The best natural cat litter we tested with our pets

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Chewy; Walmart; Gilbert Espinoza/Business InsiderAlthough clumping clay cat litter is well tolerated by most cats, it’s not the best choice for every feline.

Cats who are sensitive to dust or like the occasional litter box snack may benefit from a natural cat litter — after a veterinarian has checked for underlying medical problems. Natural litter can be an attractive choice for humans too. Not only are natural substrates biodegradable and often more sustainably sourced than clay or silica gel litters, they are also good at minimizing odors with their natural scents and fibrous composition.

Unfortunately, not every cat is willing to switch from the litter they’ve become used to. Because cats are creatures of habit, when given the choice between a litter made from a familiar material and one made from an unfamiliar material, they’ll often prefer the former over the latter, our experts said. This proved true in our testing: My two cats were willing to use the unfamiliar litter only occasionally.

  For this guide, we tested 12 different corn/grain, wood, grass, and walnut cat litters. Read more about our testing methodology at the end of this guide. Our tester cats were unwilling to regularly use three of the four varieties of natural kitty litter, so we were unable to observe their odor control over time.

 Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and evaluates pet products. The best natural cat litter in 2022Best natural cat litter overall: World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter, available at Chewy, $32. 15Quick-absorbing World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter locks up offensive odors in tight clumps of compressed corn.

Best wood cat litter: Ökocat Super Soft Clumping Litter, available at Chewy, $11. 99Sustainably sourced Ökocat Super Soft Clumping Litter has superior odor control and a texture similar to the clay litters that many cats prefer. Best grass cat litter: Pioneer Pet SmartCat Clumping Grass Litter, available at Chewy, $29.

99Pioneer Pet Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter forms tight clumps on contact that make for fuss-free cleaning. Best walnut cat litter: Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter, available at Petco, $8. 99Made from upcycled food waste, Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter clumps tightly and produces very little dust.

 Note: Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter is temporarily out of stock. The best natural cat litter overallThe eco-friendly World’s Best Multiple Cat Litter absorbs odors and is easy to clean. Shoshi Parks/InsiderQuick-absorbing World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter locks up offensive odors in tight clumps of compressed corn.

Pros: Made from compressed corn kernels, prevents odors when cleaned frequently, minimal dustCons: Odors can build up without frequent cleaning, odors become more noticeable around three weeks of use by two catsWorld’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter excelled in comparison to all of the natural cat litter we tested. This was the only type of natural litter my cats used regularly, and that’s no accident. We used corn-based litter in their youth, and according to Dr.

Zay Satchu, chief veterinary officer at Bond Vet in New York City, cats are partial to the litter they used early on. While my cats’ preference for corn/grain litter is rooted in history, mine was formed through testing. World’s Best absorbs liquid on contact, forming solid clumps that are easy to lift out in a single piece during cleaning.

The corn-cereal-scented fibrous material absorbs odors easily — sometimes I could barely detect the scent of urine. Of course, the more clumps in the box, the more it emitted a mild ammonia odor. In its texture and tracking, World’s Best scored well.

While not soft and sandy, the litter was gentle enough not to deter my cats from using it. Tracking outside the box occurred at a far lower volume than lightweight litters like those made from grass and walnut. World’s Best Multiple Cat does not contain any synthetic additives, chemicals, or perfumes and produces very little dust.

The litter prevented the escape of odors if I cleaned the box twice a day, but in the last few days of our three-week testing period, an ammonia scent was increasingly obvious even with frequent cleaning. World’s Best recommends that the litter be changed every 33 days for two cats, and I would expect based on my observations, there would be at least as much, if not more, of a mild ammonia scent by then. World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter was among the least expensive of the natural litters we tested and about 50% more than our favorite clay litter, Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Litter.

