Cleaning the litterbox is not a chore that most cat owners enjoy. However, it’s important to your cat’s health that it’s maintained regularly. You don’t want your home to smell either from one or more dirty litter boxes. Picking the world’s best cat litter for odor control is what every pet owner needs.
Since your cat won’t clean its own litterbox (that’s what humans are for), you need to know that there is a way to do the job right. Unless you have one of the best self-cleaning litter boxes, picking a high quality world’s best cat litter for odor control will save you a lot of trouble.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose the best cat litter for odor control, what makes it the best and what other cheap brands out there. We’ve picked and reviewed the world’s best cat litter as well as fourteen alternatives and these top five brands:
| Cat Litter for Odor Control | Price | Quality | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Litter | $$$$ | A |  |
| Arm & Hammer Double Duty Litter | $$ | A- |  |
| Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Litter | $$$ | B+ | |
| Arm & Hammer Multi-Cat Litter | $$$ | B |  |
| Purina Yesterday’s News Unscented Litter | $$$ | B | |
* Click on the best cat litter brand for more information, prices and info. Or see below for more details.
With that in mind, here are some of the best cat litter for odor control on the market. Just click the name of the cat litter, and the link will take you to where you can buy it:
What Is the Best Cat Litter for Odor Control?
2017’s top 15 best litter for cats brands
1 Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Litter
The first on the list of best cat litter for odor control is the most popular option out there. This cat litter from Precious is hypo-allergenic and doesn’t contain any plant proteins. It also doesn’t contain any deodorants or perfumes.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
The reason it’s one of the world’s best cat litter for odor control is due to the quality of manufacturing and this being an all-natural clumping cat litter too. It’s 99.9% dust-free, and the granules are heavy and non-tracking for less mess tracked across your floor.
Another point is that this litter prevents moisture from leaking to the bottom of the litterbox or tray. It can be using for automatic sifting mechanical litterboxes as a bonus.
2 Arm & Hammer Double Duty Clumping Litter
Arm & Hammer is yet another popular option among pet owners, and often considered one of the best cat litter for odor control brands. This cat litter comes in a 17-pound pail for easy lifting. The lightweight formula provides around the clock odor control.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
It’s also 50% lighter than the leading litter which clumps. It’s made for households with multiple cats. For easy scooping, the litter forms into tight, strong clumps. It’s 99% dust free and makes cleaning your cat’s litter box an easy job.
3 Arm & Hammer Multi-Cat Clump & Seal Litter
Further to the above mentioned best cat litter for odor control from Arm & Hammer is another option from the same company. This cat litter has a 7-day odor-free guarantee with ultra-low dust. It seals and destroys odor after your cat uses the litterbox.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
It’s one of the best clumping cat litter on the market today. There aren’t any crumbly clumps to scope up, and it has the strength to handle multiple cats. It’s also 99% dust free making cleaning and maintaining this best litter for cats an easy work.
4 Arm & Hammer Multi-Cat Extra Strength Fresh Scent Litter
As mentioned above, the Arm & Hammer has conquered the best cat litter for odor control niche with some of the cheapest and yet most effective brands. This litter has a 7-day guarantee to keep on smelling fresh. It’s 100% dust free, 50% lighter; and the litter seals and destroys odor.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
Just like the above two Arm & Hammer cat litters, this one is one of the best clumping cat litter brands and it won’t have crumbly clumps which fall apart when it’s scoped up.
5 Purina Yesterday’s News Unscented Cat Litter
The fifth best cat litter for odor control is from a known pet brand Purina. This comes in a one pound bag and is non-clumping. U.S. veterinarians recommend it highly. It’s made from recycled paper and is 99.7% dust free.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
It’s also three times more absorbent than clay litter by volume and has effective odor control. The soft paper pellets are especially gentle on a cat’s sensitive paws. Purina is a highly regarded brand of pet products, and have wonderful customer support for those pet owners that always need some advice and help on the use of their cat litter.
6 Feline Pine Original Litter
Feline Pine litter is chemical free and safe for your cat because it’s 100% natural. It’s designed to be used in multiple cat households.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
There isn’t any dust so there’s no tracking. It fully absorbs all the liquid as if there were a thousand tiny sponges in the litterbox.
