The 10 Best Cat Litters

For most homes, Dr. Elsey's Ultra is the safe bet: plain clay with no added scent that forms hard clumps and pours with very little dust. In one independent bench test of 17 litters, it gave off the least dust of the group, and its clumps almost never broke apart when lifted. The catch is weight, since a full bag is a chore to haul, and young kittens should start on something that doesn't clump.

Scooping goes faster with Arm & Hammer Slide Platinum, because its clumps are made to slip off the pan instead of sticking, so there's little scraping. It's a clay litter with baking soda, built for homes with several cats, and the maker says it works in robotic boxes too. The big drawback is the perfume. The scent is strong enough that some people dislike it, and a fussy cat or one with breathing trouble may refuse the box.

Smell that builds up between scoops is the target of BoxiePro Deep Clean, a clay with added probiotics that the maker says keep working for over a month. Its clumps form flat on top of the litter instead of sinking to the bottom, so they lift out in one piece. It has no added scent and pours with little dust, and two independent roundups rate it highly. It costs a good deal more per pound than plain clay.

Made from whole-kernel corn, World's Best Low Tracking clumps without any clay and is far lighter to carry. This version uses larger granules, so less of it rides out on paws, and it pours with very little dust. Odor is the weak spot, since soiled corn can smell like a barn, and it clumps more slowly than clay, which can trip up self-cleaning boxes. The bag calls it flushable, but wildlife groups say to bag used litter for the trash.

On a tight budget, Fresh Step Simply Unscented keeps the price per pound low without adding perfume or dyes. It's clumping clay mixed with activated charcoal, and the maker guarantees its odor control for about two weeks and rates it for several cats. The maker also says the clumps form tight, so fewer crumbs get left behind when you scoop. Outside testing of this formula is scarce, so the odor claim rests mostly on the maker's word.

When a cat starts going outside the box, Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract is a common next step, once a vet has ruled out a medical cause such as a bladder problem. It's a low-dust clumping clay blended with an herb meant to draw cats back to the box. An independent bench test scored it at the top for clean pouring and firm clumps. No controlled study shows the herb works, though, and some cats ignore it.

Grass seed grown in the U.S. goes into SmartCat All Natural, a light, sandy litter that clumps without clay and has no added scent. The soft, fine texture suits cats with tender paws, including seniors, and it's a common step up for kittens that have outgrown paper pellets. It controls odor without perfume, but the box needs steady scooping to stay fresh. The fine grains can scatter, and it costs more per pound than clay.

For kittens and cats home from surgery, Fresh News Original is a gentle choice: recycled paper pellets that don't clump and make almost no dust. Many vets advise skipping clumping litter until about four months of age, because young kittens tend to taste it. Since nothing clumps, the whole box needs changing often. Odor control is weak, and wet pellets look a lot like dry ones, so soiled spots are hard to find.

Pine shavings reclaimed from lumber mills are pressed into the pellets of Feline Pine Platinum, with baking soda added and no perfume. The pellets soak up urine and break down into sawdust that sifts to the bottom, so fresh pellets stay on top. It's light to carry and smells faintly of pine. It doesn't clump, so a sifting box works best, and some cats dislike the hard pellets underfoot until they get used to them.

Ground wheat clumps on its own, and sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat adds enzymes the maker says break down urine odor. In independent testing it tracked less than any other clumping plant litter, and it pours with very little dust. A big bag goes a long way in a home with several cats. Soiled wheat can smell like a farm, though, so daily scooping matters, and it's a poor fit for a cat with a wheat sensitivity.