Cat litters are nothing but an absorbent material, mostly in the granular form that is spread over a litter box for easy disposal and clean-up of indoor cat litters. These come in a number of different types that differ from each depending on their constituent materials.
The best cat litters are also generally more expensive than their counterparts. These can effectively absorb the wetness as well as the odor, thus making your rooms more livable.
The best cat litters are the ones with clay as their core material along with some deodorizing chemicals. However, there are also a few brands that sell crystal litters which are equally effective except for the clumping. However, while choosing one, make sure that they are not too heavily loaded with chemicals or it could harm the pets as well as yourself.
The best cat litters are often mixed with silica gel or baking soda for quicker and more effective absorbency and better odor control.
10 Best Cat Litter For Odor Control
1. Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Cat Litter
Features
- The formula comprises of medium grain clay mixed with the heavier non-tracking granules
- It is a clumping litter and after the defecation, the clumps sink towards the bottom of the tray
- Excellent in absorbing moisture. The clumps do not break easily and therefore keep the cats from spreading the litter all over the place
- This product is excellent for families owning a large number of cats
- Perfect for mechanical or sifting litter boxes
- The cat litter uses a superior odor control formula that actually shows its effectiveness when used
- It is 99.9% dust-free
- The cat litter contains all-natural ingredients and do not cause allergies to the cat
- Does not contain plant proteins
Pros
- The neutral smell and odor absorbency keeps the interiors smelling fresh all the time
- Perfect for lazy cat owners who do not like to clean up on a frequent basis
Cons
- Does not clump as well as most other litters
2. Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter
Features
- The litter clumps around the waste thus sealing away the odor as well
- Effective in controlling the stench of both urine as well as feces
- The litter is very soft to touch
- It offers a 7-day guarantee to keep smelling fresh
- The clumps do not crumble easily
- The cat litter has a very low dust content
Pros
- The grains are fine and very smooth to touch. This may be perfect for older cats with arthritis
- The odor control is phenomenal
- The texture of the litter prevents the cats from spreading it everywhere
- Contains baking soda to stay fresh for as long as possible
Cons
- Fall under the more expensive category
- Although it is very faint, the litter does have a faint scent
3. Purina Yesterday’s News Unscented Cat Litter
Features
- It is safe for the cats so much so that it is even recommended as completely safe for use post surgeries
- Made out of small soft paper pellets which make them 3 times more absorbent than regular cat litters
- The paper pellets are also better for the skin of the cats
- It provides a very effective odor control
- Offers low tracking
- Being made out of recycled paper, it is more environment-friendly as compared to the cat litters that are loaded with chemicals
- This is a 99.7% dust free cat litter
Pros
- No added scents
- It can also be used for other pets like rabbits
- This litter is totally biodegradable and can, therefore, be composted
Cons
- If not changed frequently, it turns all mushy
- You will be required to do a thorough clean up of the litter box as well
4. Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter
Features
- It is created without using any plant proteins and are therefore hypoallergenic to the cats
- Does not contain plant based proteins and additives
- Clumps up easily on coming in contact with moisture. This allows for an easy removal of the feces
- The cat litter has a superior odor control
- Contains no dust and therefore does not leave behind a fine residue across the house
Pros
- The cats may take some time before finally getting used to it
- Allows you to maintain a litter box with the proper sanitary condition
Cons
- The cat litter is not very lightweight
- Expensive product
5. Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Litter System Cat Pellet Refills
Features
- The solid waste at the top clumps together with the pellets and therefore allows for an easier scooping and disposal
- The pellets are 99.9% dust free and therefore have a low tracking
- These keep the litter boxes very tidy and efficient for a longer duration as compared to the finer cat litters
- These would be more functional for families owning a number of cats
- Keeps the house looking and smelling fresh
- This cat litter is designed to be used with the Tidy Cats BREEZER litter system
- It has large sized pellets that do not absorb the urine. The urine is allowed to pass through the pellets to a tray at the bottom
Pros