7 Precious Cat Dr. Elsey’s Long Haired Litter
This litter is especially good for long haired cats, and it won’t stick to or color your cat’s fur. It’s made of silica gel and is combined with hydrolyzed herbs which attracts cats to the litterbox.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
It also traps urine and odor as well as it being hypo-allergenic, biodegradable and non-toxic. It is easy to scoop with a low tracking formula so that it doesn’t spread throughout the house.
8 Ever Clean Extra Strength Litter
At the eight place of best cat litter for odor control is a well-regarded brand from Ever Clean. This litter is fragrance free and has maximum clumping power. This is a good litter for people and cats who are bothered by strong perfumed products.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
This extra strength best clumping cat litter works well for any case and any cat, but it’s unscented in case odor itself is important for you. It still grabs cat odors though and holds them in the litterbox, so it does the job of controlling your cat’s odor very well.
9 Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Clumping Litter
Your cat will appreciate the softer feel of this litter as well as the no crumbly clumps. It has a 7-day odor-free guarantee. It has low dust for low tracking throughout your home.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
As the above three already mentioned best cat litter for odor control brands, this is a similar type of best clumping cat litter from Arm & Hammer with a slightly different variation of fresh scent and different granules used for the litter itself.
10 sWheat Scoop Multi-Cat All-Natural Litter
At the tenth place of world’s best cat litter for odor control is a popular brand from sWheat Scoop. This litter is 100% biodegradable with no added dyes or perfumes. It has long-lasting, powerful odor control; and it clumps quickly for easy scooping.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
This is one of the best vet recommended cat litter brands and great for multiple-cat homes. The powerful and long lasting odor control actually works unlike in some other brands, making it easy to maintain fresh scent at home.
11 Fresh Step 02030 Clay Scented Litter
A less popular but more affordable best cat litter for odor control is from Fresh Step. This litter combines an absorbent high quality clay with activated charcoal to eliminate odor. To stop odor causing bacteria, anti-microbial agents are added.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
This is a cheap non-clumping cat litter where it’s clumping clay needs little maintenance. It absorbs wetness and eliminates odors, and seem to work fairly well for the price that it costs, although there are better brands out there.
12 Nature’s Miracle Intense Defense Clumping Litter
This 12th best cat litter for odor control is from a very famous company called Nature’s Miracle that are known for manufacturing high quality products. And while this best clumping cat litter performs powerfully against feces odors, ammonia and urine, it doesn’t seem to be the highest question.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
It also helps to reduce the territorial odors in cat pans with happen in multi-cat homes; and it’s quick clumping. It fights the odors caused by bacteria too. Even though it may not be the best compared to many other brands, the price makes it very affordable.
13 Boxiecat Premium Clumping Clay Litter
The Boxiecat clumping litter for cats is veterinarian recommended and is 99.9% dust free. It has a new and improved formula for controlling dust and many pet owners found this to be one of the most effective cat litters from the affordable options.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
The clumps of litter stay hard, and the box will stay ultra-clean even after scooping it for weeks. The fact that it’s all-natural and unscented may be the primary reason to pick this best litter for cats if none of the above brands are a good fit.
14 SmartCat All Natural Clumping Litter
SmartCat is a new brand on the market that quickly gained traction among pet owners. This best cat litter for odor control brand is made from grass, doesn’t have an odor, but it still helps with litterbox odor control.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
Just like most other cat litter brands, it’s 99% dust free to cut down on tracking through the home. It out clumps clay and is lightweight. There’s a good price for value that comes with this brand and many pet owners are very happy with the results.
15 Better Way Flushable Litter
This last one of the best cat litter for odor control brands can be flushed down your toilet, but it isn’t recommended for homes that have septic tanks. It forms strong easy to remove clumps. The granules are small and easy on soft paws, and they control both urine and feces odors.
- Cat litter reviews: Read what other pet owners are saying
The smaller granules keep the litterbox fresh and easier to clean because the urine doesn’t reach the bottom of the cat litter pan.
As you can see, there are many choices of world’s best cat litter for odor control brands on the market. Choose the top rated one that will work for your cat and that has positive feedback from cat litter reviews from other pet owners. Also, pick the one where you cats that keeps your home smelling fresh.
