The Best Cat Litter of 2020

Ah, the litterbox: That necessary chore of cat ownership. What you choose to use can make or break your experience when it comes to cleaning. But not all homes (or all cats) are the same! Look no further for our suggestions of this year’s best cat litter, no matter what kind of home or cat you keep.

1. ökocat Litter

Key Features:

• No artificial fragrance, synthetic chemicals, dyes, or GMOs
• Dust-free
• Plant-based
• Sustainably Sourced

First Impressions: This litter boasts no artificial fragrance, no synthetic  chemicals, no dyes, and no GMOS. ökocat litter is a 99% dust free plant-based litter made from sustainably sourced, responsibly rescued natural wood fiber. It comes in different textures to work with what you and your cat need. Whether your cat has delicate paws, or long hair, ökocat works for everyone.*

Helpful Reviews:

I bought this litter after being extremely frustrated with other clumping litters. Cats tracked all over my house, in my bed and on the couch. I also couldn’t resolve the cat litter smell. I bought this because it had good reviews online and gave it a shot. I love it, no smell and the bits of litter only get tracked a little bit out of the box. Won’t use any other litter again.—Aprilsf from chewy.com

We have four cats and five litter boxes and each one has ökocat because it doesn’t smell, it’s biodegradable, it’s easy to scoop and best of all – my cats love it and after it’s been cleaned of poop, it goes back to a woodsy scent. It lasts a whole lot longer than any clay litter I’ve used, and I’ve used a lot, so you save money and keep your home clean. I’m a daily scooper so I highly recommend scooping daily for best results!— riaaaa from chewy.com

2. Sustainably Yours 

Key Features:

• Firm clumping
• Odor control
• Flushable
• Low Dust
• Chemical and fragrance free

First Impressions: Sustainably Yours litter is made from a combination of corn and cassava. This litter forms exceptionally firm clumps with outstanding odor control. It’s flushable, low dust, chemical and fragrance free. It’s also cat daddy approved! The litter is a bright white which makes monitoring cat’s urine changes easy.*

Helpful Reviews:

Hands-down the best cat litter we’ve ever used. We have three cats and this litter It’s so amazing we have actually been able to cut it down to one box. We clean it once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It is so easy to scoop. The urine clumps so amazing and it doesn’t leave the box smelling Like ammonia.—Harvey S Goodman, from Amazon.com

I have never used a better kitty litter than this. There is no bad chemical or natural smell, it conceals the smell of all urine and poop, it clumps only the urine, and it scoops so easily. One bag lasts me a whole month with my cat and even by the end of the month it isn’t stinky, I just run low and need to refill. I recommend this litter to every cat owner I know!—Hollie, from Amazon.com

3. BoxieCat Litter

Key Features:

• Ultra low dust
• High odor control
• Top-quality clumping

First Impressions:  BoxieCat litter offers top quality clumping, ultra-low dust, and odor control. This comes in deep clean probiotic cat litter, extra strength premium clumping litter, and regular premium clumping litter with a range of scent options. The scent is a gentle, fresh plant aroma that tackles odors before they start. It also clumps on top of the box instead of soaking to the bottom which makes cleanup easy!*

Helpful Reviews:

Boxie Cat was the answer to a long, long search for a litter that my Bengal would accept. But the bonuses went far beyond her tastes. Boxie Cat is almost entirely dustless – a boon to both her, and me. It has superior absorption and clumping abilities. And the very sturdy, resealable packaging is the best in the marketplace. Absolutely the best clay litter out there.—Islandbelle, from Petsmart.com

I am very impressed. I have tried tons of different kinds of litter over the past 5 years. I’ve been using BoxieCat for 2 weeks now, and it’s the very first litter that doesn’t produce a chemical stench in the house. The cats instantly loved it and stopped using the old litter without thinking twice (I kept the old litter in their other litter box just in case). It clumps really well and doesn’t track all over the carpet. Highly recommended!—Danielle, from Amazon.com

4. Naturally Fresh Litter 

Key Features:

