Is clay and artificial litter bothering your feline and household? It’s time you check our reviews on the best cat litter alternatives for your kitty’s litter box.
Did you know that cats can get sick due to their litter? Clay is not only known to form dust due to its fine granules but it can also cause skin allergies and respiratory issues in both felines and humans.
Small kittens unknowingly ingest clumping clay particles that can lead to intestinal blockage and choking. Before it causes serious health concerns, one of the best solutions is to look for the best cat litter alternatives.
Therefore, to make your task simpler, we help you choose the best cat litter alternatives which are safe for your feline and the entire household.
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The 9 Actual Best Cat Litter Alternatives of 2023
Cat Litter Alternatives are available in various materials right from paper, pine, wood pellets, walnut shells, corn, wheat, etc. Each of them exhibits their own individual properties like high absorbance, odor control, and ease of scooping and clumping.
Apart from clay litter which is made of sodium bentonite, there are other forms of natural and homemade feline litter alternatives also available. These are non-toxic, contain no artificial fragrances or chemicals, and are very safe for adults as well as small kitties.
We have listed the best cat litter alternatives along with the merits and demerits of choosing each type for your kitty and household. Additionally, there is a bonus read on how you can make natural litter alternatives at home.
1. Corn
Corn litter is made of either corn cobs or whole corn kernels. Using corn cobs is a more eco-friendly and safer option as compared to corn kernels. However, they are not as soft and may not be very gentle on your feline’s sensitive paws.
Corn pellets show good clumping abilities and have a naturally sweet scent that helps in effective odor control. These are usually biodegradable and flushable making it easy to dispose of as well.
Our scores for the litter on a scale of 5 are:
- Clumping Action: 4/5
- Odor Control: 4/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 3.5/5
- Dust Free: 3/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 4/5
One of the best corn litters available is the World’s Best Clumping Corn Cat Litter. It offers quick clumping action and is 99.9% dust-free. The granules are very fine and small and it helps in effective odor control.
To conclude, we think this is the overall best cat litter alternatives.
- Forms firm and tight clumps that helps in easy scooping
- The natural scent aids odor control
- The pellets can get sticky and difficult to scrape from the box
- Pellets stick to your feline’s paws and cause tracking
Did you check out the best cat litter for cats who pee a lot, here you read to learn more?
2. Wheat
Wheat is another great substitute and can be obtained from whole wheat berries which are coarsely ground or which can be broken into finer pieces. These are safe and gentle on your cat’s sensitive paws and form excellent clumps.
Wheat is also known to exhibit good absorbance and is biodegradable. Make sure to flush it carefully as it might choke your sewage system. It offers decent levels of odor control and is a good choice as a natural cat litter alternative.
Our scores are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 4/5
- Odor Control: 2/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 3/5
- Dust Free: 2/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 3/5
One of the best natural wheat-based alternatives is the sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat Clumping Wheat Cat Litter. It is flushable, easy to clean, and offers twice the clumping action.
This natural alternative is quite suited for multi-cat households with its unique noble-ion technology. Certain users claim that it does not control odor as effectively.
- Natural and safe alternative to clay litter
- Offers strong clumping action
- Produces dust
- Does not control odor effectively
Find out which is the best litter for declawed cats.
3. Wood
Wood Litter is usually plant-based and a very safe cat litter alternative. These are available either as wood shavings, sawdust, or simply as pellets. Based on your feline’s preferences you can choose from the various shapes and sizes available.
Wood pellets are known to be highly absorbent and possess a natural scent that cats prefer. The pellets are dust-free and biodegradable. Wood shavings, on the other hand, get converted into sawdust once they come in contact with moisture. If the sawdust is not replaced regularly, it can spread in the air and get dusty easily.
Our scores are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 4/5
- Odor Control: 3/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 3/5
- Dust Free: 3/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 3.5/5
One of the best natural alternatives in this range would be the Okocat Premium Wood Clumping Cat Litter. It is 99.9% dust free and forms solid clumps. The next-generation plant-based pellets also help in effective odor control making it a good substitute for harmful clay litter. However, it may cause tracking as claimed by certain users.
- Forms firm and effective clumps
- Offers high absorbance
- Sawdust can cause allergies and form dust
- Can cause litter to track
4. Walnut
Walnut cat litter is purely a recycled product as it is made of walnut shells that are generally considered as waste. The size of the granules determines the softness and texture of the litter which can range from small particles to large granules or pellets.
