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K. Alex Beaven is a writer for The Spruce Pets. plastic sink strainer sink plug
The Spruce Pets / Taylor Fox
Your cat is adorable, but even all the cuteness in the world won’t cover up the stench of their poop and pee. Odor-controlling litter is designed to absorb the organic smells emitted from the waste our furry felines leave behind in the litter box. If you have more than one cat or you aren’t able to immediately scoop after your cat handles their business, eliminating any detectable scent will help keep the litter box appealing for the next occupant. It also benefits any humans in your household who share the air with the litter box.
We got the scoop on the top-performing odor-eliminating litters tested in real homes with real cats. We also chatted with two cat litter experts, Devin Bennett, the owner of a cat rescue nonprofit, and Jessica Cornella, a professional cat sitter, about how best to control litter box odors
After months of testing a variety of litters in real homes, Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter and Boxiecat BoxiePro Self-Cleaning Probiotic Clumping Clay Litter emerged as our overall favorite odor-controlling litters. Both of these fine-grain clay litters efficiently neutralized and eliminated litter box odors, while also being easy to scoop, attractive to cats, and producing little to no dust. We also found a few other cat litters that pass the sniff test and might be a better fit for your needs.
What We Like: Boosted with probiotics that tackle litter and waste bacteria; hypoallergenic formula (for cats and humans) with no added fragrances; excellent clumping and odor control
What We Don’t Like: Some tracking and dust are still present
Boxiecat BoxiePro Self-Cleaning Probiotic Clumping Clay Litter uses the power of natural probiotics to get rid of the stink in your litter box. While this self-cleaning litter won’t get out the sponge and soap to clean your litter box out, it does contain active probiotics that devour bacteria from your cat’s waste, effectively “cleaning” the litter box whenever new waste is introduced. Not only does eliminating the bacteria wipe out bacteria-causing odors, it also means any slight tracking around the house—or on the furniture—won’t be teaming with the usual unhygienic suspects.
Our tester was wooed by this litter’s odor-controlling capabilities throughout the testing process, but was notably impressed when they still didn’t notice a smell from the litter after three days of three cats using the litter box and not scooping.
This brand has a few different types of probiotic litters, and the style we tested was their clumping clay. Our tester found this to be a fine-grain, sand-like texture, and noted that the litter seemed more tolerable for one of their cats who has sensitive paws. They tested it with three cats, and each cat eagerly transitioned to the litter with two even using it within the first hour of it being set up.
In fact, our tester was so impressed by this litter that they promptly changed their autoship to Boxiecat BoxiePro Self-Cleaning Probiotic Clumping Clay Litter, even though it costs about twice as much as their previous litter. While the price did cause some pause, they felt the superior odor control and the soft texture made it worth it.
Available in 16-pound and 28-pound bags
What We Like: Activated charcoal successfully controls odors; fragrance-free and no dust; excellent clumping
What We Don’t Like: Minor tracking (particularly near litter box)
Made from moisture-absorbing natural clay and paired with the odor-eliminating power of activated charcoal, Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter successfully banishes stench-causing bacteria commonly found in a litter box.
The litter is unscented so it’s suitable for use in a home with humans who are sensitive to aromas. Naturally Strong Unscented litter is also dust-free and easy to pour. While testing in a home environment with a cat, the presence of the litter box in the designated litter box room went unnoticed by multiple visiting humans.
In homes with multiple cats, this natural litter will help you keep their shared bathroom ready for use. The clumping formula binds together making it easy to scoop, but if your cat pees along the edge of the litter box, a second pass of scooping may be necessary to fully clean out the used litter. And it does leave slight tracking, particularly if your cat has a habit of kicking to hide their mess, but tracking is minimal and does not extend beyond the bounds of the litter box area.
This litter from Purina Tidy Cats has a texture that many cats are familiar with and most kittens will instinctively recognize it as a place to go potty. Plus, it’s moderately priced, widely available, and comes in a box that’s easy to open and close for storage. For proper disposal, this litter should be placed in the trash and never flushed.
Available in 20-pound and 35-pound jugs
Testing: We tested 29 cat litter products, from clumping clay to pellets, with dozens of feline testers lending their expertise. We purchased each cat litter and sent it to a volunteer's home, along with a written methodology to guide them through long-term testing.