The best wood cat litterShoshi Parks/InsiderSustainably sourced Ökocat Super Soft Clumping Litter has superior odor control and a texture similar to the clay litters that many cats prefer. Pros: Made from sustainably sourced wood, absorbs odors and emits pine scent, clumps well, soft texture similar to clay litters Cons: Expensive, easily tracked out of litter boxÖkocat Super Soft Clumping Litter earned the top spot among its wood litter competitors for its excellent odor control and superior clumping ability. Sourced from sustainably managed forests, its soft, lightweight granules are most similar to standard clay litter.

While my cats preferred to visit their clay litter during our two-week testing period, they did use the wood litter occasionally. When they did, it absorbed liquids quickly and formed clumps that, though easier to scoop than competitors in this category, broke apart more than the corn/grain, grass, and walnut litter varieties. The wood produces minimal dust.

It also absorbs odors, prevents the buildup of ammonia, and gives off a fresh pine scent. It is free of toxic inks, dyes, and synthetic chemical additives. The litter prevented odors when my cats used it, but because they didn’t use in the box consistently during the testing period, I can’t say for sure that odors wouldn’t become more intense over time.

What I can say with certainty is that, because the litter is so lightweight, it is easily tracked outside of the litter box.  Ökocat Super Soft was the most expensive wood litter we tested, but it lasts at least as long, if not longer than the others — the company recommends changing the litter only every two to four months for a single cat.  The best grass cat litterShoshi Parks/InsiderPioneer Pet Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter forms tight clumps on contact that make for fuss-free cleaning.

Pros: Clumps tightly, easy to clean, very little dust, good odor controlCons: Expensive, easily tracked out of litter boxIt’s non-GMO sorghum grass seed that gives Pioneer Pet Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter the superior clumping ability that helped it land in the top spot. The natural fiber’s high starch content absorbs liquids instantaneously, and its tight, solid clumps are easy to remove.  Made from sorghum grass, the litter has a light wheat-cereal scent that helps minimize odors.

While my cats preferred the texture of this sandy, soft litter over the wood litter, they didn’t use it consistently day after day during our three-week testing period. Because of their mediocre reception, I’m unable to say whether this kitty litter continues to control odors as it nears time to change it.  Smart Cat Litter produced minimal dust, making it a good choice for cats or guardians with respiratory conditions.

Because of its light weight and small granules, however, it tracked easily outside of the litter box, occasionally sticking to the fuzzy feet of my long-haired cat. Besides the tracking, the thing I disliked most about this grass cat litter was its cost: approximately 30% more per pound than our best overall pick, World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter. Nevertheless, for a beautifully clumping, minimal dust litter with solid odor control, Smart Cat All Natural Clumping Litter is an excellent choice.

The best walnut cat litterShoshi Parks/InsiderMade from upcycled food waste, Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter clumps tightly and produces very little dust. Pros: Made from discarded walnut shells, generates minimal dust, clumps tightly, absorbs odorsCons: May be slow to absorb liquids fully, not suitable for people with nut allergies, tracks easily Arguably among the most eco-friendly natural cat litter, Littermaid Premium Walnut Litter is made from the discarded shells of edible walnuts. The fibrous and naturally absorbent material is ground down into a sandy texture that is easy on the paws.

 Each of the three walnut litters we tested were high quality and effective at clumping and controlling odors, making it a challenge to select a winner. This was especially true because, like the grass litter, my cats did not use the box consistently enough to determine whether each litter would continue to control odors equally well on day 21 as it did on day 1.  Still, Littermaid’s walnut litter stood out in a couple of ways.

First off, despite being a soft substrate, it was the heaviest of the three litters. Although it tracked easily out of the box, the volume of litter that escaped was a little less than its lighter competitors. When pouring and cleaning, this litter also produced less dust than its competitors — though the other walnut litters also generated very little dust.

The biggest flaw was that it sometimes absorbed liquids slowly. During one trial in phase one testing, a sheen of liquid was left on top of the clumps even after waiting the full 15 minutes recommended by the company before scooping. However, I was able to lift the whole thing out in a single piece.

