Cats are adorable little fur balls… but how can something so cute be so gross sometimes? Cat litter boxes are notorious for emitting horrific odors that flow through your house.
Yes, you could light up some scented candles to combat the smell, but why not get the best cat litter you can to eliminate the smell altogether?
But it’s not easy to get the right cat litter. With so many different types available, you need to focus on one that meets the needs of both you and your cat.
Is scooping up the waste making life difficult or is dust and tracking an issue? Or perhaps you want a special feature, like litter that indicates your cat’s health.
If the smell is becoming a problem for you, it’s worth prioritizing it and picking a cat litter that specializes in controlling litter box odors. So, not any odor control cat litter will do the trick – here are some of the best ones out there.
Our Top 5 Picks of the Best Cat Litter for Odor Control
Cat litter can use a range of ingredients to help deal with an odor problem, such as carbon, silica gel crystals, or anything else that’s highly absorbent, trapping the smell inside. Some even include additional fragrances too to mask the smell.
But cats are haughty and opinionated; they want the best and you need to give it to them.
There are lots of cat litter to choose from though, so here are some of the best cat litter for odor control to keep both your cat and nose happy.
Product
Details
Best Overall
Healthy Pet’s Ökocat Litter
- MATERIAL: WOOD
- ITEM WEIGHT: 13.2POUND
Hypoallergenic Option
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat
- MATERIAL: CLAY LITTER
- ITEM WEIGHT: 18 POUND
Great Scented Option
Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control
- MATERIAL: FIBER
- ITEM WEIGHT:14POUND
For Sensitive Cats
Cat’s Pride Total Odor Control
- MATERIAL: CLAY
- ITEM WEIGHT:15POUND
Affordable Option
Tidy Cats Free & Clean
- MATERIAL:CLAY
- ITEM WEIGHT:13.89POUND
1. Healthy Pet’s Ökocat Litter
This premium next-generation clumping litter is plant-based making it environmentally friendly. Since over 2.6 million tons of clumping clay litter are sent to landfills each year, it’s time to make a change.
This clumping litter is made from sustainably sourced wood; it’s biodegradable and eco-friendly, but not flushable.
Being all-natural has an added benefit to the smell too. Although there are no fragrances, dyes, or chemicals added to the litter, it still has a scent to mask smells, but it’s a vague and natural one that won’t irritate your cat.
It’s low on dust so it doesn’t irritate you either. The wood fibers are screened and removed from as much dust as possible to reduce the clouds left hanging in your house. However, it’s not completely dust-free and you’ll still experience some. Still, it comes with less dust than some other brands.
The wood fibers are also particularly absorbent, able to start absorbing as soon as liquid hits them. And it’s not just cat urine it absorbs either, but ammonia too, trapping smells before they have a chance to stink up the room.
It’s a lightweight clumping wood litter too that clumps very well, making it easy to scoop and dispose of. In fact, it clumps so tightly that you won’t waste much litter, meaning it can last up to seven weeks, making it more cost-effective despite being a more expensive option.
Pros
- Naturally scented
- Clumps well
- Minimal tracking
- Sustainable and eco-friendly
Cons
- A more expensive option
- Not flushable
- Some reports of dust
Healthy Pet’s Ökocat Litter
The Price of “Healthy Pet’s Ökocat Litter” varies, so check the latest price at
2. Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat
Dr. Elsey’s litter uses veterinarian-formulated solutions to keep cats and owners alike happy. And by focusing more on pets’ well-being than profits, they can make sure this premium-quality litter stays affordable.
The pellets alone are impressive, with a soft texture for your cat paws that are the right size to help reduce tracking. Since it’s made entirely from bentonite clay, it’s not environmentally friendly but it’s an excellent clumping clay litter.
The clay absorbs effectively and stops liquid from reaching the bottom, keeping the box clean and making it easier to scoop waste. However, it can be heavy, so you’ll need some heavy-duty trash bags for disposal.
