump up to the 40-pound box, which will actually save you a few bucks, too, if you know you'll use it all eventually.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | Yes |
Weight/packaging | 20-lb jug (shown) or 40-lb box |
3
Best Unscented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Arm & Hammer Fragrance-Free Super Scoop Clumping Cat Litter
3
Best Unscented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Arm & Hammer Fragrance-Free Super Scoop Clumping Cat Litter
Pros
- Baking soda formula controls odor
- Helps keep even small living spaces relatively free of cat-box smell
- Fast-absorbing granules trap moisture so litter box itself can stay clean
Cons
- Some tracking is possible
Vets recommend unscented litter for finicky cats and kittens, but, of course, cat owners don't ever want to be able to smell the litter box.
Arm & Hammer helps solve the odor problem by working baking soda into the formula. We tested this cat litter in a home with an open-top litter box placed in the kitchen, and to our noses there was no telltale smell, even after waiting several days to scoop.
We like that this brand is widely available in supermarkets and big-box stores, as well as online. The 40-pound box has a handle, easily pours from a hole in the side and should last about two months for one cat. It touts itself as "low tracking," but unfortunately, during testing, we did have to regularly sweep around the litter box with this. "The cat tracks this but also kicks it out of his box, which is the cat's fault and not the litter's fault," the tester said. "It's still worth it for me for the odor control."
Clumping | Yes |
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Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | 40-lb box |
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4
Best Scented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Fresh Step Outstretch Concentrated Clumping Litter with Febreze Freshness
4
Best Scented Cat Litter for Odor Control
Fresh Step Outstretch Concentrated Clumping Litter with Febreze Freshness
Pros
- Activated carbon helps hide odors
- Lasts longer before you have to change litter box
- Also sold in an unscented version
Cons
- Febreze scent can be polarizing
If your cat box is in a high-traffic area, it's especially important that your litter is able to keep odors at bay.
We home-tested this with a family whose litter box sits in the hallway, and the pleasant scent made litter-box maintenance an odor-free chore. "Stirring up the litter as I scooped released the Febreze scent and even made the area smell good!" our tester said.
This Outstretch formula is made with concentrated clay, and the brand claims it lasts 50% longer than its previous versions, which should mean you can go a few days without scooping (if you have just one cat) and a month and a half without changing out the whole litter box. The litter pours easily out of a hole in the side of the box. It's not dust-free, but if odor-fighting is your priority, this is a good option.
Clumping | Yes |
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Scented | Yes |
Weight/packaging | 19-lb box |
5
Best Clumping Cat Litter
World's Best Cat Litter Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter
5
Best Clumping Cat Litter
World's Best Cat Litter Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter
Now 20% Off
Pros
- Quick-clumping to help keep the box clean
- Lightweight formula doesn’t weigh down trash
- Pours easily
- Kitten-friendly
Cons
- Small particles get tracked
- Some dust
World's Best Cat Litter is made from corn instead of clay, which makes it much lighter than other litter, so your trash bag won’t sink from the weight of your daily cleaning.
The brand claims to be flushable and septic safe, as long as you don't flush more than two clumps at a time. Good Housekeeping freelance writer Yolanda Wikiel used and flushed this litter for three months with no ill effects. "I definitely prefer to be able to flush litter," she said. But note that the state of California asks its residents to always place litter in the trash rather than flushing.
Wikiel purchased World's Best Cat Litter when she adopted two new kittens. "A lot of the animal rescue organizations I talked with recommended it, and the kittens gravitated to this brand when I put out two boxes, each with a different litter," she said. "But the pieces of litter are small, so they do get everywhere."
The litter smells a bit malty, since it is, in fact, plant-based, which also means it has some naturally occurring dust. That's offset by the fact that it clumps so well there's very little litter waste as you clean. The 28-pound bag can last about two months, even if you have two cats.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | 28-lb bag |
6
Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter
Tidy Cats Naturally StrongMulti-Cat Litter
6
Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter
Tidy Cats Naturally StrongMulti-Cat Litter
Pros
- Less litter ends up outside the box
- Low- to no-dust formula
- Three-pack box is convenient
- Also available in a scented version
Cons
- Clumping isn't very tight
Though this brand touts its odor-fighting abilities, during testing we were the most bowled over by its lack of dust, as well as its non-tracking formula that kept our hardwood floors fairly clean. That's rare for a clumping, sand-like litter.
"I still had to vacuum and sweep about once a week, but overall, this litter doesn't stick to my cats' paws as much as other brands," our tester said. The downside of the large texture is that the clumping doesn't pack quite as tightly as other clumping litters.
