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After months of testing, our overall favorite is Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter , which clumps well, absorbs scents even better, and won't spread dust everywhere. We've found it to be especially effective in multi-cat households.
The best cat litter should be compatible with your litter box, easy to scoop, and capable of absorbing odors. It should do all that without sticking to your cat's feet and tracking all over your home too. A great cat litter shouldn't release a plume of dust when pouring or cleaning either. Most litter should be disposed of in trash bags, dedicated litter disposal bags , or one of our favorite litter disposal systems&#;but there are some suitable for flushing if the clumps are broken up into smaller pieces.
To help you find the purrfect cat litter, we tested 24 litter products from a variety of brands, including clumping clay, absorbent crystals, and biodegradable pellets. Each litter is tested with real cats and kittens, while their human counterparts gathered insights on how the litter performed.
Best Overall
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter
PHOTO: Amazon
$21 at Chewy
$37 at Amazon
$22 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Effectively masks unpleasant odors
Clumps easily and remains intact while scooping
Little to no dust
Suitable for homes with multiple cats
Very low tracking (even with a test cat known for it)
What We Don't Like
Confusing array of Clump & Seal formulas
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter efficiently binds together upon contact with moisture and remains intact while scooping. The small granules have a texture similar to coarse sand and produces little to no dust, especially when paired with a top-entry litterbox. It doesn't track as much as many other brands we tested either, so you won't see little paw prints of dust, or too many pieces of litter on your floor.
Clump & Seal Multi-Cat is technically scented, but it's very faint&#;the Arm & Hammer litter smells mildly like baking soda, with a floral, fresh laundry overtone that's hardly noticeable unless your nose is right on top of it. Still, while it's not noticeably or heavily scented, it is effective at covering up odors, even when we left the box un-scooped for a few days (sorry Wally!).
True to its name our multi-cat households loved the Clump & Seal Multi-Cat formula, but it can get a little confusing when you see the Clump & Seal label on store shelves, since there's a dizzying variety of similar sounding products, including Clump & Seal Slide, Clump & Seal Slide Multi-Cat, Clump & Seal MicroGuard, Clump & Seal with Odor Blasters, and Platinum Clump & Seal. We've tested six different Arm & Hammer formulas, and so far the Clump & Seal Multi-Cat is our favorite.
For proper disposal, this litter should be placed in the trash and never flushed. The litter comes in a recyclable cardboard box with a handle for easy pouring and storage. It's moderately priced and readily available at a variety of retailers. It's also available in 14, 19, 28, and 38-pound boxes.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Sizes: 14, 19, 28, 38 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
Best Natural
Purina Unscented Cat Litter
PHOTO: Target
$33 at Chewy
$58 at Amazon
$24 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Activated charcoal successfully controls odors
Fragrance-free and no dust
Easy to pour from box
What We Don't Like
Clumps located on the sides of a litter box tend to be more difficult to scoop
Slight tracking around litter box area
The non-toxic power of activated charcoal in Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter absorbs the odor-causing bacteria found in a litter box.
The formula is made with natural clay that lumps together when it comes in contact with moisture. For bullseye poop and pee in the middle of the litter box, we had no problem scooping, but for organic mess towards the edges of the box, two scooping sessions were required. Despite the extra dips, there was absolutely no detectable stench and the litter is both dust and fragrance-free.
If you have more than one cat, this natural litter will help you keep their shared bathroom ready and suitable for use. It does leave slight tracking, particularly if your cat is a post-poop kicker, but nothing of note or extending beyond the bounds of the litter box area.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Sizes: 20, 35 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Cara Milhaven
The Spruce Pets / Cara Milhaven
The Spruce Pets / Cara Milhaven
Best Tofu
Tuft & Paw Cat Litter
PHOTO: Tuft & Paw
$58 at Amazon
$29 at Etsy
View on Tuftandpaw.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Minimizes odors from cat waste
Resealable bag is easy to pour
We experienced no tracking and no dust
Pellets disintegrate in water, expand with pee, and do not stick to poop
What We Don't Like
Only available with a monthly subscription
Cats set in their litter ways might not accept the smell and texture
This fragrance-free litter effectively masks odors, produces no dust, and does not stick to paws so tracking is minimal. Tuft and Paw Really Great Cat Litter is made from a soybean byproduct that comes in the form of tiny pellets and is often referred to as "tofu litter."
It is currently only available with a monthly subscription through the Tuft and Paw website, but it's easy to cancel after a month. Depending on the number of cats in your home, a monthly supply will consist of one to three resealable bags. The pellets clump together with urine but dissolve in water. You should always refer to your local ordinance when it comes to flushing pet waste, but the pee clumps made with this litter can be broken into smaller pieces and flushed.
Unlike clay litter with sand-like consistency, this litter doesn't cover solid waste. Our younger felines were more accepting of the change in their box than our more seasoned cats, with one silently protesting the switch by reliving themself outside of the litter box for the first time since kittenhood.
