2 cats cuddling on sofa

Best Cat Litter

LAST UPDATED March 2024

This article is written by Pet Circle's qualified veterinarian, Dr Antonella Virina

Ensuring a cat's litter tray setup is optimal not just for their health, but for your home as well. However, with so many options out in the market, selecting the right litter for your cat can be a messy business! Should you go for clumping or non-clumping? Biodegradable vs non-biodegradable? Fragranced or unscented? Corn, wood, clay, tofu, or crystals? Whether you've had cats your whole life or it's your first time having a feline friend, our guide can help you in deciding which cat litter options to consider for your kitty.

Why is choosing the right cat litter important?

As mentioned previously, a cat's litter tray setup is an important part of their health. This includes using the right trays, having the right number of litter trays (one for each cat of the household plus one extra), placing them in private, quiet locations in the house, but also, the specific type of litter for your cat. The best litter is one that's most suitable for your cat (and you!)

Four reasons why it's important to choose the right cat litter are:
  1. Material: Cat litter can be made with a variety of different materials like paper, tofu, clay, wood, and crystals. Each of these have their own pros and cons. Some may be more absorbent than others, some may smell better or track less, while there are those that are biodegradable and can be disposed of more conveniently in the toilet or as garden mulch.
  2. Specific Preferences: Just like with many other pet species, cats may have their own individual preferences and this can include the type of litter they like to use. Some cats may dislike scented litter, while others may be more particular about the feel and texture. As they age, some cats may also decide they don't actually like their current litter, so it's important to provide them with a litter that they are happy to use to ensure an optimal toilet setup.
  3. Convenience: Cleaning up messes should not be a messy affair! Choosing the right litter isn't just for your cat but it is also for you and the cleanliness of your home. The right litter should be easy to use, clean up, or replace, depending on what works best for you. Some litters do last longer than others in between full tray clean outs but there are also those that may track around the house, which can mean double work for you. It's also good to keep in mind that if you use a specific litter tray system, it would be best to use a litter compatible with this.
  4. Health Conditions: Certain conditions like urinary or respiratory issues would also affect your decision in choosing the right litter. Cats with urinary problems would likely have to have to toilet more and this can affect the longevity of a bag of litter. Respiratory problems like feline asthma can also mean that you would want a litter less likely to irritate your cat, typically you would want something low dust or unscented for this case.

Results:

  1. Best Paper Litter Scrunch & Sticks Natural Recycled Paper Cat Litter
  2. Best Corn Litter: Worlds Best Cat Original Clumping Cat Litter
  3. Best Clay Litter: Catsan Ultra Cat Litter
  4. Best Tofu Cat Litter: Petkit Tofu Cat Litter
  5. Best Crystal Litter: Catsan Cat Litter Crystals
  6. Best Clumping Litter: Rufus & Coco Wee Kitty Clumping Corn Litter
  7. Best Non-Clumping Litter: Catmate Wood Pellet Cat Litter
  8. Best Litter for Kittens: Breeders Choice PLUS Kitten Litter

How We Review Our Products

Our Pet Circle Vet Squad comprises 30 vets with over 120 years of collective, independent veterinary expertise. Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.

Top Cat Litter in Australia

Best Paper Litter: Scrunch & Sticks Natural Recycled Paper Cat Litter

Pros

  • Environmentally friendly
  • Highly absorbent and easy to clean
  • Unscented, low dust
  • Comes in 3 different sizes (6L, 30L, 60L)

Cons

  • Pellets may be too large
  • Soiled pellets may not be as easy to distinguish from fresh litter

Scrunch & Sticks Recycled Paper Litter is a fantastic litter choice for not just your cats, but also for the environment! This biodegradable litter is made with A-grade recycled paper, great as garden mulch after use, making sure it doesn't go to waste.

Apart from its eco-friendly nature, this litter is highly absorbent, helping to keep odours at bay and make cleaning time easier and more convenient.