• Natural
• Super absorbent
• Superior clumping technology
• Low dust

First Impressions: This unique natural litter is a walnut shell litter. Naturally Fresh absorbs 3x better than clay litters, offers low dust, tight clumps, and naturally neutralizes odor. Because it absorbs so well and so quickly, you need less of it overall.*

Helpful Reviews:

I was so excited to add some kittens to our family. Until I remembered…. ugh…. the litter box. I was using a reputable clumping clay litter, but it was so dusty and smelly. It would stick the bottom of the tray… Release large dust clouds every time I cleaned it. And it smelled so, so bad, doing nothing to cover the smell of pee and poo, even if I cleaned the box several times a day. Out of desperation, I took a chance on this walnut litter. And I am so happy I did! I am never going back to dusty clay litter! Never. This litter has a wonderful, natural nutty/woodsy smell. I am very smell sensitive, and it doesn’t bother me at all. It has virtually no dust. It clumps beautifully, and does not stick to the litter tray. And as long as my cats bury their waste, and I clean the box regularly, there is no yucky cat box smell. It’s also much lighter than traditional clay litter, so cleaning the box is much easier. And because it clumps so well, the litter stays fresher, and I believed one bag should last a very long time. I am very, very pleased! And my kittens love it too. They transitioned perfectly with no accidents.—HG from Amazon.com

After trying many litters throughout the 10 years Ive had my cat, nothing compares to this walnut litter. Number one, it’s safe! Number two, it’s cheap! And number three, it works wonders and hides the smell! I will use this forever and I highly recommend you try it as well. My cat took to it right away and my family agrees that this is the only one litter that keeps our home smelling fresh. People always tell me they wouldn’t even know I had pets in my house if they didn’t see them, because my house smells great!—Michelle from Amazon.com

5. World’s Best Cat Litter 

Key Features:

• Ultra lightweight
• Dust-free
• Flushable
• Environmentally friendly

First Impressions: World’s Best Cat Litter comes scented and unscented, with multiple varieties available to work for your cat and your home. This litter is ultra lightweight, 99% dust free, and made from corn. It doesn’t stick to the box, is flushable, and is planet and people friendly.*

Helpful Reviews:

I wasn’t sure what this litter would be like but I decided to try it since I’d grown weary of the smell, dust, and environmental impact of clay litter. Who would have thought that corn-based litter could be SO much better? There’s virtually no dust, no awful ammonia smell (I also scoop daily), and it clumps so well that the soiled litter doesn’t just crumble back into the bin in smaller bits than can be scooped. This is not one of those environmental switches you make to feel better about your impact and accept it being a little less effective. It’s actually better. never going back.—Denvercatlady, from Worldsbestcatlitter.com

I’ve used a lot of litter over the years and this is by far the best ever. No odor (we usually use the lavender) and the clumping ability is amazing. The fact that it can be flushed is icing on the cake. The cats don’t seem to have any problems with it. No dust kick up to speak of. I have no reason to buy anything other than this. Scooping and refilling regularly makes the large bag seem to last forever. Excellent cat litter.—Tammy W, from Worldsbestcatlitter.com

6. Snappy Tom Crystal Litter 

Key Features:

• Non-tracking
• Lightweight
• Environmentally safe
• Inhibits bacteria

First Impressions: This litter comes in unscented or lavender scented. Snappy Tom’s litter is non-tracking, lightweight, and environmentally safe. Instead of clumping, this litter requires only removal of solid waste. It keeps odors away, and looks great in the box.

Helpful Reviews:

I switch to the crystal cat litter (unscented) about two months ago! I have two sphynx cats, and they just love it! It keeps the urine smell down (you don’t smell it at all), you change the litter less, just scoop the poop, looks pretty, comes with litter pan liners! I will never switch back to clay litter! This is a great litter for sphynx(and all other cats)as they are sensitive to dust/dirt as they have little to no hair(peach fuzz), and no eye lashes! Love this litter I recommend it to everyone!—Brittany Godfrey, from SnappyTom.com

This litter is great it doesn’t stick to the litter tray when it’s wet. Not to much dust and little to no smells and it’s light weight. Best litter I’ve tried.—Sherry, from SnappyTom.com