Litter Type: Soybean byproduct pellets | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Size: 9.5 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Taylor Fox
The Spruce Pets / Taylor Fox
The Spruce Pets / Taylor Fox
The Spruce Pets / Taylor Fox
Best Budget
Scoop Away Unscented Clay Cat Litter
PHOTO: Walmart
$11 at Chewy
$27 at Walmart
$14 at PETCO
Our Ratings
What We Like
Fragrance-free litter controls odors
Low dust when pouring and none while scooping
Clumps stay together for effective scooping
What We Don't Like
We found this litter leads to some tracking around the litter box area
Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is a fragrance-free, reasonably-priced product that successfully minimizes odors, and is suitable for a home with multiple cats.
The clay formula joins together in easy-to-scoop clumps and helps control the growth of bacteria from your cat's organic matter with an effective ammonia-blocking additive that is safe for use in a home. The litter is only available in a 25-pound package which was a sufficient monthly supply throughout our testing. The cardboard box has a handle for pouring with low dust emission. The spout is sealed tight so getting started with a new box requires a pair of scissors to puncture for most. The litter does cause minimal tracking but it's primarily around the litter box.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Size: 25 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Megan Pearlman
The Spruce Pets / Megan Pearlman
The Spruce Pets / Megan Pearlman
Best Dustless
Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Cat Litter
PHOTO: Chewy
$34 at Chewy
$35 at Amazon
$35 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Very efficient odor masking with a pleasant light fragrance designed to be hypoallergenic
No dust
Contains baking soda
What We Don't Like
Clumping of litter didn't hold together as well as other litters we tested
Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Platinum Clumping Cat Litter produces absolutely no dust and fully masks odors. If respiratory issues are aggravated by cat litter, you may find this lightly scented, hypoallergenic cat litter to be more manageable.
The clay cat litter contains baking soda which helps to neutralize odors without impacting a cat's experience. And after several weeks of use, odors continued to be under control with this litter. Even if you don't smell anything foul, we still recommend cleaning out the litter box once a month at a minimum. Upon contact with urine, the litter clumps together, but the lumps of litter fused with cat pee are slightly more fragile when handling so most bundles of kitty waste require two rounds of scooping with this litter.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Sizes: 18, 27.5, 37 pounds
The 13 Most Irresistible Catnip Toys for Your Cat
Best Crystals
PrettyLitter Cat Litter
PHOTO: Chewy
$27 at Chewy
$28 at Walmart
$28 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Completely masks unpleasant odors
Absorbs urine and clumps around feces
Health indicators track urinary health of your cat
Litter has a more appealing aesthetic resembling beach sand
What We Don't Like
Crystal litter can be a major change from standard clay litters
Fresh from the resealable bag, PrettyLitter Cat Litter resembles sand on a pristine beach. The lightweight litter is made from absorbent silica gel which works differently than traditional clay-based litter. The crystals absorb liquids and odors, so regular scooping of pee clumps isn't required, but daily stirring is recommended. Once you notice that the litter isn't as efficient with absorbing liquid, it's time to fully change the box (every two to four weeks for most). For poop, the crystals clump around, covering the odor and making it easy to scoop out for disposal in the trash.
The litter also tracks urinary health by changing colors with cat urine when it detects abnormalities within the acidity and alkalinity. Any color that falls between yellow to olive green is healthy, but anything outside of that spectrum should be discussed with a veterinarian. The health aspect is difficult to distinguish between cats if you have more than one, but the litter is suitable for multi-cat homes.
The litter is non-toxic, unscented, and didn't produce dust or lead to tracking in our real-world testing with real cats. If you have a cat with established bathroom habits, the texture of this litter might take time for them to get used to, and it also requires humans to change their litter routine.
Litter Type: Silica gel crystals | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Sizes: 8 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Alicia Long
The Spruce Pets / Alicia Long
The Spruce Pets / Alicia Long
The Spruce Pets / Alicia Long
Best Budget Crystals
Fresh Step Crystals Premium Scented Cat Litter
PHOTO: Target
$19 at Chewy
$34 at Amazon
$20 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Fully absorbs odors from poop and pee
Absorbs urine
For most, a box of crystal litter lasts longer than traditional clay-based litter
Produces no dust and no tracking
What We Don't Like
Bag is difficult to reseal
Fresh Step Crystals Premium Scented Cat Litter is made with silica gel which fully absorbs cat pee and the associated odor. Like our favorite crystal litter, PrettyLitter Cat Litter, this litter doesn't clump around pee or produce dust clouds when pouring. This crystal litter has a more approachable price for an eight-pound bag, but the resealable feature isn't as reliable as PrettyLitter's and it also doesn't provide colored indicators tracking urinary health.
The fine sand-like crystals don't easily adhere to paws, and we experienced absolutely no tracking throughout our real-world testing. It was also introduced to a kitten who will grow up using crystal litter. Daily maintenance of scooping out poop and stirring litter is recommended, and every three to four weeks, the box of litter should be fully refreshed. On average, crystal litter, like this one from Fresh Step, tend to last longer than clay-based litter.
