10 Best Cat Litters for Multiple Cats In 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

Cats can be notoriously particular about their litter boxes. While some seem to be relatively mellow regarding litter consistency and scooping frequency, others can be substantially more demanding. When it comes to litter products, there are many options, including clay, crystal, biodegradable, scented, and unscented products.

But not all cats tolerate the same products. Having multiple cats at home also means you have to deal with more waste, which can pack quite a punch, making top-notch odor control a must. If you’re looking for information on litter for multiple cat households, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find our reviews of the 10 best cat litters for multiple cats.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

The 10 Best Cat LItters For Multiple Cats

1. Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter – Best Overall

Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Clay Litter is the best overall cat litter for multiple cats we reviewed. It’s specifically designed to meet the needs of multi-cat households and comes packed with odor-fighting features. It clumps to make scooping out waste incredibly easy and features activated charcoal to trap and neutralize odors— protection can last for up to 10 days.

A gentle whiff of Febreeze is released every time your cats take a bathroom break. Its extra-large particles keep cats from tracking bits of litter around the house. And it features a low-dust formulation that minimizes your cats’ exposure to irritating particles. However, Fresh Step isn’t biodegradable.

2. Scoop Away Multi-Cat Meadow Fresh Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter — Best Value

Scoop Away Multi-Cat Meadow Fresh Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is the best cat litter for multiple cats for the money. Its virtually dust-free formula reduces the particulates released in your home, which is good news for allergy sufferers on a budget! It features antimicrobial agents to control bacterial growth (and odors).

Its powerful Ammonia Shield technology efficiently traps cat urine smells. The odor protection is good for a week or so with regular scooping, and a meadow-like scent is released every time one of your cats digs in. Unfortunately, like most clay products, it’s not biodegradable.

3. Naturally Fresh Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Walnut Cat Litter — Premium Choice

Naturally Fresh Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Walnut Cat Litter is a fantastic sustainable option that provides solid odor control. It’s a great choice for those with allergies, as it produces little dust and is designed to limit tracking. However, you’ll still have to clean up around your cats’ litter boxes to keep things sanitary.

The walnut shells do a great job absorbing liquid waste and forming nice firm clumps. The litter can trap and control odors about three times more effectively than most clay products. Naturally Fresh also does a fantastic job of soaking up urine odors. It’s sustainable and biodegradable, and scented options are available for extra odor control.

4. Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter — Best for Kittens

Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter is a top choice for kittens, and it features tiny granules that are designed to be gentle on kittens’ paws. It’s suitable for kittens between the ages of 8 weeks and 1 year old. It clumps when exposed to urine to make cleaning up after the littlest members of your family incredibly easy.

And it can even be used in some self-cleaning litter boxes. It features a special herbal scent to encourage kittens to explore and become comfortable using the litter box. It’s unscented and designed to be largely dust-free, making it a good choice for those sensitive to environmental dust. Unfortunately, the product only comes in 20-pound bags.

5. Arm & Hammer Litter Clump and Seal Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

Arm and Hammer Litter Clump and Seal Multi-Cat Scented Clay Cat Litter provides solid odor protection. It effectively deals with odors for up to 7 days, making it incredibly easy to keep your home smelling like roses. It offers the convenience of clumping clay litter while producing less dust than similar products; it’s 99.9 percent dust-free.

The litter is also designed to minimize tracking to keep your home cleaner. Scooping your cats’ litter is incredibly easy, thanks to the large, firm clumps formed when your cats go to the bathroom. It features baking soda for odor control and a subtle fragrance to hide pungent cat pee smells.

6. Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter

Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter offers outstanding odor protection in an earth-friendly package. It’s made of recycled paper and is biodegradable. Because it doesn’t contain clay, you don’t have to worry about dust particles being kicked up every time your cats head to the bathroom.

It does produce dust, just not that much. The pellets are designed to keep their form and limit tracking, so you’ll likely have fewer litter trails to clean up. It’s unscented, making it a great option if fragrances annoy you or your cats since it relies on baking soda to deliver odor protection. It soaks up about three times as much pee as the average clay product. Paper litters, like Fresh News, are good choices for cats with tender paws.

7. Frisco Summer Clean Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Frisco Summer Clean Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter provides fantastic odor control in a lightweight package. It features non-clumping silica gel, which can soak up liquid waste and dry out feces. It doesn’t contain crystalline silica, which can be toxic to cats.

It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a low-tracking brand that provides outstanding odor control. You merely remove your cats’ feces daily and give the rest of the litter a good stir to mix things up. Keep in mind that some cats dislike the texture of crystal litter, and cats can experience tummy trouble if they eat a ton of silica litter for some unexpected reason.

8. Frisco Lavender Fields Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

Frisco Lavender Fields Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is a fantastic clumping option that features a soft scent that hides odors like a champ. Because the fragrance is only released when cats go to the bathroom, it’s a nice option for those looking for a lightly scented brand. It doesn’t produce much dust, and it’s a good choice for allergy-suffering cats and humans.