It's also a great choice for kitties who may benefit from using an unscented, low-dust litter, like those with existing respiratory conditions. The pellets are lightweight and so may seem to get readily flicked about or picked up between kitty paws, but as it's on the larger side, it's still a fantastic low-tracking litter option for a variety of cats.

What our customers say: "The first attraction was that it is made of recycled paper and comes in a paper bag, not plastic - take note, manufacturers, it can be done, who knew.We clean out the solids from the cat tray daily (as you should) and daily also empty and rinse the base tray. This litter makes such light work of it: it is absorbent, odourless, and very little of it breaks down to the base tray, making it extremely good value too. Rinsing out the base tray, there is none of that mucky residue of dissolved litter to wash away, just a small amount of the paper pellets that have broken down and so all you need is a couple of small rinses and it is done. Cleaning out the top tray is so much easier with this product, you don't get any of that sandy residue of the litter breaking down, the tray overall stays extremely clean. Yes, it does get tracked from our laundry slightly more than other litter, perhaps because the pellets are very light and are a bit more easily flicked and stick to the paws more than other varieties, but this is minimal and at least they are discrete little pieces that you can easily pick up and not a constant sprinkling of sandy residue. It is an excellent product."

Shop Scrunch & Sticks Natural Recycled Paper Cat Litter

Best Corn Litter: World's Best Cat Original Clumping Cat Litter

Pros

  • Environmentally friendly, flushable, corn-based litter
  • Unscented, quick to clump, easy to scoop
  • Highly absorbent and lasts a long time

Cons

  • May be easily flicked around the tray and track around the house
  • May be dustier after a while

It's not called the Best for no reason! The World's Best Original Clumping Corn-Based Cat Litter is a household favourite. This natural, eco-friendly litter is made of sustainably grown, whole kernel corn compressed and processed into highly absorbent granules.

It contains no synthetic additives, chemicals, or fragrance plus it's quick-clumping, easy to clean, and does a fantastic job with odour control.

The granules are quite light and small however and the dust may build up after some time so there may be some minimal tracking, but it's still a reliable choice if you're looking for a natural, clumping litter that's good value for money.

What our customers say: "It's honestly the best litter I've found. The clumping is great, so you can scoop it out in a lump easily, and keep the tray going on the one lot for quite a long time - even my mother's sensitive nose agrees! It does get scattered about a bit depending upon the cat, but it's easy enough to vacuum up. - put the litter tray in a bigger tray, or enclosed tray to reduce it."

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Best Clay Litter: Catsan Ultra Cat Litter

Pros

  • Helps reduce tracking and has effective odour control
  • Highly absorbent, making it long lasting
  • Easy to clean up after use

Cons

  • Litter may take a while to clump properly when soiled
  • Clay litter is not biodegradable
  • Not recommended for very young kittens due to risk of ingestion

Catsan's Ultra Cat Litter is a clumping litter made from naturally-occurring Australian bentonite, material known for its porous and absorbent properties. It quickly absorbs moisture and odours, and the clumps make cleaning and removal easy and convenient.

It also lasts longer than ordinary clay litter; for one cat, it can last up to four weeks with weekly litter top-ups. As clay litter is not biodegradable however, it's not eco-friendly and this is important to keep in mind for those who may prefer a litter that can be flushed or used for composting.

What our customers say: "I have tried numerous clumping litters of which have never bettered this product for odour control, cleanliness and ease of use. I have not required liners, no need and I have found the cleaning process so simple. My kiddies are healthy, happy and certainly have not complained and it makes my life easier due to health and mobility issues."

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Best Tofu Cat Litter: Petkit Tofu Cat Litter

Pros

  • Plant-based, biodegradable clumping litter
  • Contains activated carbon for better deodorisation
  • Low dust, low tracking
  • Gentle and soft on kitty paws

Cons

  • Formed clumps may stick to the tray
  • Litter is scented so may not be suitable for all households

The PETKIT Active Carbon Tofu Litter is an eco-friendly litter made of food-grade bean dregs, starch and corn powder. It's not only eco-friendly, but it's also gentle on your cat's paws, having a smaller grain size that's comfy for them to use, and also makes scooping easier for you as well.