Litter Type: Silica gel crystals | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Sizes: 8 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The 6 Best Cat Litters for Kittens, Tested and Reviewed
Best Attracting
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Clumping Cat Litter
PHOTO: Chewy
$17 at Chewy
$32 at Amazon
Our Ratings
What We Like
Suitable for automatic litter boxes
Cats are lured to their litter box with a natural herbal attractant
Odor is controled with chlorophyll
What We Don't Like
Grains vary in size and some pieces more readily sick to paws
A natural herbal attractant in Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter brings cats to their litter box and helps prevent accidents when cats are in a new home or have a new litter box.
The clay-based clumping litter is suitable for use in an automatic litter box, like the Litter-Robot 3, and a standard litter box, like the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan, and provides effective odor control from plant-derived chlorophyll. The sand-like texture of this litter is also appealing to most cats, giving them the material needed to cover their poop while keeping dust and tracking to a minimum.
We also recommend Dr. Elsey's Ultra Litter as a budget-friendly, hypo-allergenic option providing a cat-pleasing texture from 100 percent natural clay that creates scoopable clumps. Dr. Elsey's was our former Best Budget cat litter pick, but we think most people would prefer not to deal with its heavy, floppy bag, and found a better option during our testing.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Sizes: 20, 40 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Maddy Newton & Brooke Kane
The Spruce Pets / Maddy Newton & Brooke Kane
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
The Spruce Pets / Joline Buscemi
Litter-Robot 4 vs. Leo's Loo Too: Which Automatic Litter Box Is Better?
Best Pellets
Ökocat Paper Pellet Cat Litter
PHOTO: Petco
$25 at Chewy
$35 at Amazon
$27 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Ideal for those with respiratory ailments or allergies
Biodegradable pellets made from paper
Pellets absorb odors and liquid
Easy to scoop poop from litter
Free of ink, dyes, and scents
What We Don't Like
Pellets don't often track, but are large and distracting when they do
Not all cats will accept litter box pellets
The dust from cat litter can aggravate respiratory conditions and allergies. For a completely dust-free experience, Ökocat Dust Free Non-Clumping Paper Pellet Cat Litter is a solid choice. The pellets are made from clean paper free of inks, dyes, and scents and it is fully biodegradable.
In our real-world testing, it took our cat two days to get used to the texture of the pellets. Similar to crystal litter, the non-clumping pellets fully absorb liquids and odors from the waste a cat produces. The poop should be scooped daily with routine overhauls of the litter box every three weeks or so as needed. The pellets are larger than conventional litter, so some tracking around the litter box area is likely but easy to clean.
Litter Type: Paper pellet | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Sizes: 8.2, 12.3 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The 8 Best Cat Litter Mats To Reduce Tracking And Protect Flooring
Best Scented
Fresh Step Advanced Cat Litter
PHOTO: Amazon
$18 at Chewy
$34 at Amazon
$34 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Sturdy clumping
Gives off the scent of clean laundry while masking unpleasant odors
Easy to pour with very little dust
What We Don't Like
Some tracking
Fresh Step Advanced Cat Litter with Gain uses activated charcoal paired with the proprietary ammonia-blocking ingredients from Febreeze to banish odors. The litter also has the added fragrance of Gain Original, a laundry detergent that many find pleasing.
The sodium bentonite clay-based litter resembles the texture of tiny pebbles and emits very little dust. The clumps form quickly and hold together firmly so scooping is simple. We experience minimal tracking, primarily in the area surrounding the litter box. The litter comes in a cardboard box that is available in a few sizes. All of which come with a handle for easy pouring and storage.
Litter Type: Clay | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Box with handle | Sizes: 22.5, 37 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
The Spruce Pets / Kaya Abrahamson
Best Flushable
sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat Natural Cat Litter
PHOTO: Amazon
$27 at Chewy
$42 at Amazon
$37 at Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Biodegradable and flushable (by law, California residents should never flush pet waste)
Free of dyes, perfumes, and chemicals
Very low dust
Neutralizes odors with enzymes
What We Don't Like
Some cats will need time to adjust to this litter
Tracking likely, but minimal
Reliably sourced wheat, from farms in the United States, is the primary ingredient in sWheat Scoop Mult-Cat Natural Litter. Natural starches in the litter hold clumps together for easy scooping and odors are neutralized with the help of enzymes, naturally occurring microscopic organisms that serve as catalysts for chemical reactions to break down organic matter.
The biodegradable litter can be flushed, but one should first break down clumps into smaller pieces. Flushing might not be suitable in some areas (it's against the law in California) so check your local ordinances before putting litter in your toilet. The litter is more environmentally friendly than traditional cat litter and is completely free of dyes, perfumes, and manmade chemicals. But the litter produces low dust and minimal tracking is likely for most cats.
During our real-world testing, our cats took a few weeks to fully adjust to this litter, but after several months, the cats are fully acclimated and there is less tracking around the litter box than previously experienced with their regular litter.
Litter Type: Wheat pellets | Multi-Cat: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Sizes: 12, 25, 36 pounds
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
The Spruce Pets / Lesly Bernal
For more Sodium Bentonite Cat Litterinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.