Picking out the best litter for your cat may seem simple at first — as long as they like it enough to use it, anything works… right?
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anything → pick → it
But once you start weighing different options, the factors you have to consider pile up: material, particle size, scent, clumping level, dust level and tracking are just a few, in addition to how many cats you have and the type of litter box they use.
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they → start → box
Not to make the process sound even more challenging, but cats are picky — if they don’t like their litter, they may reject it, which, unfortunately, means going to the bathroom places they shouldn’t.
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they → make → places
Below, I talked to veterinarians about how to find a litter your cat loves, and I shared tried-and-true recommendations from pet parents like myself.
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I → talk → myself
Vets also explain how often to scoop, how to transition to something new, and how to distinguish between cats hating a litter and having a serious health issue.
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cats → explain → issue
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The best cat litters of 2026
I curated this list of the best cat litters based on my personal experience as a pet parent, recommendations from NBC Selected staff members and veterinarians’ guidance.
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I → want → members
I included information about how I chose my picks and how to shop for cat litter below.
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I → include → litter
Best litter overall
This litter came recommended to me by one of my cats’ fosters — she takes care of at least three kittens at a time year-round, so she’s well-versed in what works for multi-cat homes.
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what → recommend → homes
I first bought it in 2023 and haven’t looked back — in fact, Amazon says I’ve ordered the largest box 28 times, and I constantly get it at Petco, too.
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I → buy → Petco
Beyond forming solid clumps that stay together when I scoop, this litter masks odors phenomenally well thanks to neutralizers like baking soda in its formula.
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litter → form → formula
There’s two litter boxes in my one-bedroom apartment, but guests always say they’d never know because there’s no scent whatsoever.
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they → ’ → apartment
Also, as its name implies, the litter slides right out of the box without leaving residue behind when I pour it into a trash bag.
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I → imply → bag
I never notice dust coming from the litter, and despite it being scented, my cats, both of whom have allergies, haven’t experienced irritation.
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both → notice → irritation
The only downside is that it tracks, but that’s par for the course with clay litter.
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that → track → litter
Tuft & Paw’s Really Great Cat Litter, which is also a NBC Selected Pet Award Winner, is made from tofu, a.k.a. soybeans.
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which → make → tofu
It’s infused with charcoal, which helps neutralize odors, and it comes in larger, log-shaped pellets.
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it → infuse → pellets
I was skeptical about this litter at first because it’s unlike the clay formulas I’m used to, but it quickly impressed me.
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it → ’ → me
It truly clumps, making cleaning easier than I expected, but the best part of all is how low-tracking it is.
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it → make → all
The larger pieces don’t stick to my cats’ paws much, if at all, so it barely escapes the litter box, and I found myself vacuuming much less than usual.
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myself → stick → less
The brand says this litter is safe to flush down toilets, but experts recommend against doing so (see more about disposing of cat litter in the FAQ section below).
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experts → say → section
I used this paper litter after my cats were spayed as kittens.
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cats → use → kittens
Its soft, 100-percent recycled paper pellets look very similar to Tuft & Paw’s tofu ones, and they’re just as low-tracking.
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they → look → ones
They’re also odor-neutralizing since they’re made with baking soda.
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they → neutralize → soda
The litter is absorbent, but it doesn’t clump, so cleaning can be difficult.
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cleaning → clump → ?
As the paper absorbs urine, it gets heavy, so I found it easier to dump everything out and start with a fresh batch every few days.
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it → absorb → batch
Before I tried Ôkocat’s wood litter, I used an option that came as chips and shavings, which didn’t clump and made clean-up difficult.
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clean → try → chips
My cats and I prefer this medium-sized granular texture — it clumps, is absorbent and is softer on my cats’ paws when they dig.
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they → prefer → paws
The litter has a natural woody scent that masks odors, but that may deter some felines, according to the experts I talked to, so pay extra attention to your pet’s bathroom habits if you try this one.
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you → have → one
Ökocat also makes an unscented version of their wood litter, but it may not get rid of odors as well.
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it → make → odors
Chewy’s Clumping Clay Cat Litter is one of the most cost-effective options Brown has found.
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Brown → find → options
She says that there isn’t anything particularly notable about it, but since it works well, has a generally low price point and comes in a big bag that lasts her a while, she continues buying it.
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she → say → it
The litter clumps and is made with deodorizing ingredients that mask odors.
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that → clump → odors
How I picked the best cat litters
To pick the best cat litters, I evaluated each option based on the following factors, per veterinarians’ guidance.
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I → pick → guidance
- Material: Cat litter is commonly made from clay, silica crystal, paper, wood or plant-based ingredients like tofu.
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litter → make → tofu
Material influences everything about a litter, like its texture, absorbency level, weight, clumping ability, scent, dust level and tracking level, plus whether it’s suitable for multi-cat homes and standard v.s. automatic litter boxes.
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it → influence → homes
There’s no one “best overall” material because cats (and their owners) have different preferences.
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cats → ’ → preferences
I included litters made from various materials on my list to give you a comprehensive overview of what’s on the market.
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what → include → market
- Clumping: Clumping litter is easier to thoroughly clean, which reduces how often you need to replace everything inside the box.
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you → clump → box
I prioritized recommending clumping litters because of this, but some materials inherently don’t clump — I note which ones.
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I → prioritize → this
- Scent: Aim to buy unscented litter, says Dr. Enio Sanmarti, the medical director of VEG ER for Pets in Fort Lauderdale.
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Sanmarti → aim → Lauderdale
…and 101 more, not listed.
The Aporia