Despite being made from clay, it’s quite low on dust to help keep a dust-free house. But it’s worth keeping in mind that it’s not completely dust-free litter. However, it’s hypoallergenic for anyone with allergies.
Crucially, it’s an excellent odor-control cat litter. Whether you live in a house with a single cat or multiple cats, Dr. Elsey’s kitty litter keeps your home smelling fresh, absorbing any liquid and trapping the litter box odors inside.
Pros
- Affordable
- Excellent cat litter for best odor control
- Unscented
- Great at clumping for easy cleaning
- Hypoallergenic
- Low tracking
- Low dust levels
Cons
- Clay litter so heavier than others
- Not dust-free
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat
The Price of “Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat” varies, so check the latest price at
3. Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control
If your cat’s odor is really starting to ruin your home, what could be better than an odor-controlling cat litter with the word ‘extreme’ in its name?
This scented cat litter teams up with Febreze for maximum odor control, working in two ways. Firstly, it deodorizes any smells with Febreze, making your home smell as crisp and clean as a mountain spring.
Secondly, it uses activated charcoal and ammonia-blocking technology to eliminate any odors. It’s guaranteed to control odors for 10 days even if you have lots of cats using it!
Thanks to its low levels of dust, it makes it easier to keep your house clean, without dust on surfaces or dusty paws all over the place. However, it’s not completely dust-free.
With ClumpLock technology, its effective clumping makes it easy to scoop the litter box clean, absorbing liquid to create hard, tight lumps that don’t crumble apart.
Buying this litter can support cats in need too. Fresh Step supports over 1,300 animal shelters across the US and donates more than 6 million scoops of Fresh Step litter to help them out.
Pros
- Affordable
- Traps odors inside the litter
- Guaranteed odor control for 10 days
- ClumpLock technology allows for easy scooping
- Scented to mask the bad smells
Cons
- Some cats might dislike the scent
- Users report more dust than expected
Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control
The Price of “Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control” varies, so check the latest price at
4. Cat’s Pride Total Odor Control
Cat’s Pride litter uses its patented Max Power formula to trap odors, eliminating them immediately and not even giving them a chance to release a smell in the first place. And it guarantees this level of odor control for up to 10 days. Without any added scents or fragrances, it’s perfect for cats with sensitive noses too.
As a clumping cat litter, it creates tight clumps for easy scooping and disposal. But some users have found that the solid clumps aren’t as tight as some other cat litters, sometimes sticking to the side of the litter box and resulting in tracking.
But since it’s 25% lighter than traditional clumping cat litter, it makes pouring and disposing of it in the trash easier.
Cat’s Pride also donates to animal welfare organizations too. With over 3 million cats entering shelters every single year, buying this litter is a way of doing your bit to help. Each jug of litter you buy results in a pound of litter being donated, helping other cats as well as your own.
Pros
- Effective odor control
- Absorbs into clumps
- Lightweight
- Low dust levels
- Donates to animal welfare organizations
Cons
- Super soft clumps can require extra cleaning
- Results in some tracking
Cat’s Pride Total Odor Control
The Price of “Cat’s Pride Total Odor Control” varies, so check the latest price at
5. Tidy Cats Free & Clean
Purina Tidy Cats is America’s number-one litter brand and for a good reason – it does the job well!
Although unscented, this litter has a 4-in-1 strength that fights urine, fecal, ammonia, and bacterial odors for up to 10 days. No added fragrances are needed since the activated charcoal included can absorb odors and stops them from lingering and spreading throughout the house.
Besides odors, it also absorbs liquids and clumps well, forming tight clumps that are easy to scoop.
It’s low on dust as well, allowing for a clean pour without lots of dust to clean up. However, it’s not completely dust-free and won’t eliminate the need for cleaning up, especially since it can result in some tracking.
