6 Best Natural Cat Litters (2024) – Wood, Corn, Wheat and Nut Options
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Kitty litter is a must-have resource for pet parents looking after kitties. Unless you want your feline friends to make their bathroom wherever they choose, you’ll need to provide them with a litter box (or two), and litter they can dig in to cover their mess.
There is a huge variety of cat litter to choose from in the market today, ranging from clumping to non-clumping formulas.
Read this next: What’s the Best Cat Litter: Clumping vs Non Clumping litter?
Natural cat litters are glittermore attention in recent years, as they promise a more organic, eco-friendly, and safe solution for your cat’s bathroom habits.
These products are particularly useful for cats with respiratory issues, allergies, and sensitivities to common chemicals.
So, which is the best natural cat litter?
Our Top 3 Choices
Best Overall
ÖKOCAT Natural Wood Clumping Litter
Best Value
ARM & HAMMER Naturals Cat Litter
Premium Choice
Next Gen Pet Green Tea Fresh Cat Litter
Our Top 3 Picks
Examining some of the most effective natural cat litters on the market, we chose these three options as our overall top picks.
We selected these cat litters based on their sustainability, performance, and ingredients, to ensure cats and pet owners get the best possible experience.
1. ÖKOCAT Natural Wood Clumping Litter (Best Overall)
Unscented, and soft enough to cater to delicate paws, the OKOCAT natural cat litter is an excellent choice for anyone interested in chemical-free litters.
This plant-based clumping litter has a texture similar to clay, so it’s easy for kittens and cats to dig through. The wood fibers help to absorb liquid and minimize odors while reducing ammonia.
What’s more, the product is 99% dust-free, which means it’s great for both cats and owners with respiratory issues.
There are no artificial fragrances, perfumes, chemicals, dyes, and toxic components to worry about, and the clumping formula makes your litter box easier to clean.
Pros
Cons
2. ARM & HAMMER Naturals Cat Litter (Value Pick)
Arm & Hammer’s Naturals cat litter is designed to deliver an odor-free home, without chemicals. This product uses a combination of plant extracts, corn and baking soda to reduce odor issues.
What’s more, it’s highly absorbent and capable of soaking up more than twice as much liquid as your standard clay litter.
A low dust formula helps to reduce the issue of tracking in your home. At the same time, the specially formulated solution is lighter than traditional cat litter, making it easier to pour and carry. This solution is even carefully designed for multi-cat households.
Pros
Cons
3. Next Gen Pet Green Tea Fresh Cat Litter (Premium Pick)
100-natural, with fantastic odor control, this “Next Gen” cat litter combines phenomenal absorption rates with a compostable, and lightweight formula.
The green tea fresh design helps to minimize unwanted smells throughout your house, while the lightweight design makes the litter easier to pour, sift through, and clean.
This product comes with built-in green tea and wood components to suppress the growth of bacteria and the formation of ammonia in the litter box. Plus, it’s sustainably sourced and created, so you don’t have to worry about your impact on the planet.
Pros
Cons
Additional Picks for Natural Cat Litter
While the options above are likely to work well for a range of cat owners, they might not be ideal for everyone.
If you’ve tried our top picks, and you’re not happy, or you want to look for an alternative type of litter, here are some additional suggestions.
4. Naturally Fresh Cat Litter
This “Naturally Fresh” cat litter comes in a range of sizes, so you can buy in bulk if you’re looking to save cash. The ultra-absorbent formula means a single bag of this litter should absorb up to the same amount as 3 bags of regular clay litter.
What’s more, the product is virtually dust-free, eliminating respiratory issues and tracking problems.
Completely natural and environmentally friendly, this biodegradable product is based on a “walnut” formula, with no dangerous chemicals or additives.
Pros
Cons
5. Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter
Easy to clean and absorbent, the Feline Pine non-clumping wood cat litter is ideal for pet parents who prefer the simplicity and longevity of non-clumping formulas.
The wood-based litter has no unwanted chemicals or additives to worry about, and you get two bags in a pack, so your purchase should last longer, even with multiple cats.