The brand has stepped up efforts to make the packaging more eco-friendly, with boxes and bags made from more sustainable materials. Online, you can order three paper bags packed in a recyclable box, and each bag perfectly fills a litter box for a month if you have one cat.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | Three 13.3-lb bags in a recyclable box |
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7
Best Plant-Based Cat Litter
ökocat Unscented Featherweight Clumping Wood Cat Litter
7
Best Plant-Based Cat Litter
ökocat Unscented Featherweight Clumping Wood Cat Litter
Pros
- Shredded-wood fiber is super lightweight
- Soft on cats' paws
- No added scent, just a faint wood smell
Cons
- Some natural wood dust
Perfumy smells and pebbly textures can be a turnoff for some cats. Felines on the finicky side seem to take to this shredded-wood litter, thanks to its soft, natural texture and lack of added scent.
Online reviewers say that because it clumps, they can scoop less regularly and the odor stays more or less controlled. But many cat parents use this brand with a sifting litter box and clean out solid waste that way, instead of using a scooper.
Because this plant-based cat litter is so light, a giant box that pours from the side is only 16.4 pounds and lasts a month or more for one cat. The pellets were originally developed in Germany but are now produced domestically, in Georgia, from what the brand says is a blend of spruce, fir and pine.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | 11-lb box or 16.4-lb box (shown) |
8
Best Non-Clumping Cat Litter Pellets
So Phresh Odor Control Paper Pellet Cat Litter
8
Best Non-Clumping Cat Litter Pellets
So Phresh Odor Control Paper Pellet Cat Litter
Pros
- Non-clumping pellets hide odor without daily scooping
- Claims to be made from 95% recycled paper
Cons
- Whole box must be swapped out weekly or every two weeks
You can feel good about using this litter, which claims to be made of recycled paper pellets that create no dust and won't track. And we realized another benefit while home testing: If your cat noisily kicks around regular litter, this So Phresh paper formula solves that problem — it's silent. Online reviewers report that cleaning is especially easy if you use this with a sifting litter box, which lets you lift and separate solid waste between box changes.
This formula is made with baking soda plus a scent, and the combination masks most odors. It's sold exclusively through Petco in 25-pound bags. Just note that because urine can trickle down through non-clumping pellets, you will want to empty and clean the entire box every week or two.
Clumping | No |
---|---|
Scented | Yes |
Weight/packaging | 25-lb bag |
9
Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats
Scoop Away Multi-Cat Scented Cat Litter
9
Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats
Scoop Away Multi-Cat Scented Cat Litter
Now 11% Off
Pros
- Strong clumping and odor control for multiple cats
- Lightweight bags are easier on your arms and back
Cons
- Overpackaged with plastic film
Doesn't it sometimes seem as if two cats put three times as much stuff in the litter box or boxes? It's like they're having a competition. So with multiple cats, you need to scoop daily. This scented litter masks odors, and the quick-clumping clay makes cleaning up after multiple cats quicker and easier.
Reviewers also rave about the packaging, which comes as vacuum-packed individual bags banded together. Though the full package is 42 pounds, you can take out the compact 10.5-pound individual bags one at a time and fill one litter box with each, making the chore of changing the whole box a lot easier on your arms and back. But there is, we'll note, a lot of plastic waste.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | Yes |
Weight/packaging | Four 10.5-lb bags banded together (42 lbs total) |
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10
Best Flushable Cat Litter
sWheat Scoop Premium+ Wheat-Based Natural Clumping Cat Litter
10
Best Flushable Cat Litter
sWheat Scoop Premium+ Wheat-Based Natural Clumping Cat Litter
Pros
- Flushable and septic-safe, the brand claims
- No added dyes or perfumes
- Can compost excess litter when you change the box
Cons
- Some natural wheat dust
Online reviewers who have older cats with sensitive paws, picky cats or cats with scent sensitivities or dust allergies gravitate toward this soft, unscented litter that's made up of granules of wheat with no added anything. sWheat Scoop claims to biodegrade and be safe to flush. (We did not try the flushing part.) You can compost the litter when you do a total box changeover — not the cat poop, only the excess litter.
Users looking out for the environment will appreciate that wheat is a more easily harvested and renewable resource than clay, which makes up most clumping litter. The 25-pound bag comes with an easy-open top.
Clumping | Yes |
---|---|
Scented | No |
Weight/packaging | 25-lb bag |
11
Best Litter for Cats With Health Issues
Pretty Litter Health Monitoring Cat Litter
11
Best Litter for Cats With Health Issues
Pretty Litter Health Monitoring Cat Litter
Now 50% Off
Pros
- Litter changes color when used to potentially signal health issues
- Lightweight silica gel crystals
Cons
- Requires daily attention
The premise of Pretty Litter is that the silica gel crystals turn a color if your cat is having a health issue. Regular, healthy cat urine should make the crystals yellow or olive green; any other color, including red or blue, may signal that you should consider making a trip to the vet.
If you have a cat with health concerns, this can be useful and well worth the price for the peace of mind. (Most cats are stoic and don't let on if they're feeling sick.) That said, for regular use with healthy cats, we find these non-clumping crystals to be more difficult to scoop than clay litter, and our tester cats simply sat their solid feces on top and didn't bury anything, so we had to stay on top of scooping to avoid odors.