Finer particles offer quick clumping action whereas larger particles help in absorbing the odor effectively. This cat litter substitute is known to be biodegradable and most of them are also flushable.
Our scores are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 4/5
- Odor Control: 3/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 4/5
- Dust Free: 3/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 4/5
One of the best Walnut Litter alternatives is the Naturally Fresh Unscented Walnut Cat Litter. This formula is quite safe for adult and small kitties and helps in neutralizing dirty odor effectively.
It claims to produce no dust and is highly absorbent as well as flushable and biodegradable. However, it is noted that this litter causes extreme tracking which can lead to dust and allergies.
- Good clumping action
- Offers high absorbance
- Finer particles can stick to your cat’s paws and cause tracking
- Forms dust while pouring or sifting the litter
5. Paper
Paper Cat Litter is known to be one of the safest and cheapest cat litter alternatives. Paper is highly absorbent and soaks in the urine and moisture almost immediately while segregating the solid waste and making it easy to clean the box.
It is also non-dusty and is a good substitute for felines who are injured and have undergone declawing or surgeries. It is very gentle on their sensitive paws and quite smooth in terms of its texture. Paper produces no dust unlike other types and does not cause tracking. it is quite easy to manage due to being light.
Our scores for paper cat litter on a scale of 5 are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 2/5
- Odor Control: 3/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 4/5
- Dust Free: 4/5
- Easy to Clean: 3.5/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 4/5
A high quality best paper cat litter comes from the very well known brand Purina which is Yesterday’s News Original Unscented Paper Cat Litter. It is 99.9% dust free and more absorbent than clay. The product is recommended by veterinarians across the globe.
- Offers high absorbance
- Extremely gentle on cat’s sensitive paws
- Does not offer effective odor control
- Difficult to clean as it does not form clumps
If you are finding affordable litter for your cat then you should check out this cheap cat litter to know more.
6. Pine
Just like Wood Cat Litter, Pine is also a natural plant-derived material. The litter can be made of pine or have added ingredients like guar-gum. Generally, pine wood is heated to a very high temperature to create pellets from wood and sap.
The pellets are very soft but do not clump. However, they are quite sticky which makes them easy to scoop, and they do not form dust. It is light and hypoallergenic. Additionally, it is biodegradable and made from the fallen lumbar trees which makes it eco-friendly.
Our scores for pine cat litter on a scale of 5 are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 1/5
- Odor Control: 3/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 4/5
- Dust Free: 3/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 3/5
One of the best Pine Cat Litters would be the Feline Pine Original Unscented Cat Litter which is all-natural, contains no artificial chemicals or fragrances, and offers high absorbance.
- Soft and gentle pellets
- Offers high absorbance
- Does not offer effective odor control
- Sticks to cat’s paws which may cause tracking
Do you want to know more about the best pine litter, here you check out the complete detailed blog on the best pine litter for cats.
7. Grass
Grass Litter is the most natural form of cat litter as it non-scented, non-dusty, and gives your feline a feeling of the outdoors. It is also very light in weight and gentle on your cat’s paws. Moreover, since it is all-natural, the litter is also biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
There are various options out there which either offer natural grass for cat litter or fine pellets and granules which are made from grass. One such option is Frisco All Natural Unscented Clumping Grass Cat Litter.
Our scores for grass cat litter on a scale of 5 are as follows:
- Clumping Action: 3/5
- Odor Control: 2/5
- Moisture Absorbance: 3/5
- Dust Free: 3/5
- Easy to Clean: 3/5
- Biodegradable: 4/5
- Overall Ratings: 3/5
It is extremely absorbent, forms low dust, and is made of 100% natural grass. It is suitable for multi-cat households. However, it does not offer superior odor control against strong odors. It has a fast clumping action and is easy to scoop.
- Offers high absorbance
- Safe, natural and hypoallergenic
- Not very effective in controlling odor
- Highly priced as compared to other cat litter alternatives
DIY Best Cat Litter Alternatives
Many feline parents may not want to invest in commercially available natural cat litters. Natural Cat Litter substitutes can also be made at home. Wonder How? Here are a few DIY methods that you can try:
8. Chicken Feed, Baking Soda and Cedar Shavings
Chicken Feed is easily available at any local store. All you have to do is grind them to make small pellets, mix them with equal parts of baking soda and cedar shavings and add them to your cat’s litter box.