To make your life even easier, you can use it in some automatic litter boxes. Its soft sand-like texture is gentle on feline paws. Two other scented options are available: Fresh Scent and Tropical Breeze. Like most clay litters, it’s not biodegradable.

9. Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Attract Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Attract Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is specifically formulated to meet the odor control needs of multi-cat households. It features a special herbal scent, Cat Attract, that encourages kitties to check out the facilities. It’s a fine choice if one of your cats has litter box issues, and many cats love the product’s texture and granule size.

It clumps incredibly well, making litter box cleaning incredibly easy. While it’s not a high dust-producing option, you’ll still have to deal with dust when pouring new litter into the box.

10. Feline Pine Platinum Natural Pine Cat Litter

Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a natural unscented, non-clumping option. It’s made of sustainably sourced pine shavings formed into urine-absorbing and natural odor protection-providing pellets. It features baking soda to help control odors. The pine shavings used in the pellets are lumber mill byproducts. It’s formulated to produce minimal dust and to limit tracking. It’s totally dye and artificial fragrance-free — so it’s a great choice if you or your pet have sensitive skin. It has a soft, light texture that’s kind to feline paws. Unfortunately, it’s only available in one size.

Things to Keep in Mind When Selecting Cat Litter

Scented products keep urine smells under control, and unscented options are ideal for those with sensitive noses. Ultimately, selecting the right litter requires you to find a way to balance your needs and your cats’ requirements. Keep in mind that you’ll likely need to change the litter frequently with several cats at home, so don’t forget to consider the brand’s cost when making a selection. Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of different litters.

Clumping Clay Litters

Clumping litters are popular, thanks to the ease with which you can keep things clean by simply scooping out the feces and urine. Most are good at soaking up urine and locking in odors. But clumping litters are often dusty, making them less than ideal choices if you or your cat have respiratory issues or asthma.

Cats often track and deposit bits of used litter around the house, which requires more sweeping and vacuuming to keep the litter box area clean. Plan on changing your cats’ litter boxes at least every 2 weeks to keep things clean. Clumping clay litters aren’t biodegradable and contribute to landfill growth.

Clay Non-Clumping Litters

It’s also possible to find non-clumping clay options that offer outstanding odor control and absorbency. Keep in mind that you’ll still have to deal with most of the downsides that come with clay litters, including lots of dust and tracking, and you won’t be able to simply scoop out your cats’ urine.

The product doesn’t clump; instead, the clay absorbs liquid waste. Non-clumping clay choices require daily scooping to remove solid waste, but urine stays trapped until you empty and refill your cats’ litter boxes. Simple clay non-clumping litter is often quite affordable, which is ideal for those on tight budgets. Clay non-clumping litters generally aren’t biodegradable.

Non-Clumping Crystal Litters

Crystal litters don’t form clumps, but they’re usually incredibly absorbent. You can’t scoop out pee with these products, so you have to rely on your nose to tell you when it’s time to change the entire litter box. The crystals dry out poop to help control odors, but you’ll still need to scoop any solid waste out at least once a day.

Most crystal litters produce low amounts of dust, making them good choices if you’re sensitive to airborne particles. They weigh less than clay products and are much easier to transport and use. Unfortunately, most crystal brands have tracking problems, and some cats dislike the texture. Non-clumping litters aren’t environmentally friendly, and they’re not biodegradable.

Sustainable Litters

You can also find litter made of recycled newspaper (shaped into cat-friendly pellets), soy, wood, and even walnut shells. Many of these products provide outstanding odor protection, and there are clumping and non-clumping options available. Several of these choices are advertised as flushable, but most experts advise against doing so.

Not only are most water treatment systems not set up to adequately address parasites such as toxoplasmosis found in cat poop, but sending your cats’ litter down the toilet may cause problems with your plumbing. Sustainable litter is biodegradable and usually made with renewable materials, making them excellent choices for your cats and the environment.

Scented Litters

Scented litter features baked-in odor control released when your cats fool around in their litter box. Scented litters without odor absorption only mask odors, but you can always add a bit of baking soda to the litter to trap overwhelming smells. However, some owners dislike the often sweet, lingering odors associated with scented products.

Unscented Litters

Unscented cat litter provides odor control, with activated charcoal to absorb smells and baking soda to neutralize them. You can always shake baking soda on your cats’ litter for a little extra odor control. Also, you can purchase odor-reducing additives with fresh scents that can keep things nice and fresh.

Conclusion

The reviews are officially in, and Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Clay Litter is the best overall cat litter for multiple cat households thanks to its powerful two-pronged odor control. Scoop Away Multi-Cat Meadow Fresh Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is a solid option if you’re on a tight budget, and Naturally Fresh Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Walnut Cat Litter provides convenience in a sustainable package. Lastly, Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter features tiny granules sized just right for little paws. Happy scooping!

See also:

• 10 Best Cat Urine & Odor Removers (Enzyme Cleaners) – Reviews & Top Picks
• How to Hide Your Cat’s Litter Box: 12 Smart Solutions

Featured Image Credit: jamesjoong, Shutterstock