I've kept a cat for ten years, and throughout that time I've learned that some cat litter makes your entire apartment smell, while other cat litter occasionally erupts in a cloud of dust. When you scoop, another one ends up in your cat's paws and makes a mess on the floor.The fact that cats are notoriously picky and that one cat's preferred It doesn't help that one person may find litter to be really unpleasant. Finding the kind of litter your feline buddy will like can need some trial and error, as AskVet veterinarian Jessica Herman notes.

Several variations are available, each promising special advantages for you and your cat, from simple cleanup and odour management to reduced dust and improved materials.


We questioned 14 professionals, including veterinarians, animal shelter workers, and cat behaviourists who have worked with hundreds of felines over the years, about the litter they suggest and the brands they really use with their own animals in order to break through the marketing hype. The nine cat litters listed below (plus a litter-box system and a deodorizer) were chosen by our team of experts and should please even the pickiest feline companions. Or, you can scroll down and click on the cat litter type you're interested in.

best cat litter overall


World's Best is recommended as a litter that checks all the right boxes and should be adopted by Bosley and Kerrie McKeon, resident cat expert at the animal welfare and adoption organisation Bideawee. suitable for the majority of cat-owning homes.Despite having asthma and allergies, McKeon says her thick, natural hair doesn't affect her. "A bag lasts a long time if you scoop it morning and night." It is an inexpensive, natural alternative made from maize kernels that is acceptable for septic tanks. to flush both liquid and solid waste away. Bosley asserts that this particular litter "cuts down on the odours the greatest" out of all the ones her shelter has tried.

Best kitty litter that isn't tracked


PrettyLitter doesn't just clump around liquids; it actively absorbs them because it is formed of gel crystals.It seems from this that all you have to do is scoop solid waste, which you can flush without any trouble. Before choosing this particular brand of litter at home, I experimented with a number of others. It produces the least amount of dust and, in my experience, has the least odour. The crystals don't track as much over the house because they don't adhere to my cat's paws as readily as clay or other forms of litter do.

The crystals aid in keeping track of your cat's health since they alter colour in response to substances in urine that could signify bladder or kidney illness. Tembe Denton-Hurst, a strategist and writer, has been using PrettyLitter with her two cats for the past year and enjoys the piece of mind it offers in between trips to the vet. She thinks that the fact that cats are "extremely excellent at hiding sickness until they're truly at death's door" helps her feel a little better.

Rebecca Greenstein, the veterinary medical adviser for pet-sitting website Rover, claims that the brand is a member of a new generation of so-called "smart" litters since it allows you to monitor your cat's health. While these cutting-edge litter options are undoubtedly a step in the right way for responsible cat owners, they're best used as a screening tool, according to Greenstein. Even Dr. Gabrielle Fadl, a medical director at Bond Vet, advises against placing an undue reliance on cat litter that monitors your pet's health, such as PrettyLitter, since it could lead to unintended consequences. in unneeded trips to the veterinarian.

She claims that you can get a more accurate sense of your cat's urinary health by keeping an eye on them and observing their behaviour, which includes frequent use of the litter box and increased water consumption.

odor-controlling kitty litter at its best


Associate veterinarian Dr. Maddie Buddendorf at URvet Care claims that because of her erratic cleaning schedule, she used to neglect her two domestic short-haired cats' litter boxes. She started using this PetSafe litter together with the company's self-cleaning litter box to combat this. The litter itself gets top grades for odour management, Buddendorf says, and it can be used in any normal litter pan and lasts for up to 30 days while the system works to scrape away waste many times per day.

Being a silica-gel-based product, the litter, according to Buddendorf, "dries out excrement, which makes scooping a breeze" and quickly absorbs liquid and aromas. As the non-clumping crystals are larger than the typical clay litter's tiny particles, there is also less trailing and vacuuming is simpler in Buddendorf's home. PetSafe litter is available in fragrant lavender smells, albeit the example here doesn't have any.

Best (cheaper) odour control options


This litter is around $2 cheaper per pound than the alternative above, but it's not PetSafe because it's made of clay and has activated charcoal to help with odour absorption. Angie Krause, a holistic veterinarian and consultant for I and Love and You pet food, has three litter boxes at home and loves how this litter offers good odour control and is lightweight and convenient to carry.

She maintains that this litter is just as effective for cats even though she claims her cats use the litter box more than others because one of them has renal failure and the other has irritable bowel syndrome. cat owners who prefer not to tote around bulky packages of litter since their cats are in better health. This offers "the optimum odour management" of a light litter, claims Krause. Bosley is another lover of Tidy Cats litter since it is unscented and won't disturb cats with allergies, and veterinarian Elizabeth Bales frequently buys the brand at her neighbourhood stores.

Best cat litter for training to use a litter box


This litter is perfect for cats who don't use a litter box or are learning to use one as adults since it contains a specific combination of herbs that, like catnip, tempt cats. McKeon asserts, "I've really seen it in action and it does work." She asserts that after adding Cat Attract to every box used by the several cats her shelter had to rescue who had never used a litter box before, "no one ended up needing medicine to use a litter box; they all finally learned how to use it."

Krause concurs that this litter can be a tremendous benefit for cats who struggle with behaviour problems, but she advises seeing your veterinarian before making a purchase to make sure your cat isn't avoiding the litter box because of an illness.





Best cat litter without dust


Like like people, some cats are allergic to dust because of their asthma. For these cats, experts advise choosing a litter with little to no dust. Bosley says, "Consider attempting to use the loo during a dust storm." "No fun," Cats can kick up a lot of dust when they dig in the litter, which can be unpleasant for people as well. According to Bosley, Arm & Hammer's Clump & Seal litter is as dust-free as it gets. She continues by saying that because baking soda is present, it is also quite effective at reducing odour.

optimum organic cat litter


Litter created from alternative materials, such as corn, wheat and grains, is more environmentally friendly and quickly biodegrades when compared to regular clay litter. Bosley recommends this one, especially for cats who are sensitive to dust or odours, as it is made from farm-grown wheat. Also, senior editor of Strategist Jen Trolio enjoys this natural litter so much that she has been using it with her two cats for more than ten years (they are now 15 years old). She appreciates that the brand doesn't contain potentially hazardous ingredients like sodium bentonite or crystalline silica, which can be an issue if a cat has a tendency to eat litter.

She asserts that although while the clumping is not as strong as with clay litter, the desired outcome is still achieved. If you plan to retain your backstock of natural litter in a basement or crawl space, Trolio advises properly storing it to prevent animals from constructing nests within open bags (she uses a plastic Rubbermaid tote).