The same thing did not happen in our second trial nor when in use by my cats and, most often, the liquid was absorbed in less than a minute. Relative to the other natural litters we tested, walnut litters have less of a natural scent and do a slightly worse job at preventing ammonia odors from escaping. However, when cleaned regularly, the litter still kept ammonia from becoming noticeable.

Because trace walnut meats may remain in these litters, anyone with a tree nut allergy should avoid this product. What else we consideredShoshi Parks/Business InsiderCorn and grain cat litterWorld’s Best Zero Mess Cat Litter: My cats and I both liked this formula from World’s Best that combines compressed corn kernels and plant fibers. Good instantaneous absorption, tight clumping, and minimal dust also worked in its favor.

In testing, I couldn’t really identify a difference in odor control, tracking, or absorption between the Zero Mess and Multiple Cat formulas. Ultimately, the decision was made based on price with Zero Mess costing around 20% more than World’s Best Multiple Cat Unscented Litter. World’s Best Original Unscented Natural Corn Litter: There were many similarities between this litter and other formulas from World’s Best, but its absorption and clumping were inferior.

The tendency for its clumps to fall apart in cleaning just made the job harder. Frisco Corn and Wheat Clumping Litter: This was the least absorbent of the four grain litters we tested. Instead of sucking up liquid on contact, it seeped around the testing dish and all the way to the bottom.

On cleaning, clumps easily broke apart instead of lifting out in a single piece. Wood cat litterÖkocat Original Clumping Litter: Ökocat’s original clumping formula absorbed liquids well and masked odors with a fresh pine scent, but it did a poor job of clumping. It managed to cement some of the liquid together into lumps, but what wasn’t locked up spread through the box, degrading the substrate into sawdust.

It is also significantly stiffer and harder than Ökocat’s Super Soft formula, which cats with sensitive paws may choose to avoid. Feline Pine Clumping Litter: This was one of the worst natural litters we tested. While the wood scent masked odors, the litter absorbed liquids slowly and turned it into a pulpy mulch.

It was also the dustiest of the bunch. Grass cat litterFrisco Natural Grass Litter: Instead of being instantly absorbed, liquids spread out over the pan. Once fully absorbed, the clumps this litter formed were tight but also wide and shallow, making them more challenging to remove.

Walnut cat litterNaturally Fresh Multi-Cat Ultra Odor Control Litter: I preferred this multi-cat formula to Naturally Fresh’s quick clumping litter, but the rocky substrate failed to clump as tightly as Littermaid. Of the three walnut litters, it also left the most stuck to the interior of the litter pan.  Naturally Fresh Quick Clumping Litter: This litter absorbed liquids and prevented odors well.

However, it was the dustiest of the walnut litters we tested, and when it came time for cleaning, the clumps fell apart easily. It was also stiff and rocky compared to our top pick. Our natural cat litter testing methodologyI tested the litter for this guide in two phases.

In the first, I compared litters of the same material side by side to assess their absorption and clumping abilities, dustiness, scent, and texture.  The top two litters in each category from the first phase of testing then went on to face my two cats for a period of two to three weeks. During this phase, I assessed litters for their odor control and tracking.

Below are the additional characteristics I examined for each litter:Litter weight, shape, and softness: According to our experts, cats generally prefer a soft, grainy substrate that is easy to dig. I evaluated the shape, texture, softness, and weight of each litter, measuring 1/4 cup on a kitchen scale for the latter. Dust: One of the reasons veterinarians recommend natural litters is because they tend to be lower in dust than the average clay litter, making them a good option for cats or guardians with respiratory issues.

I observed how much dust was emitted when pouring and scooping the litter and how much stuck to the sides of the pan. Scent: Many cats are sensitive to scent. Even natural scents like those emitted by wood litters can make some cats avoid their litter box, according to Dr.

Christine Calder, a veterinary behaviorist at Midcoast Humane in Brunswick, Maine. I did a careful sniff test of each litter to determine the strength of its natural scent. Clumping ability and ease of cleaning: In the first phase of testing, I compared a small amount of each litter in matching plastic dishes.

