How To Choose The Best Cat Litter? Comparison Review :

Reviews September 7, 2019
Choosing the Best Cat Litter : Comparison Review

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How To Choose The Best Cat Litter? Comparison Review :

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The cat litter you use in your cats litter box can be just as important as the litter box itself. With so many choices ofd litter out there, how does one know where to begin? Consider price, scent, eco-friendliness and easy clean up when choosing the best cat litter and read on.

The Best Cat Litters Comparison Chart

IMAGE PRODUCT
  • Budget friendly
  • Pleasant scent
  • Easy clean-up
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  • Litter smell is subtle
  • Does a good job of hiding odors
  • Minimal Dust
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  • Soft pellets
  • 3x more absorbent than other litters
  • Low dust & tracking
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The Best Non-Clumping Cat Litter Reviewed

#1 Cat’s Pride Fresh & Clean

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.2/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Clay
  • Made In: USA
  • Features:Non-Clumping, Odor Control, Scented

The Good

  • Budget friendly
  • Pleasant scent
  • Easy clean-up

The Bad

  • Odors not hidden well
  • Doesn’t adsorb liquids
  • Dusty

This fresh-scented, non-clumping clay litter prevents the growth of odor in your cat’s litter box, using safe and effective ingredients. It is super-absorbent and sponge-like granules to keep neutralizing odors.

The odor elimination and cleanup abilities of this product are simple. It contains no harsh chemicals or overpowering fragrances.

The price is reasonable compared to other non clumping litters. It is available in 10, 20, and 30 pound bags and is comprised of clay. This litter claims to be the most cost effective in it’s class.

#2 Purina Yesterday’s Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.6/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Paper
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Unscented

The Good

  • Soft pellets
  • 3x more absorbent than other litters
  • Low dust & tracking

The Bad

  • Does not control odor well
  • Not easy to clean
  • Price is on the high side

Purina’s Yesterdays News cat litter is made from compressed pellets of recycled newspaper. It is considered environmentally-friendly since its biodegradable. It also absorbs well, and is often recommended by vets for use by post-surgical cats, since it doesn’t cling to paws or fur like clay or other clumping litters.

Pellets also won’t get tracked around the house. In the worst case scenario, a few dry pieces will get flung out of the litter box, but they are easy to see and clean up.

Since Yesterday’s News cat litter is not a granule, it’s a good choice if you have hardwood in your house because it won’t be prone to getting scratched due to tracking like traditional clay litter.

This litter won’t get stuck in your kitty’s paws, so it won’t be licked off and ingested. One of the most obvious reasons people choose Yesterdays News cat litter, is because its dust free and fragrance free. Yesterdays News absorbs 3 times more moisture than clay, however it doesn’t clump.

#3 Purina Tidy Cats

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$1/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Clay
  • Made In: USA
  • Features:Non-Clumping, odor control

The Good

  • Nice scent
  • Budget friendly
  • Low dust & tracking

The Bad

  • Liquids pool up
  • Not easy to clean

This letter claims to control tough litter box odors in your household using Glade Tough Odor Solutions Clear Springs in the non-clumping cat litter.

This non-clumping formula makes cleaning your cats’ litter boxes a quick, simple task, and the integrated odor erasers help neutralize strong ammonia, fecal and urine smells.

Glade Tough Odor Solutions technology assists this cat litter in defending against unpleasant odors, leaving every litter box in your home smelling fresh and clean. The Clear Springs scent adds a light fragrance that will not offend your cat. It is also ideal for multiple-cat homes.

The Best Clumping Cat Litter

#4 sWheat Scoop Natural Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.8/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Wheat
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Flushable, Unscented, Odor Control,

The Good

  • Litter smell is subtle
  • Does a good job of hiding odors
  • Minimal Dust

The Bad

  • Strong ammonia smell
  • Clumps are not firm
  • More pricey than other litters

Made from wheat and other grains, the sWheat Scoop Natural Cat Litter has been improved to better eliminate odors, clump faster, and outlast other litters. It does not contain chemicals, silica dust, or sodium bentonite (clay).

It is unique in that it is farmer-owned and the ingredients are also farmer-grown. This is what makes this company unique, and their commitment to improving their product through technology has helped them stand out.

The Noble Ion® Technology means they use wheat enzymes and starches to create a litter that uses positive ions in order to eliminate the negative ions that can be found in pet odors. The granular texture of the litter makes it highly absorbent, and easy to sift.  sWheat Scoop is also flush-able and compo-stable.

#5 Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Clumping Clay Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.75/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Clay
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Clumping, Odor Control, Unscented

The Good

  • Good odor control
  • Flushable
  • Absorbs liquid waste

The Bad

  • Very lightweight and tracks easily
  • Some cats find it tasty enough to eat
  • Not the most economical, price-wise

This natural litter is made out of finely shredded clay. It is treated with heat to increase absorbency and reduce dust and allergens  These maybe easy to scoop out but do nothing to control odor or make the surface of the litter box look inviting.

This pine litter absorbs from the bottom up from both solid and liquid waste while it traps the odor more effectively. The clumped material is both scoopable and flushable.

#6 World’s Best Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.9/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Corn
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Unscented, Flushable, Odor Control

The Good

  • Very soft
  • Natural litter scent
  • Long lasting

The Bad

  • Has clumping ability
  • Minor tracking and dust

What makes World’s Best different from other litters is what it’s made out of: natural, non-toxic, ground corn husks. First time users are usually shocked by how light weight it is and while the aroma (of corn) is unique, it isn’t over-powering and is easy to adapt to.

Some cats, and other animals if you have them, have been caught eating this litter. World’s Best can be a bit more costly than other brands among flushable litters. Many avid users claim the price is worth it since this product lasts longer than other litters, meaning little goes to waste.

