Pets and Their People Blog

by Misty Hampton 

Combining the findings from Part One (Preference Testing) and Part Two (Comparison), here are my overall top picks, ranked based on cats’ preferences and features that are important to people. 

Key:	Cat Preference	Clumping	Low Dust	Low Tracking	Odor Control	Economical*	Eco-Friendly
⭐⭐⭐(3)	My cats used it more than once daily, on average	Well-formed clumps	Very low	Very low	Best	Least expensive (price by volume)	Best
⭐⭐✰ (2)	About once per day	Crumbly clumps	Low	Low	Better	Midrange	Better
⭐✰✰ (1)	Less than once per day	Poor clumping	Moderate	Moderate	Good	High-end	Good
✰✰✰	My cats did not use it	No clumping	High	High	Not helpful	Most expensive	Not eco-friendly

*Here, I look at the cost to fill a large litter box – and keep it filled to an appropriate depth – for one month. All prices are as of June 2024 in USD.

Integrity® Cat Litters – clumping clay

Material: clay

Cats use it⭐⭐⭐: When clay litter was offered, my cats used it preferentially. In fact, they used it six times more than other litter types, on average. I also tried Integrity’s multicat formula and found no significant difference. My cats use both equally.

Clumping ⭐⭐⭐: When it comes to clumping, clay is the gold standard. There are few other litters that clump as well as clay. 

Low dust ⭐⭐✰: This litter has fairly low dust, compared to my experience with traditional clay litter.

Low tracking ⭐✰✰: This litter is fairly lightweight, so tracking was a problem for us.

Odor control ⭐⭐✰: This litter offers moderate odor control.

Economical ⭐⭐⭐: This is the most economical litter. A 40-lb. bag cost about $20 (USD). It’s enough to fill two large litter boxes or one XL litter box for a month in my house.

Eco-friendly ⭐✰✰: Clay litter is collected through mining, which is known to be environmentally damaging. Integrity brand offsets the impact by replanting trees.

SmartCat Grass

Material: grass seed

Cats use it ⭐⭐✰: In my experimental comparison of the top natural litters, SmartCat grass litter was used twice as much as sWheat Scoop ® over a period of four days. In one experiment, it was used preferentially over ökocat® super soft. Once the litter was about three weeks old, however, the cats switched to using ökocat super soft more.

Clumping ⭐⭐⭐: This litter claims that it “out clumps clay” and, for the most part, I have found it to be true. It is especially helpful for cats who spray urine in the litter box. Unlike other litters that form tiny individual clumps that get mixed into the litter, SmartCat grass litter pools the urine together, like there’s a skin across the surface. It’s weird, but effective!

Low dust ⭐⭐⭐: This litter has very low dust.

Low tracking ✰✰✰: This litter is very lightweight. It tracks more than clay.

Odor control ⭐⭐✰: This litter offers moderate odor control.

Economical ⭐⭐✰: This is a mid-range litter. A large bag cost between $15 – 20.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: This litter is biodegradable and renewable.

ökocat® super soft

Material: wood

Cats use it ⭐⭐✰: In a comparison of the top natural litters, ökocat super soft wood litter was used twice as much as sWheat Scoop over a period of four days. (In contrast, ökocat original was barely used during a 2-week-long experiment.) In one experiment, my cats used Smart Cat grass litter over ökocat super soft. They preferred the ökocat litter though, once the Smart Cat litter became less fresh.

Clumping ⭐⭐⭐: This litter clumps about as well as clay. The small wood particles glue together into fairly solid clumps. 

Low dust ⭐⭐✰: This litter has low dust.

Low tracking ⭐✰✰: This is a lightweight litter. Tracking is about the same as clay.

Odor control ⭐⭐⭐: ökocat offers superior odor control. The pine scent effectively masks cat urine odor.

Economical ⭐⭐✰: This is a mid-range litter. A large bag cost about $20.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: ökocat super soft litter is made from reclaimed wood from lumber mills, including spruce, pine, and fir. (It is collected before any chemical treatment is applied.) It is sustainably sourced and biodegradable.

sWheat Scoop ® Multi-Cat

Material: wheat

Cats use it ⭐⭐✰ : I found that my cats use sWheat Scoop and World’s Best fairly equally.