The brand recommends users "thoroughly mix the litter every day" to avoid having cats saturate the same granules day in and day out. If you do that, one six-pound bag should last you one month for one cat. We do like that this litter is the lightest we've ever used — each bag weighs only six pounds.
Martha Stewart is a paid spokesperson for Pretty Litter, so you may have seen her ads for this kitty litter on TV. The site is a subscription-based service, and the brand sells food as well, so expect to see windows asking you to add on to your purchase.
Clumping | No |
---|---|
Scented | Scented and unscented available |
Weight/packaging | 6-lb bag |
How we choose the best cat litters
Our lead tester reviewed 12 cat litters over the course of a year in her home. We also tested more than a dozen leading and well-reviewed brands in 10 other cat owners' homes to determine how they worked under real-world conditions with kittens, cats and senior felines.
Users answered survey questions about the packaging, ease of scooping, odor control, level of dust, level of tracking and their cat's acceptance of the litter.
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What to look for when shopping for the best cat litter
Litter can be made of a few different kinds of materials, sometimes with added scents or baking soda. It will likely take some trial and error to find the right litter for you and your cat.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, when you're analyzing different types of cat litter, you should identify which factors you consider most important (though your cat may be the decision-maker in the end).
✔️ Material: Most litters are made of inexpensive bentonite clay. When urine hits it, it clumps up to make scooping easier. However, there are several alternatives, including gel crystals, as well as wood, wheat, tofu, corn and paper, that are milled, sawed, ground or cut into fine granules or chunky particles. Litters without clay or silica dust are viewed as more natural alternatives and may come with advantages like being flushable, generating less dust for allergy-prone cats and being less sticky, which means less litter tracked around the house. Litters come in various scents and grain sizes, and most cats seem to prefer a texture close to soil.
✔️ Odor control: Some litters include baking soda or activated charcoal, which can help keep urine and fecal odors at bay. However, these odor-masking ingredients can be a turnoff to your cat, so it may take a bit of trial and error to find the odor control that works for both you and your kitty.
✔️ Clumping ability: Clumping litter tends to help minimize messes and make it easier for you to scoop for easy cleanup. Non-clumping litter is usually cheaper, but it's difficult to scoop urine or fecal matter without changing the whole pan.
✔️ Dust level: This isn't just important for keeping your floors and furniture clean; it's also important for helping to prevent you and your cat from sneezing. But some people are much more sensitive to dust than others. In our list of picks, we have noted litter that, in our testing, produced less dust.
✔️ Tracking: The goal here is for your cat's litter to stay in the box and not get tracked around the house. Clay litters tend to track more than some other materials, such as paper or wood, and small particles of clay from sand-like litter tend to track more than large pieces of clay litter. A mat outside the litter box (such as this cat litter mat from Amazon) also helps remove particles from kitty's paws.
Should I get clumping or non-clumping cat litter?
Megan Conrad, a veterinarian at Hello Ralphie (a HearstLab company) and a cat owner, explains that the biggest choice when it comes to litter is clumping versus non-clumping.
"Using non-clumping litter means no daily scooping of your cat's litter box, but you'll need to completely replace the litter once a week," she says. "Some non-clumping litters are less likely to be tracked outside the box and may produce less dust than clumping types."
Non-clumping litters come in a range of materials, such as recycled paper pellets, wood pellets and crystals. Some are also flushable, but that depends a great deal on your home plumbing system, Conrad says.
Clumping litter is made from clay, which can be a bit dusty and can't be flushed. It's also more likely to stick to a cat's paws and be tracked outside of the box. But clumping cat litter has some big advantages for owners. "Clumping litter gives you the convenience of being able to remove waste from the box daily, without completely emptying it and replacing the litter," Conrad says. "Because it lasts, it can offset the higher initial cost, since you only completely replace the litter once a month."
Do the cats have an opinion? "According to research, most cats seem to prefer an unscented litter that's fine-grained," Conrad says. "Some cats aren't picky and will use whatever you buy, but others will skip the box if they don't like what's in it. It may be a matter of experimenting, or even [creating] a 'box lineup' of different litters to find something your cat will regularly use that also works for your lifestyle."
To summarize, here are a few features of clumping and non-clumping cat litters to consider:
CLUMPING LITTER
- Scoop daily; change monthly
- Potential cost savings
- Can't be flushed
- Can be a bit dusty
- May be heavy to lift and pour if made of large clay granules
NON-CLUMPING LITTER
- No need to scoop every day; change weekly
- Some materials are flushable
- Lightweight and fine-grained means it's easier to lift and pour
- May lead to more dust and tracking issues
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
The Good Housekeeping Institute provides expert reviews and advice on all things family and pets. See our recent articles on pet hair removal tools and dog beds.
In her work with Good Housekeeping, product expert and journalist Jessica Hartshorn uses her decades of experience as a cat owner to test and evaluate kitty products, such as the best cat carriers.