7. Next Gen Pet Litter 

Key Features:

• All-natural
• Flushable
• Odor Control
• No Chemicals or fragrances

First Impressions: Next Gen Pet litter is made from wood and green tea powder, and is naturally clumping with no clay or bentonite. This litter is flushable, with natural odor control, and no chemicals or artificial fragrances. This litter is functional and earth-friendly.*

Helpful Reviews:

I love this litter and it is well worth the money. First of all its light and I no longer have to lug heavy bags or boxes home from the store. Even though it clumps well around my cat’s waste, it can be shaken off and the waste disposed of in my toilet. I do this every day. There is absolutely no odor anymore and no more little pieces of cat litter and dust being tracked out of the box. I wish I had known about this before but I’m grateful I know of it now. My cat is fine with it and acts as though nothing has changed. I give this 5 stars because there aren’t more stars available.—Elizabeth J. Pollack, from amazon.com

We’ve tried everything for our two cats and this is hands down the best litter ever: it masks odors, is flushable, not too dusty, and safe for kitty. Five stars.—By SLBoston from chewy.com

8. Teddy Bob Pidan Original Composite Litter 

Key Features:

• Extremely absorbent
• Odor control
• Dust-free

First Impressions: Teddy Bob’s Pidan original composite litter is 70% tofu and 30% bentonite offering superior absorbency, with activated charcoal tackling odors. It offers a dust-free experience when pouring or cleaning the litter.

Helpful Reviews:

I tried so many types of litter before I decided to give this a try. I was so impressed by it. First of all, this litter reduced smell a lot especially I live in a one bedroom apartment. Second, it turns to solid after the cat pee and you can flush it into toilet. I also noticed my cat doesn’t bring as much litter as before. Love it.—Sherry, from Teddybob.com

We decided to try this kitty litter when our cat started to go outside the litter tray and pee on things and have been really impressed with it ever since.To be honest when I first saw how small the bags were I thought this was going to get expensive quickly but the packs are vacuum sealed to save space and there is minimal waste each time. The cat uses the toilet, so it lasts surprisingly well. It absorbs pee turning it into solid lumps that are easily separated from the remaining litter and the powder coats solids well for easy extraction. We are super impressed with this product and it is now our litter of choice for our 2 cats.—Ty W. from Teddybob.com

9. Catalyst Pet 

Key Features:

• Lightweight
• Natural
• Environmentally friendly
• Dust-free

First Impressions: Here we have a lightweight wood-based clumping litter. Catalyst Pet’s litter contains a biobased oil, a natural clumping agent, zeolite and a mild natural scent. It also comes in unscented, is dust free, and environmentally friendly.*

Helpful Reviews:

I have tried many cat litters in search of one that will clump easily and absorb odors. My search is over – this litter is amazing! The wood smell is a nice change from the deodorizer smells of the litters I’ve tried. There are no stones to get stuck on my cat’s paws. This litter is definitely worth it!—Deanne Blueter, from Amazon.com

Personally, Samson and I have tried over 25 litters, and are excited to say that Catalyst is our number one choice.  There is no dust, it has a pleasant smell, is semi-clumping, helps the environment, can be delivered to the house monthly, is cost effective and accepted by all cats in the household.—Ann Hoff, from Annhoff.com

10. Pioneer Pet’s SmartCat All Natural Litter

Key Features: 

• All Natural
• Soft on paws
• Biodegradable

First Impressions:  Pioneer Pet’s SmartCat litter is all natural, made from 100% USA farmed grass. This litter is very soft on paws, and biodegradable as a renewable resource. Clumping is quick and easy to scoop, making clean-up a breeze. SmartCat litter is appropriate for cats young and old, and virtually eliminates dust.*

Helpful Reviews:

This has been ideal for our senior, declawed cat. He’d stopped using the litter box because the clay granules hurt his poor feet. This litter is light weight and must be easy on the toes — he is using his box again without exception. Our other cat (who has all her claws) thinks it’s just fine, too.—nailsalon, from Chewy.com