How to Use the Best Cat Litter and Clean the Litterbox
One thing to keep in mind before choosing the best cat litter for odor control is that the urine and feces in a cat’s box can be harmful to people. So, you need to have the right tools to do the job, and that includes the right type of clumping cat litter brand.
Before cleaning the litter box of your cat, you should put on rubber gloves and a mask. This is because toxoplasmosis is a virus which can be contracted through handling or breathing in cat feces.
If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t be doing cat boxes at all. It can be dangerous to your unborn baby. So, you need to have another family member take over the job. When you do the box, remove all the feces and clumps of urine at least once a day. Also dispose of the used cat litter immediately. Don’t leave it in a bag to throw away later.
If you’re planning on changing the litterbox and throwing out the used litter, you’ll need the mask and gloves here as well. Here, empty the old litter into a plastic trash bag or a sealable container used just for that purpose.
Use a scoop to scrape off any litter which has dried in the corners of the litterbox too. Make sure all the litter goes inside the bag and not on the floor as well. The mask will help you avoid the dust from the litter when it’s dumped.
Make sure you dump your sealable container used for old litter regularly into a strong trash bag. Double or triple up the trash bag by placing it into one or more strong trash bags before you take it to the curb. When the sealable container gets too dirty then you need to buy another one. If you’re lucky enough to have a cat that likes liners, then just pull the liner off the corners of the litter box or pan and put everything in the trash bag.
Next is scrubbing the litterbox with a sponge, dish detergent and warm water regularly. Be sure to wear your gloves while doing this part as well. If the litterbox has a lid, wash that as well. Don’t clean the litterbox in the kitchen sink or bathtub.
It needs to be washed outside and use a bucket especially designated for that only. After the litterbox is scrubbed, the rinse off all the soap. You can air dry it or dry it with a towel that you keep for just this purpose. Add about two or three fresh scopes of litter to the box, or add a liner and then the litter.
Cleaning your cat’s litterbox is important. But it’s also important to do it safely.
Why my cat won’t use the litterbox?
There are reasons why a cat won’t use its litterbox. The main reason is because it’s dirty. Just like you don’t enjoy using a dirty bathroom, your cat doesn’t like to use a dirty smelly box.
Another problem may be not enough litterboxes for the number of cats that you have. The rule of thumb is that you should have one more litterboxes than you have cats.
Some other main reasons for a cat not using the litterbox are listed below:
- If you use a poor choice of litter. Some cats don’t like crystals, pellets or non-clumping litter. The cats may find it uncomfortable to walk on the litter, and the urine isn’t always completely removed leaving a residue in the litterbox.
- If the litterbox is in a poor location such as in a place where there is constant people traffic or noise.
- If the box is blocked for use by another cat whose dominant.
- If your cat can’t relax enough to use the litterbox because of a dog, a child; loud noises or a house environment that’s disruptive.
- If the box is too small for the size of the cat or if there are too few boxes.
- If your cat has a medical issue such as diabetes, cystitis, a urethral blockage or a kidney stone. For these problems, your cat should see the vet immediately.
Cats that don’t use the litterbox have a reason for not doing so. A cat would rather use a litterbox than not use it.
What to do to keep your cat litterbox happy
There are some things which you can do to keep your cat consistently using the litterbox. Be sure to scoop the litterbox at least twice daily if not more. Use a litter than clumps unless you have a kitten younger than 6-7 weeks old.
Be sure the litter that you use is unscented. Plus, make sure that the litter is deep enough in the litterbox so that your cat can cover its business.
In addition, use large litterboxes. You can never have too big of a litterbox, but you can have too small of one. Place the litterboxes in a quiet private area away from noise and foot traffic.
Another thing you can use is a litter mat that will keep litter debris under control that’s comfortable for your cat to walk on. If your cat stops using the litterbox, talk to your vet. There could be a medical reason for the issue.
What not to do with a litterbox
Additionally, there are things not to do with a litterbox. Don’t use litter that doesn’t clump except for kittens that are younger than 6-7 weeks. Don’t use plastic grass mats.
Do not punish your cat if it doesn’t use the litterbox; there’s always a reason it’s not doing so. Keeping your cat’s litterbox clean and fresh is beneficial for cats and people.
Disclosure: We may earn sales commissions at no cost to you from the links on this page. This did not affect our assessment of products. Read more here and find full disclosure here.