It clumps well and is low dust and low tracking, helping to prevent messes around the house. This litter also has activated carbon, a compound known for its adsorptive properties, for better odour control.

There is a scent to the litter itself and some users do find that the litter stays wet for a while when soiled, so these things are just something to keep in mind when trying this litter.

What our customers say: "I switched to tofu based kitty litter a year ago and really liked it. However, after a shortage in supply, I gave this brand a go and WOW!! No powderor residue tracked by cats, smell of urine is gone, one SOLID clump when wet vs several small clumps, super easy to scoop out with no little bits left behind which is great when you have very finicky cats. It is now on auto ship!!"

Shop Petkit Tofu Cat Litter

Best Crystal Litter: Catsan Cat Litter Crystals

Pros

  • Highly absorbent
  • Has added fresheners for better odour control
  • Low dust, long tracking
  • Comes with a free scoop

Cons

  • Not biodegradable or flushable
  • May not be suitable for kittens or cats that have a tendency to eat litter

Crystal litter can be hard to beat in terms of absorbency and odour control. Made from highly absorbent silica gel crystals, Catsan Crystals quickly absorb urine and moisture, becoming clear when they reach their absorbency capability.

It also lasts long, with a kilo lasting approximately a week for a healthy, adult cat. For solid waste, simply scoop out daily then top up the litter every week, raking the litter for more even tray coverage. It is not biodegradable however, so must be disposed of with other household garbage.

What our customers say: "Benefits: - absorbs wee really well - easy to see the poo so you can scoop it out - lasts for ages (use a fair bit of it, not just a thin layer) - keeps smell down I don't use a litter tray, I use a plastic storage tub. It reduces spillover, gives the cat more privacy, and stops the dog getting into it! Easy to clean, and every now and then I throw it away and use a new one."

What our vets say: "I prefer to use crystal litter to reduce tracking and it also means I don't have to empty out the tray every few days. I find if I keep the litter deep enough and remove solids daily one tray can last 2 weeks before the litter needs to be completely changed." - Dr. Teagan

Shop Catsan Cat Litter Crystals

Best Clumping Litter: Rufus & Coco Wee Kitty Clumping Corn Litter

Pros

  • Eco-friendly, made of corn and plant fibres
  • Great clumping ability and odour absorption
  • Flushable and may be used as garden mulch
  • Bag is recyclable and resealable

Cons

  • May be more expensive than other litter
  • Fragrance may be too strong or heavy

Rufus & Coco Wee Kitty Clumping Corn Litter is our winner for this category for its superior clumping ability and high absorbency, making cleaning and scooping easy-peasy. It lasts long and does a fantastic job at odour control.

It's made with natural corn processed together with a binding agent and fragrance, with no other chemicals or additives. It can be flushed in small amounts or used as surface mulch. Plus the packaging is recyclable, a plus point for being eco-friendly!

Keep in mind though that it does have fragrance so may not be suitable for sensitive noses.

What our customers say: "I've used this kitty litter for about 2 years and I love it. It doesn't last as long as the package says but I have 3 cats. I usually buy the 9kg. I love that I can easily flush it down the toilet, it clumps really well and having 3 cats, there's never a smell of urine. Unlike regular kitty litters that seem to have a urine smell even when it's fresh, this litter has no odour when freshly poured. I absolutely love it!"

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Best Non-Clumping Litter: Catmate Wood Pellet Cat Litter

Pros

  • Eco-friendly and compostable
  • Made of clean, recycled pine wood
  • Highly absorbent and great for odour control

Cons

  • Pellets may be too big for some cats
  • May break down too quickly
  • Best used with a grated litter tray

For those looking for an easy-to-use, non-clumping litter, Catmate Wood Pellet Cat Litter is a solid choice! It's highly absorbent and helps keep odours and smells at a minimum thanks to the material's natural oils that help inhibit bacterial growth. This litter is also great for the environment as it's made using sustainably sourced pine wood destined for landfill. It's biodegradable and compostable ensuring minimal waste, making it a clean and eco-friendly litter option.