Pros
- Affordable
- Odor control for 10 days
- Uses TidyLock technology and charcoal for maximum odor control
- Unscented for sensitive noses
- Very low on dust
Cons
- Can cause some tracking
- Not completely dust free
Tidy Cats Free & Clean
The Price of “Tidy Cats Free & Clean” varies, so check the latest price at
What To Look For in the Best Overall Cat Litter for Odor Control
When looking for the best kitty litter, don’t just settle on the first one you find that claims to be able to control odors – lots claim to do that.
You want to find a litter that absorbs cat waste effectively, clumps well so it’s easy to scoop, and doesn’t create a load of mess that your cat tracks all over the house.
Here are the top things cat owners should keep in mind and look out for when buying cat litter for superior odor control.
Material
The most common material is probably clay cat litter, made specifically from bentonite clay. It’s affordable, effective, and clumps well for easy scooping. However, it’s not biodegradable or environmentally friendly. Silica gel is also a great option since it captures odors and neutralizes them. Natural litter is also available, using materials such as wood, corn, wheat, and paper. These cat litters are biodegradable and eco-friendly with lower levels of dust. Many of them can even be flushed away too, making disposal easy!
Absorbency
It’s crucial that litter absorbs liquid, otherwise the bottom of the litter box will be soaked in urine and emit an overpowering odor. Clay is highly absorbent, as are many natural cat litters.Crystal litter is even more so; with millions of pores in each grain, it’s very effective at absorbing liquid and trapping odors.
Clumping Ability
Clumping isn’t necessary, but it makes scooping waste simple and keeping the litter box clean easy. Clay is particularly excellent since bentonite clay clumps into hard lumps that are easiest to remove. However, other materials are also able to clump well.
Tracking
Cat litter should stay in the litter box, but it frequently ends up on the floor when it sticks to your cat’s paw. However, there are some cat litters that track more than others, such as ones with larger grains. If you don’t want to end up cleaning your floor frequently, aim for cat litter that promises minimal tracking.
Odor Control
Some cat litter uses fragrances to combat odor, but many cats have sensitive noses and dislike this. That’s why you should look for unscented litter that neutralizes smells, instead of just masking them. Ideally, standard litter includes other ingredients to neutralize odors, such as baking soda or activated charcoal.
FAQ’s
Cat litter isn’t as simple as just filling a box and leaving it. You need to know the right sort of cat litter to get, how often to change it… and a few tips on making it smell better can’t hurt!
Is Clumping or Non-Clumping Litter Better?
This isn’t always an easy answer – it’s often a personal decision for you and your cat.
A quick warning though: if you have a kitten, try to use non-clumping cat litter. There’s a risk that the small clumps they create can be a choking hazard if they put it in their mouth.
In general, it’s often easier to choose clumping litter. They tend to leave less tracking and it’s much easier to clean up after your cat goes.
How Often Should I Change Kitty Litter?
Fortunately, you don’t need to change the whole litter box each time your cat goes to the bathroom. But ideally, you want to clean out their soiled litter whenever they go to the bathroom.
Aim for scooping out their waste at least twice a day in the morning and evening. This stops your cat from getting fussy and causing an accident. Alternatively, you could always get an automatic litter box to do it all for you!
You should also change the entire box of litter regularly too, but not as often. Aim for about once a week or so, unless otherwise stated. For example, some cat litter claims to control waste odors for up to 10 days, so try to change that type of litter every week and a half.
What Can You Put in Cat Litter To Make It Smell Better?
There’s nothing like a stinky litter box to ruin a perfectly good home. Luckily for you, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the litter box odor: clean the litter box regularly, wash it every month or so, and keep it in an area with ventilation.
You can even add things to a litter box to improve the odor too. Some litter already includes ingredients like activated charcoal to eliminate odors, but you can always add some baking soda.
It might sound strange, but it’s safe for cats and acts as a natural deodorizer, reducing the smell by absorbing odors.
Final Thoughts
Your cat’s litter box can seem like an unpleasant chore at times, an unfortunate part of owning a cat. But with the right cat litter, it can make cleaning up after them much easier.
And with cat litter that controls odors, you can keep your house smelling crisp and fresh no matter how often your cat goes to the bathroom.