The natural smell will certainly attract your kitty towards the box while cedar shavings will give the litter a natural effect. Baking soda is known to have excellent odor control and odor absorbing properties.
- Cheap cat litter alternative
- All natural and biodegradable
- Highly absorbent
- Can attract rodents
- Can smell disgusting with frequent use
If your cat has allergic to a few of the litter, then you should check out the hypollergenic cat litter.
9. Shredded Paper, Water, Dish Soap and Baking Soda
Wondering what to do with old newspapers and junk mail. Instead of giving them off as scrap, why not use it in your cat’s litter box? Here is what you can do:
- Simply shred the paper into thin long strips, soak them in water and dish soap inside a tub.
- The paper starts shedding a grey color in the water. Dispose of the water.
- Soak the paper again in the water, this time, without any dish soap.
- Drain the second batch of water as well.
- Sprinkle baking soda on the paper pellets and knead and squeeze them.
- Spread the soaked pellets on a sheet and allow the paper pellets to dry.
- Once completely dry, they are ready to use for your cat’s litter box
- Cheap and easily available raw materials
- Paper pellets are highly absorbent
- Gentle on your feline’s sensitive paws
- Does not work against strong ammonia odor
Do you want to know the best non tracking cat litter? Here you go check it out
Benefits of Using Cat Litter Alternatives
A number of pet parents are switching to natural cat litter alternatives and ditching the idea of clay and scented litter. The major advantages of using natural alternatives are:
- Environmentally safe and biodegradable
- Cost-effective and easily available raw materials
- Can be made at home
- Equally effective as clumping clay litter
- Hypoallergenic and safe for small kittens
- Possess a natural scent which felines prefer
Therefore, cat litter alternatives are safe and effective for felines, humans as well as the environment.
If your feline (Queen) is suffering from asthma, then you should check out the best liiter for cats with asthma.
FAQs
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Do cats prefer litter alternatives?
Maybe! While most cats prefer a litter that is soft on their paws, smells natural and is easy to dig into, the ingredients and materials don’t matter much. If it fulfills your cat’s interests, then they would certainly prefer litter alternatives.
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Are cat litter alternatives better than clay litter?
Yes! In terms of safety and cost, cat litter alternatives are much better than clay litter. However, they may not be as efficient in clumping and scooping as clay litter but are eco-friendly and biodegradable, which helps in reducing landfill waste.
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How often should you replace cat litter?
Once in a week is the ideal recommended time for replacing cat litter in their box. This depends upon the frequency of litter box use, number of cats using the same box, and the type of litter as well.
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Can you make cat litter alternatives at home?
Yes! Cat litter alternatives can be made at home using shredded newspapers, paper pieces, animal feed as well as green tea, and other such items.
It is cheaper and the materials are easily available. You can also use baking soda to curb the odor that comes from dirty cat litter.
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What is the best cat litter alternative?
The best cat litter alternative would be anything that is safe for feline and made of natural materials. It should be highly absorbent and reduce odor, as well as not form dust and be easy to clean.
A few products which work as excellent cat litter alternatives are, World’s Best Clumping Corn Cat Litter, Yesterday’s News Original Unscented Paper Cat Litter, Naturally Fresh Unscented Walnut Cat Litter, etc.
These are made of natural materials like corn, paper pellets, and walnut shells which are safe as well as eco-friendly.
Final Note
While clay litter is known to be the most preferred choice amongst feline parents, a few pet owners understand the health issues that clumping clay can cause and are switching to cat litter alternatives.
These are safe, non-toxic, do not contain allergens or chemicals, and are eco-friendly as well as biodegradable. Many of them are also known to show high absorbance and clumping action, much better than clay litter.
Cat litter alternatives are usually made from natural materials like walnut shells, corn kernels, wheat, pine, wood pellets, and shredded newspaper pieces. These are either dumped as junk or disposed of as trash. Instead, they could be used as natural and safe alternatives to clay pellets.
Our list of the best cat litter alternatives will help you choose the ideal and natural substitute for your kitty’s box and your household.
What better way to reduce landfill waste and contribute to the environment while keeping your kitty safe, Right?