The product promises a naturally fresh scent, without any extra fragrances added which could irritate your cat’s nose. There’s also fantastic odor control built-in.
Pros
Cons
6. sWheat ScoopMulti-Cat All-Natural Clumping Cat Litter
Another fantastic pick for pet parents with multiple cats to care for, the sWheat Wheat-based cat litter is great for managing odor.
This ultra-absorbent and all-natural letter can help to reduce ammonia and cat urine odors, and it comes with a clumping design for easy scooping. You can even flush some of this litter down the toilet if necessary.
The biodegradable wheat has natural enzymes and starches built-in, which trap odors on contact.
What’s more, you can rest assured that this lightweight product should be easier to lift and pour than many other cat litters.
Pros
Cons
What is a Natural Cat Litter?
Natural cat litter is a popular alternative to most of the more common clumping and non-clumping litters on the market today.
Rather than using clay and silica gel or silica dust, these cat litter are usually made with biodegradable and sustainable materials, such as wood, or sawdust.
Natural cat litter can be an excellent choice for a pet owner concerned about the environment, because it’s easy to dispose of, without damaging the planet.
Some products can even be flushed down your toilet.
These products also don’t have any chemicals or added synthetic fragrances which could irritate a sensitive cat.
Natural cat litter simply needs to use all-natural, biodegradable, and easily recyclable products, which have no problematic impact on the environment.
Read this next: Best Cat Litter For Multiple Cats
Why Use Natural Cat Litter?
There are plenty of reasons why a pet parent might prefer to choose natural cat litter over a conventional commercial option.
Natural cat litters are better for the environment, with more sustainable ingredients and materials.
They’re biodegradable, so they don’t take up space at a landfill, and they require very little production.
Natural cat litters are often considered healthier than its conventional counterparts too. Clay litters often contain chemicals that can lead to allergen problems among some cats.
Many clay cat litters can also aggravate dust sensitivities among both cats and their owners.
Notably, natural cat litters don’t cause any damage when they’re accidentally consumed by your cats either.
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Cats naturally wash regularly, which can mean they end up eating small amounts of litter over time.
Natural litter shouldn’t lead to any medical issues.
How to Choose the Right Natural Cat Litter?
There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for choosing the perfect natural cat litter. For most people, the decision will come down to personal preference, as well as the preference of your cat.
Some felines are more comfortable using certain kinds of litter. Some points to consider include:
Types of Natural Cat Litter
There is a huge range of different forms of natural cat litter in the market today.
Some are based on nuts and grains like walnuts, while others leverage wood and sawdust. Some of the most common formulas you’ll find include:
Read this next: 7 Best Flushable Cat Litters
FAQs
How do I make homemade cat litter?
As natural cat litters become more popular, many people are beginning to create their own litter alternatives. You can create your own cat litter using recycled paper, baking soda, and similar natural ingredients. Wheat grains are also a good option.
What is natural cat litter?
Natural cat litter is simply any form of cat litter made with natural, biodegradable, and sustainable ingredients. The products are usually “natural” in nature, made with plant fibers and wood, rather than clay and chemicals.
Is there an alternative to cat litter?
You could always try training your kitty to go to the bathroom outside, and some pet parents even teach their cats how to use the toilet, although this is a difficult process not everyone can manage. Outside of these options, you can try potting soil, wood pellets, sawdust, wood shavings, and newspapers as an alternative to cat litter.
Which natural litter is best for cats?
This all depends on your cat and your preferences. Any natural cat litter should be better for your feline friend than a chemical-based alternative. Try looking for something that feels comfortable for your cat to use, and eliminates odors.
Best Natural Cat Litters: The Verdict
Our favorite natural cat litter overall is the ÖKOCAT super-soft wood clumping litter. It’s a clumping litter, so it’s easy to scoop and clean.
Plus, there’s very little excess dust, and a fantastic level of absorbency to look forward to with this litter. The soft pellets are easy on sensitive paws, and the product is great for controlling odor too.
Additionally, the lightweight structure makes the litter reasonably easy to lift and pour.
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