I added 1/4 cup of water to determine how quickly and easily the liquid was absorbed and how solidly it held together in clumps. After two absorption trials, I cleaned the dishes, looking for any escaped moisture that had left clumped litter stuck to their interior. Odor control and tracking: The top two from each category of natural litter went on to litter box testing for two to three weeks.

In twice-daily cleanings, I noted how well the litter masked odors and whether that ability changed over time. I also considered how easy it was to remove clumps and how much litter ended up tracked onto the floor around the litter pan. Because my cats were not willing to use three out of four varieties of natural litter (walnut, grass, and wood) regularly, I was unable to determine how well they would control odors after weeks of use.

We will be testing these litters with other cats in the near future to find out. Cost: I calculated the cost per pound and compared them.  A note about flushable litter: Low-flush toilets and pipes made for human waste often can’t handle clumps without clogging.

Even more concerning, cat waste can contain Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that causes flu-like symptoms and can lead to fetal development disorders, brain damage, and premature birth in babies. Wastewater treatment plants are unable to filter out the parasite, which can end up in treated water that’s released back into the environment, harming fish, killing native plants, and making recreation areas unsafe. Scientific studies have also found that T.

gondii from flushed cat feces poses a threat to marine mammals like sea otters. Types of natural cat litterShoshi Parks/Business InsiderWhen it comes to natural kitty litter, all of our experts agreed that the best variety is whatever one your cat is willing to use consistently day in and day out. Sometimes this comes down to what variety of litter a cat was exposed to early on.

“Just like people, they have different levels of tolerance based on preference and learning history,” said Micah McKechnie, behavior and training associate at the East Bay SPCA, in Oakland, California. Corn/grain litterThis type of litter is made of compressed corn kernels, sometimes combined with particles from other grains such as wheat. A good corn/grain litter produces minimal dust, clumps solidly, fights odors with a natural cereal scent, and is safe if accidentally (or intentionally) ingested by the cat.

 Pros: Made from corn, wheat, and other grains; safe for ingestion; clumps well; minimizes odors with natural cereal scent; produces very little dustCons: Can have a rocky texture that deters some catsWood litterThe plant fibers in wood litters are highly absorbent and their natural pine scent offers the best odor control of all of the natural varieties. They are also made from either sustainably sourced forests or reclaimed lumber. In our testing, we found that wood litters as a whole were least successful at forming tight easy-to-remove clumps compared to their natural competitors.

Pros: Natural scent masks odors, highly absorbent, sustainably sourced, produces minimal dustCons: Least successful of the natural litter options at clumpingGrass litterGrass cat litters are produced from the seeds of grasses like sorghum. They have a coarse sandy texture and generate very minimal dust, making them a good option for cats with respiratory issues, according to Satchu. They are highly absorbent and their natural wheat-cereal scent masks odors, but their lightweight grains track easily outside the litter box.

Pros: Made from grass seeds, highly absorbent, controls odors with wheat-cereal scent, produces very little dustCons: Tracks easily outside the litter boxWalnut litterWalnut litters are made from the fibrous, absorbent shells of walnuts. Processed into a sandy grain, this litter has a satisfyingly scratchable texture, but its light weight results in frequent tracking outside the litter box. Walnut litters clump well but have less of a natural scent to control odors, meaning that ammonia may be slightly more noticeable than with wood, grain, and grass formulas.

Pros: Made from upcycled walnut shells, absorbent and tightly clumping, produces minimal dust, soft textureCons: Tracks easily outside litter box, may be slightly less effective at controlling odors than other natural litters, should not be used by people with tree nut allergiesThe benefits of natural cat litterShoshi Parks/Business InsiderNatural cat litters are environmentally friendly. “By switching to natural litters that are compostable or biodegradable, we can help our planet,” said Satchu. Indeed, natural litters are made from sustainable resources such as responsibly managed forests, upcycled food waste, and quick-growing plants.

Both their acquisition and disposal have less of an environmental impact than strip-mined clay litter. They provide natural odor control. “The nice thing about natural options is that the scents tend to be less intense than the intentionally scented ones,” said McKechnie.