It's also a bit more friendly on the wallet as non-clumping litter is generally more affordable right off the bat than clumping ones. It can really just boil down to which litter works best for you and your kitties.

What our customers say: "I've tried a number of types of cat litters. This one so far is the best overall. It's more economical than Tofu and clay litter, less odour, more absorbent and convenient than recycled paper litter. It makes no dust and less mess than any other litters. My cats and I also liked Tofu litter as it clumps, flushable and gentle on paws but it's more expensive. The small bag doesn't last long at all. This wood pallet last quite long. I'm very happy with it overall."

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Best Litter for Kittens: Breeders Choice PLUS Kitten Litter

Pros

  • Natural, non-toxic litter
  • Biodegradable and compostable
  • Great for kittens, but suitable as well for adult cats

Cons

  • More expensive than the regular Breeder's Choice Litter
  • Not flushable

When kittens are still quite young, they are still learning to explore the world and interact with their environment. During toilet training, it's not unusual that they may try to eat their litter as they figure out how to use a litter box. Therefore, it's important to go for a non-clumping litter that is safe and non-toxic in case of accidental ingestion.

For young kittens, Breeders Choice PLUS Kitten Litter is our top pick. This litter is upcycled from 99% recycled paper, free from nasties and additives, making it not just a fantastic choice for your kitten, but for the environment as well.

In terms of odour control, the litter is infused with probiotics to combat odour-causing bacteria. This litter is designed to be soft, lightweight, absorbent, and comfortable to use for your kitten and its natural attractant helps make toilet training a breeze.

What our customers say: "Great product, my kitten took to using this really easily"

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What to look for in cat litter

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when selecting the best litter for your cat.

Effectiveness

You're going to want a litter that does the job, and does it well. The best litter does what it says it does. Clumping litter should have good clumping ability and the clumps should be easy to remove. Litter labelled to be absorbent should be able to absorb moisture and urine well allowing for easier clean up. If a litter is said to have good odour control, your kitty's litter tray should have minimal to no smells.

We would also consider whether a litter lasts long and can easily be cleaned, replaced, or disposed of. After all, while your cat is the one who uses the litter, you are the one who does the clean up and disposal.

Suitability

A cat litter should be specifically suitable for your cat. It can take a bit of experimentation with a variety of litters, but offering your cat a smorgasbord of different litter types can help you narrow down which one they're most comfortable with using.

Perhaps your cat dislikes the feel of a new litter and refuses to use their litter tray until you switch back to their old one. Some cats may be happy with a certain litter, but it may have a tendency to stick around their paws and cause them to track this around the house. With kittens, it would be best to avoid clumping litter or crystal litter while they're still learning how to toilet as there is the odd chance they may try to eat or taste the litter, which isn't good for their little, delicate tummies.

Cost

As cat litter is something your cat uses regularly, it makes sense to go for a litter that's value for money, and this is especially true for multi-cat households! For multiple cats, you will be going through more litter so it may be more suitable to look for a litter option that comes in bigger size bags. While certain types of litter may be expensive up front, they may also last longer than others, which can save you some money in the long run.

Fragrance

Some litters are unscented, while others may contain fragrance to help mask odours and help with keeping your home smelling clean and fresh. Brands may even have both unscented and scented litters with the latter coming in a variety of different fragrance options, ranging from clean, mild scents to relaxing lavender, and even fruity berry scents.

While fragrance is not necessarily a dealbreaker, some kitties and humans may have respiratory conditions or just more sensitive noses, in which case, an unscented litter may be more suitable.

Further Reading

New Kitten Guide

How to Litter Train Your Cat

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) in Cats

How to Prevent Urinary Issues in Cats