The Best Cat Litter

The stinky, sometimes sticky mess that cats leave in the litter box is easier to handle if you have the right cat litter. After two years of testing 17 cat litters, we think Dr. Elsey’s Ultra does the best job of making litter box chores a little easier, because it masks odors, clumps well, and keeps dust to a minimum. Plus, it’s cheaper than many other options—an important factor, considering this is something you’ll use a lot of in a cat’s lifetime.

We sniffed out how well each formula controlled odors by adding the sulfur-smelling hing spice and an ammonia mixture to each pan.

No brand of cat litter outperforms Dr. Elsey’s Ultra’s combination of solid odor control, scoopability, and low dust profile—all at an affordable price. It’s the only cat litter we found that completely traps simulated cat-waste odors. And its neutral smell is easier to stomach than some litters’ fruity fragrances, which clash with litter box odors. Dr. Elsey’s granules are of average size, so cats are less likely to track litter throughout the house. This litter also quickly clumps when wet, and the clumps retain their shape when you’re scooping better than most other litters. Dr. Elsey’s also produces less dust than half of the brands we tested, and the dust won’t overwhelm you when you’re pouring fresh litter into the pan or scooping out a day’s worth of cat mess. But this litter is sold in a giant plastic bag, which is a pain to carry and pour from. And like most of the litters we tested, Dr. Elsey’s granules are likely to stick to the bottom of a dirty litter pan and can be a pain to deep-clean.

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No litter is so good at controlling scents that it can replace regular scooping and strategic box placement. But if you are very sensitive to litter smells or hate having to constantly dust surfaces near the litter box, consider Arm & Hammer Cloud Control Clumping Litter. It does a good job of trapping odors, and it smells more neutral, not fruity like some other litters we tested, so it’s easier on your nose come scooping time. This litter has fine, sand-like litter granules that form tight clumps and won’t stick to the bottom of a dirty litter pan—but those fine granules do track more litter throughout the home than our main pick does. This cat litter’s low-dust profile means you won’t cough uncontrollably when you’re pouring, scooping, or deep-cleaning the litter box. Arm & Hammer Cloud Control is a good litter overall, but it’s generally about 30 percent more expensive per pound than Dr. Elsey’s Ultra, and most people (and cats) won’t get much more value out of it.

Out of five scoops we used during testing, the DurAnimals DuraScoop Original Cat Litter Scoop is the one we’d buy for ourselves. It’s the only scoop that wasn’t gross by the end of testing, with minimal pee and litter crust on the edge, and no bits of litter stuck in the mesh. The scoop’s generous size and sturdy construction make it easy to rake through the litter box and catch everything. Though the DuraScoop costs more than other scoops, it’s a one-time purchase that will make one of the more unpleasant parts of your day nicer and keep your litter box cleaner.