- The kit contains everything from the cat litter to the litter box, scoop, and even a separate urine tray
- Uses disposable urine pads that can absorb the urine and efficiently control urine odor for up to 7 days
- Very easy maintenance system
Cons
- If you have other pets like dogs, they may get attracted to the large sized pellets and want to eat it
- Very much expensive
6. Pro-Sense Fresh Results Crystal Silica Cat Litter
Features
- The granules offer intense moisture absorption and lock in
- They absorb the odor along with the moisture
- The dehydrating crystals used in the litter increase the efficiency
- It offers maximum control when compared to its counterparts
- This cat litter can be very functional for households with multiple cats
- It is very safe for the pets
- Does not contain dust and therefore does not leave behind fine mess
- This cat litter uses a special silica crystal formula for superior moisture absorption
Pros
- The granules do not dissolve in urine and therefore do not go mushy
- Makes the litter boxes more easily manageable
Cons
- Not as up to the mark as other crystal cat litters
7. Nature’s Miracle Just For Cats Easy Care Crystal Cat Litter
Features
- The crystal offer a dehydrating action for faster and better results
- The cat litter is ideal for households with multiple cats
- You will not be required to scoop the urine
- The granules do not stick to the bottom of the litter box after coming in contact with the urine
- Does not require frequent changing
- It is 99% dust free and therefore not very messy to use
- Prevents the smell of feces, urine, and ammonia from spreading throughout the house
- You can keep them as long as they continue to work just fine
- It has a unique crystal action that can intensely absorb as well as lock in the moisture and odor
Pros
- Medium sized crystals, comfortable for cats
- Gives almost zero tracking problem
- You can actually hear the sound while the dehydrating agents get to work. this can provide a greater sense of satisfaction about the hygiene
- Does not trigger allergies in the cats
Cons
- This cat litter is not meant to clump together
- Would have been better if the crystals were smaller
8. PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Crystal Non-Clumping Cat Litter
Features
- Can be used with any traditional litter box along with the ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box and the Reusable Litter Tray
- The box contains two packets of premium Pet Safe crystal litter with an original scent
- Very quick and effective in absorbing urine and drying solid waste
- It gives 5 times better results than the regular clay litters
- It is very low tracking and does not leave behind the fine residues all across your house as happens with clay litters
- It is 99.9% dust-free
- The pre-portioned packets make it easier to use the litter
- Do not contain additional fragrance
- After one filling, you can leave it in the litter box for a whole month
- It is a crystal cat litter
Pros
- Even if you have a large number of cats, it will easily last for up to 10 days
- Small granules offer greater surface area and therefore speeding up the process of dehydration
- Does not form any kind of slush in the bottom
- The refills are less expensive than the boxes
Cons
- May not be very suitable for use moisture rich or humid areas or you will spend a lot of money in frequently replacing them
- Does not clump and may make the feces removal slightly messy
9. EverClean Extra Strength Cat Litter
Features
- The clay can absorb urine and lock in the odor for a longer period of time
- Can be used in all types of cat litter boxes
- It can be used for cats as well as other little pets
- Being made out of clay, it is very much affordable as compared to crystal cat litters
- Does not carry a strong fragrance
- Safe for the use of cats
- You do not have to throw away the entire box of litter every time to remove feces
- It is made out of clay and offers superior clumping for easier scooping of the feces
Pros
- Clumps tight
- Low tracking
- Easy and effortless maintenance
Cons
- Not very effective in controlling odor if the smell is too strong
10. Precious Cat Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief clumping clay cat litter
Features
- It is 99.9% dust free
- It is made out of completely biodegradable components
- Can be used with all types of litter boxes – sifting as well as mechanical
- Safe for the cats
- Does not cause sneezing or running eyes
- This cat litter offers a very effective odor control
- Does not contain plant proteins and is hypo allergenic
- Hard clumping for easy feces removal
- Does not contain any perfume or deodorants
- Endowed with stress reducing herbal essences
- Does not irritate the respiratory tract of the cats
Pros
- Ideal for cats with asthma
- Great odor control
- Affordable and lasts for a longer amount of time
Cons
- The pets may carry some fine dust particles out of the box
What’s the Best Cat Litter?