World’s Best also has superb clumping abilities. Also, the corn is excellent at absorbing moisture which reduces the amount of bacteria, the main cause of litter box odor, left behind.

The Best Cat Litter For Kittens

#7 Naturally Fresh Herbal Attraction Scented Clumping Walnut Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$1/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Walnut
  • Made In: USA
  • Features:Clumping, Odor Control, Scented, Natural, Dust Free, Low Tracking, Attractant, Eco-Friendly

The Good

  • Good odor control
  • Environmentally Friendly
  • Dust Free

The Bad

  • Very lightweight and tracks easily
  • Strange smell
  • Not the most economical, price-wise

The Naturally Fresh Herbal Attraction Scented Clumping Walnut Cat Litter is made from 100% U.S. sourced walnuts, making it environmentally friendly. This means that there are no clay particles that your kitten might ingest and it doesn’t give off any dust when you pour it.

The pellets are big enough to stay in the litter box and won’t stick to your kitten’s paws and track through the house.

It also contains a herbal mix that attracts your kitten by the smell, encouraging him to use the litter box. The walnut litter is extremely absorbent and the brand claims that one bag of this litter will last 3 times as long as any other kind.

#8 Purina Yesterday’s News Original Paper Pellet Unscented Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.6/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Paper
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Unscented

The Good

  • Soft pellets
  • 3x more absorbent than other litters
  • Low dust & tracking

The Bad

  • Does not control odor well
  • Not easy to clean
  • Price is on the high side

Purina’s Yesterdays News Cat Litter is made from compressed pellets of recycled newspaper. It is considered environmentally-friendly since its biodegradable.

It also absorbs well, and is often recommended by vets for use by post-surgical cats, since it doesn’t cling to paws or fur like clay or other clumping litters. For one thing, pellets don’t get tracked around the house. Worst-case scenario, a few dry pieces will get flung out of the litter box, but they are easy to see and clean up.

Since Yesterday’s News cat litter not a granule, it’s a good choice if you have hardwood in your house; it won’t be prone to getting scratched due to tracking like traditional clay litter.

This litter won’t get stuck in your kitty’s paws, so it won’t be licked off and ingested. One of the most obvious reasons people choose Yesterdays News cat litter, is because its dust free and fragrance free. It’s also very absorbent: Yesterdays News absorbs 3 times more moisture than clay, however it doesn’t clump.

#9 Precious Cat Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract Scoopable Cat Litter

Product Info:

  • Price: ~$0.75/ Ib
  • Litter Type: Clay
  • Made In: USA
  • Features: Multi-Cat, Odor Control, Unscented

The Good

  • Good odor control
  • No chemicals or perfumes
  • Low dust & tracking

The Bad

  • Very lightweight and tracks easily
  • Has clumping ability
  • Not the most economical, price-wise

Precious Cat Kitten Attract is made of premium scoopable litter with superior clumping ability and ground to an ideal granule size and texture for a kitten’s tender paws.

Kitten Attract™ Training litter contains a kitten-specific natural herbal attractant that piques a kitten’s curiosity to use the litter box.

The combination of herbs, texture and particle size provides a unique and effective solution for owners of kittens. Dr. Elsey recommends that after one year owners switch to Cat Attract™ to ensure consistent litter box use.

What To Consider When Choosing?

Clumping vs. non-clumping – These are the two main categories of cat litter. Clumping litter absorbs cat urine and forms clumps that you can easily scoop out.

This prevents you from having to change the whole litter pan very often (Note: it works best when you have your litter deep enough that the clump is suspended in the litter and does not touch or stick to the bottom). Non-clumping litter still absorbs moisture, but after a while the urine will seep to the bottom and collect.

That’s why you have to change non-clumping litter about every week to avoid a strong ammonia smell. The choice depends on your preferences and your cat’s. Some cats prefer non-clumping litter, but most people and cats prefer clumping.

Odor & dust control – Some litters control smells and some don’t. Ideally a litter that has no dust is preferable. Your cat likes to breathe dust just about as much as you do. Dusty litter will be hard on their (and your) lungs and leave dust all over your house.

Environmentally friendly – The typical clumping cat litter is made of clay and obtained through strip mining. It is non-biodegradable and dumped in landfills. Fortunately, there are eco-friendly litters available that are made from corn, wheat, newspaper, and wood.

Your litter box – Some litters work well with automatic boxes, some do not. This is something to consider before you buy.

Scented vs. non-scented – Some litters come with fragrance to mask smells. Again this is preference for you and your cat. Cats have very sensitive noses and they may or may not like the smell of certain litters.

Flushable vs. scoopable – Flushable kitty litter is still a new and evolving product with more options being added each year. The best known and most popular flushable cat litter products typically use wheat, corn, wood or walnut shells as a base material. Scooping really goes back to how well a litter clumps. See above.

With these factors in mind, let’s look at a chart comparison of some of the best selling cat litters:

Which litter Is Best For My Cat?

The best way to determine which litter is best is to simply give your cat the choice. Start by trying each type one by one to see which works best. You may even consider buying three or four varieties at once and conducting a litter preference test. To do this, fill a few pans with the different litters, line them up and see which one your cat likes best. Chances are he will sample each one, but only “use” his favorite.

Conclusion

If you decide to experiment with litters, it is recommended to do it gradually. Mix the new litter with the old at a 50/50 ratio. Each week add a larger amount of the new litter until you cat has become accustomed to it.

Amy is the founder of Cat Mania and a Certified NAVC Pet Nutritionist. She is the proud owner of two cats and a dog and her love for animals has led her to a successful career as a freelance writer specializing in pet care, nutrition, and product reviews.
2 Comments
  1. Bablofil

    Thanks, great article.

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