Clumping ⭐⭐✰: This litter clumps effectively, although not as solidly as some.

Low dust ⭐⭐⭐: This litter has very low dust.

Low tracking ⭐✰✰: This is a lightweight litter. Tracking is about the same as clay.

Odor control ⭐⭐✰: This litter offers moderate odor control. Up close, it smells a little like bread, which makes sense, considering it’s made from wheat.

Economical ⭐⭐✰: This is a mid-range litter. A large bag cost between $15 – 20.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: Wheat litter is a food industry byproduct. That means it’s made from leftover material that would otherwise go to waste. It’s biodegradable, totally eco-friendly.

World’s Best Cat Litter^® Multiple Cat Unscented

Material: corn

Cats use it ⭐⭐✰: When I asked my local pet store what kind of cat litter they sell the most after clay, World’s Best came up as one of the most popular brands. It’s popular for good reason! It has very low dust and even claims to be hypoallergenic. My cats use sWheat Scoop and World’s Best fairly equally.

Clumping ⭐⭐✰: This litter clumps effectively, although not as solidly as some.

Low dust ⭐⭐⭐: This litter has very low dust.

Low tracking ⭐✰✰: This is a lightweight litter. Tracking is about the same as clay.

Odor control ⭐⭐✰: This litter offers moderate odor control.

Economical ⭐⭐✰: This is a mid-range litter. A large bag cost between $15 – 20.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: Like wheat litter, corn litter is a food industry byproduct. It’s biodegradable, totally eco-friendly.

Naturally Fresh herbal attraction®

Material: walnut

Cats use it ⭐⭐✰: It’s a good option, though not our first choice. In my experimental comparison, walnut was used least of the top natural litters.

Clumping ⭐⭐✰: This litter clumps effectively, although not as solidly as some.

Low dust ⭐⭐✰: This litter has fairly low dust. Over time, it’s noticeable on light-colored surfaces.

Low tracking ⭐✰✰: This litter tracks about the same as clay.

Odor control ⭐⭐✰: This litter has a clean, earthy aroma. It offers moderate odor control.

Economical ⭐⭐✰: This is a mid-range litter. A large bag cost between $15 – 20.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: Walnut litter is a food industry byproduct. That means it’s made from leftover material that would otherwise go to waste. It’s biodegradable, totally eco-friendly.

CatSpot® clumping

Material: coconut

If I had only one cat, I might choose the CatSpot coconut litter as my top pick, because it ticks all the boxes in terms of features, with the exception of cost. 

Cats use it ⭐⭐⭐: This is my cats’ favorite natural litter. Over a period of five days, it was used about as much as clay!

Clumping ⭐⭐✰: This litter clumps reasonably well. It is a very soft litter though, so the clumps can break apart if you scoop roughly.

Low dust ⭐⭐⭐: Surprisingly, this lightweight litter has virtually no dust!

Low tracking ⭐⭐⭐: Another surprise is that this litter falls right off your feet, so no issues with tracking!

Odor control ⭐⭐⭐: Coconut husk is great at absorbing moisture, excellent at odor control.

Economical ✰✰✰: This is where CatSpot litter falls short comparatively. It’s a specialty litter that has to be ordered online. Coconut fiber is wonderfully light, yet compact. That means it takes more than one bag to fill the litter box. The cost is over $20 for a large bag, not including shipping.

Eco-friendly ⭐⭐⭐: Coconut husk is biodegradable and renewable.

Recommendations

Many cats prefer clay litter. For a biodegradable alternative, look for litter with a similar texture to clay litter. For my cats, clumping clay litter is the best option because the cats use it consistently, and it’s affordable.

What litter is best ultimately comes down to which features you prioritize and what litter your cats will use.

In the final post of this series, I’ll walk you through the options that my cats preferred not to use.

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About the Author

Misty Hampton (CCBC, FFCP) is a cat trainer and behavior consultant and owner of Fellow Creatures Pet Consulting. She started teaching at age 12. For 13 years, she was an instructor for a home-schooling community. Since 2001, she has been a math and science tutor. Now, she is a life coach for teens and young adults as well. She also runs a birding club for Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation.

Her passion is helping people better understand misunderstood animals. She shares her life with her husband Jesse and their five cats: Linus, Jasper, Abigail, Pearl, and Piper.