A Few Things To Keep In Mind Even If You Are Using Best Cat Litters
Do not shake the scoop
This is probably going to be one of the best tips for more efficient handling of the best cat litters. After the cat defecates over the litter, the granules get clumped together and can be easily removed from the box without creating any mess. This does not, however, mean that you will have to throw away the entire box of cat litter.
There is, in fact, a trick that can help the litter last much longer. So basically, after you have cleanly removed the clumps, remember not to shake the litter box. This will keep the litter working perfectly for longer than expected.
When you shake the litter, the clumps, if any, left within the box can get mixed with the remaining unused litter, thus reducing the effectiveness of the entire content within the box. This could also make them inefficient in absorbing the wetness and odor.
Therefore, it is best to keep the litter as it is until you are finally required to empty out everything. What is scoopable cat litter?
Maintain hygiene
Various diseases affecting humans have a chance of spreading through cats. The toxoplasma disease, which is very similar to salmonella have a higher chance of spreading through the cat feces. Therefore, it is best to maintain a strict hygiene while dealing with cats and cat feces.
Dispose of the litter every day
Opting for the best cat litters is pretty useless if you do not know how to use it. Dispose of the litter every day to keep the entire house from smelling like cat litter. At the same time, it will help prevent the cats from tracking dirt all over the house. Cats tend to have very sensitive sniffers. Therefore, they would always prefer a living area as compared to a dirty one.
Each cat should have their own litter box
Felines are always very territorial and this does not exclude the cats. They go to defecate only to that area where they feel the scent is familiar. Therefore, along with using the best cat litters, it is also mandatory to keep one litter box per cat so that your cats to urinate and defecate more freely and healthily.
Do not buy a scented litter
The best cat litters should not have added perfumes and deodorants. The strong smell can overpower the olfactory responses of a cat. Apart from that, these are also loaded with chemicals and may harm the health of the little felines. You can save the day by spreading some baking soda on top of the litter. This will control and neutralize the odor without posing a threat to the cats.
Keep the litter box always accessible for the cats
The sense of smell for cats is 14 times stronger than that of a normal human being. The cats will, therefore, easily be able to track their way into the litter box. The litter box should, therefore, be left open and it should be so that the cat can easily fit into it. This will also make defecation much easier for the cat…
Do not flush the litter
Although it seems only natural to flush the litter down the toilet, there are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t be actually doing so. Parasites like the toxoplasma gondi can get transferred to the ground water through improperly disposed cat feces. This can eventually affect other life forms as well. Therefore, it is best to keep safely dispose the cat feces in a bags and keep them out of the drainage system.
Composting
If you have been wondering if cat litter can be used for composting, then you have a positive reply. Yes, it can be mixed with other waste products and set aside for composting. There are a number of methods you could use for composting. One of the popular methods is anaerobic composting or composting by using air.
See how well the cats are taking it
You should make it a point to continuously check how well your cats are taking the litter. You could try different brands selling the best cat litters to see which one suit your cat’s the best. If the cats are more receptive, it will keep them from urinating and defecating in other parts of the house.
Conclusion
If you own a cat, you should definitely make it a point to use cat litter. It allows for better and easier feces removal and odor control. You do also do not have to worry about cleaning the litter box every other day. You can just scoop out the feces and leave the litter as it is. One refill of the litter will last at least for 7 days.
Out of the 10 best cat litters reviewed above, the clear winner is Everclean Extra Strength Cat litter. This product uses the traditional clay approach for better clumping, which in turn allows for easy removal of the feces. It can also lock in the odor for a longer amount of time and is completely safe for the cats at all times. Apart from that, it is also very affordable and long lasting.