This litter is great! It controls odor pretty well. Easy to scoop because it clumps the waste very well. It seems to last a lot longer than regular clay litter. It’s made from grass so there aren’t any harsh chemicals in it. Seems dust free so my kitties are safe from developing any respiratory problems.—HelOnWheels, from Chewy.com

11. Almost Invisible Cat Litter 

Key Features:

• Low dust
• Silica based
• Low tracking

First Impressions: Almost Invisible Cat Litter has a unique, sand-like, silica-based particle size that is odor neutralizing, minimally tracking, with virtually no dust. Cats seem to love it, and it has a high acceptance rate in households.*

Helpful Reviews:

This is the best cat litter ever! Covers all smell instantly and cats love it. Worth the money. It is all I use now. I have 3 cats in 1000sqft and you would never know.—SHH, from Amazon.com

What can I say about my favorite product for my cats? I LOVE this litter and so do my cats! There’s no smell! I have never been able to find a cat litter that lives up to its claims until now. Other products have strange fragrances in an attempt to cover the waste smell with no success. Others caused my cats to endlessly scratch to cover waste as they obviously did not like the smell. This litter is so easy – you scoop out waste and then stir around the urine spots and the litter. It’s like magic! I’ve asked friends that come over if they can tell that I have cats and they say “no”! They tell me they can smell the difference in my home. My cats are happy and so am I. This is my litter from now on and I’m telling friends to switch too.—Missy Woodward, from Amazon.com

12. Rufus and Coco Wee Kitty Litter

Key Features:

• Natural
• Low tracking
• Flushable
• Superior absorbency
• Odor Control

First Impressions: Rufus and Coco offers a corn-based cat litter, and a naturally absorbent wheat and soy fiber litter. This litter is low tracking, flushable, and extra-absorbent with fast odor control.  The pellets are large and reduce tracking significantly.*

Helpful Reviews:

Wow!!! This is THE best litter I’ve used. Pellets are low tracking, clumps very well, smell is amazing, but not overpowering. My cats love it and my foster kittens love it! So easy to clean and lasts very long time. It’s got excellent odor control. With 8 foster kittens and 2 litter trays in 1 room I can’t smell a thing! My 13 year old cat accepted it right away, and my adopted stray 3 year old also had no problem with it.—roksana boyes, from Amazon.com

We recently switched from a clay based litter to Rufus & Coco corn litter and couldn’t be happier! This litter lasts an incredibly long time & does a fantastic job at absorbing odors. It is less messy, better for the environment and is saving us so much money because it lasts so long. Our kitten, Ziggy really likes that it doesn’t stick to her nose like clay litter used to. Extra bonus is that this is a small business, owned by a woman! We learned about this litter through the Catexplorer podcast, and are so happy we made the switch to a sustainable product! No more filling up our recycling bin with big litter boxes, and no more guilt about sending bags of dirty litter to the landfill. Thank you Rufus & Coco for creating an awesome litter! Our kittens Ziggy & Charlie say thank mew! (IG @Ziggy.and.charlie)—520maggie, from Chewy.com

13. Ultra Pet (Neon Cat Litter) 

Key Features:

• Fun, bright colors
• Absorbent silica crystals
• Naturally clumping
• Odor control

First Impressions: Neon Litter comes in 5 super fun colours! Besides the fact that using this litter looks like your cat’s bathroom is a rave, it’s also a lightweight, clumping choice with low dust.*

Helpful Reviews:

I really like this litter. I have 2 cats, one of which has long hair and normal clay litter gets stuck in her fur. Crystal litter is the only way to go. This litter is unique in that it clumps. It’s amazing. Zero smell, smaller crystals so it doesn’t hurt my kitties paws, hardly any tracking (I have white carpeting so trust me you would be able to see it) and it’s easy to clean up if you follow the instructions on the bag. And of course I love the neon colors!—Veronica Miranda, from Amazon.com

My three cats love this litter. I have this kind in one box and the regular kind in the other boxes. They are using the one with the neon litter more.—Sale, from Chewy.com

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