That means odors are kept at bay without producing a cloying perfume fragrance that many cats dislike. They produce less dust than the average clay litter. Cats with respiratory issues may benefit from switching to a natural litter with minimal dust, according to Satchu.

Grass litters, she said, are consistently among the most dust free of the natural options, though we found in testing that some of the walnut, wood, and grain litters produced equally minimal dust. They won’t harm cats who like to snack on their litter. A cat that eats its litter may have an underlying medical problem or just an unusual craving.

After a visit to the vet rules out issues such as anemia, kidney disease, or nutritional deficiencies, Satchu often recommends that snacky cats switch to a grain litter that is safe for ingestion. Cat litter box FAQsShoshi Parks/Business InsiderHow many times a day does a cat normally use the litter box?It is typical for cats to urinate two to four times a day and defecate once or twice a day, but every cat is different — some may go more or less frequently than others. Cleaning litter boxes at least once daily can help guardians identify changes in a cat’s elimination frequency, which may indicate an emerging health problem.

What size and how many litter boxes do I need?Cats need a litter box that is at least 1. 5 times their length and has enough space for them to comfortably dig and bury their waste. Regardless of their size, households with more than one cat need more than one litter box, according to Dr.

Megan Wilson, a veterinarian at the Pennsylvania SPCA in Philadelphia. A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat plus one extra. See our guide to the best litter boxes for more on this.

What does it mean if a cat stops urinating?If a cat stops urinating altogether, it is likely they are experiencing a feline urinary tract disease (FLUTD) such as bladder inflammation or urinary stones or crystals, problems to which male cats are particularly susceptible. When a cat can’t urinate, deadly toxins begin to build up, triggering a life-or-death emergency. Blockages that aren’t removed within 24 to 48 hours by a veterinarian can kill a cat.

 If a veterinarian rules out medical problems like FLUTD, anxiety may be the culprit. A behaviorist can help identify what is triggering the behavior and offer solutions. What does it mean if a cat goes outside the litter box?According to Calder, cats that eliminate outside the litter box are either toileting or marking.

Toileting, also called inappropriate elimination, refers to a cat that has found a place to do their business outside of the litter box. Sometimes this behavior can be attributed to a cat’s preferences: They may be communicating their disapproval of the location or size of the litter pan, the type of litter in the pan, or the cleanliness of the litter. Going outside the box can also be related to a medical problem such as FLUTD or anxiety.

For example, a cat that worries about being ambushed by another pet while using the litter box may stop using it altogether. Some cats choose to go outside of the litter box simply because they’ve found an alternative that better satisfies their need to scratch and bury their waste like a pile of dirty laundry or a potted plant. Marking is different from toileting in that it typically occurs on vertical instead of horizontal surfaces.

When a cat marks, they back up with a raised tail to spray their pheromones as a form of communication, said Calder. Most marking cats are experiencing some kind of conflict or anxiety. Intact males are most commonly those that spray, but fixed males and females can engage in the behavior, too.

Our sourcesDr. Christine Calder, veterinary behaviorist at Midcoast Humane, Brunswick, MaineMicah McKechnie, behavior and training associate at the East Bay SPCA, Oakland, CaliforniaDr. Zay Satchu, co-founder and chief veterinary officer at Bond Vet, New York, New YorkDr.

Megan Wilson, veterinarian at the Pennsylvania SPCA, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaCheck out our other cat guidesThe best cat litter boxesThe best cat litterThe best cat toysThe best products to protect your furniture from cat scratchingThe best automatic cat feeders for wet and dry foodThe best cat food for kittens, adult cats, and seniorsThe best cat carriersThe best airline cat carriersThe best cat brushesThe best flea preventives and treatments for catsThe best online veterinary services for your petsThe best cat harnessesThe best cat collarsThe best cat toothpaste, toothbrush, dental treats, and water additiveThe best interactive cat toysThe best cat dewormersThe best hairball remediesRead the original article on Insider.