Testers documented their cats' and their own initial impressions of the litter assigned to their home. For several weeks, testers evaluated their designated cat litter taking note of the manufacturer's claims on features such as fragrance, clumping quality, level of dust, amount of tracking, and how well cats took to the new litter. Finally, our testers observed how effective the litter was at helping keep their cat's bathroom tidy and ready for the next visit. After reviewing feedback paired with numerical scores across different categories, we categorized and ranked our selections, prioritizing litters with the best odor control.
No one wants to be an expert at controlling cat litter odor, but here I am. Over my lifetime, I’ve had 13 cats, including the time my rescue kitten had kittens, bringing the household total up to eight at one time. I began my litter journey with clumping clay sand litter outta the box, like FreshStep or Arm & Hammer, which I used faithfully for years, sometimes with the added odor-fighting help of Arm & Hammer Litter Deodorizer generously sprinkled and stirred into the mix. Once I discovered absorbing crystal litter, I never turned back, especially after my cat, Cleo, developed bladder stones. I found the crystal silica pellets to be superior at controlling odor compared to the clay sand.
My current cat, Bo (@hellomisterbo), has a few gastrointestinal issues and extremely strong urine, and it’s been a challenge trying to find the best way to control odor, even with multiple litter box scoops per day. When I adopted Bo, the humane society had been using World’s Best Litter, but after a few months, it was clear this litter wasn’t up for the task of controlling his stinky poos (which I could smell from many rooms over) or concentrated urine output. It’s taken about 3.5 years, but after much trial and error with different types of litter, various types of litter boxes, and realizing he has food intolerances, we’ve finally settled into an odor-free litter setup that keeps us both happy.
Here Have a Kitten’s Devin Bennett is quick to remind that there is no magic solution for an odor-free litter box—”poop and pee are stinky!”—but we asked both of our experts to weigh in on ways to help keep your litter box odors to a minimum. Regardless of what litter you end up going with, they both suggest scooping regularly— least once daily. Here are a few more of her tips.
To combat the odor in a litter box, the cat litter you select should contain a source of enzymes to break down the molecules of odor-causing bacteria found in cat urine and feces. Enzymes are naturally occurring proteins that serve as catalysts for chemical reactions to consuming the bacteria and its associated stench. Sources of odor-fighting enzymes used in cat litter include charcoal, wood, silica gel, and baking soda.
In addition to enzymes for odor elimination, some cat litter formulas are scented with a fragrance. However, Jessica Cornella from Such a Treat PDX suggests skipping the extra step of adding extra fragrance to your cat’s litter box. “I wouldn’t recommend adding any scent crystals or deodorizers to your litter,” she cautions. “Having your box smell like an air freshener may be a win for you, but off putting to kitty.” She recommends opting for litter with added charcoal for that extra boost of odor protection. The last thing you want is for your cat to avoid their litter box.
Depending on the type of litter your cat is accustomed to using, a change in the consistency may require a period of adjustment. Selecting an odor-controlling litter that best resembles the granules of your current litter may help to minimize accidents outside of the litter box.
What We Like: Complete odor control; totally dust-free; pellets disintegrate in water
What We Don’t Like: Texture can be hard to transition to
Best Eco-friendly: This fragrance-free litter effectively masks odors, produces no dust, and does not stick to paws so tracking is minimal. Tuft and Paw Really Great Cat Litter is made from a soybean byproduct that comes in the form of tiny pellets and is often referred to as tofu litter. The pellets clump together with urine but dissolve in water. Tofu litter is Bennett’s preferred type of litter, though (as of now) it doesn’t work in most automatic litter boxes, so she’s had to switch.
Depending on the number of cats in your home, a monthly supply will consist of one to three resealable bags. Unlike clay litter with sand-like consistency, this pellet-shaped litter doesn't cover solid waste, and, much to the dismay of Cornella, often doesn’t slip through the scooper slots, meaning you can end up tossing unsoiled litter. Our younger felines were more accepting of the texture change in their box than our more seasoned cats, with one silently protesting the switch by relieving themself outside of the litter box for the first time since kittenhood.
The pee clumps made with this litter can be broken into smaller pieces and flushed, but you should always refer to your local ordinance when it comes to flushing pet waste. Solid waste should never be flushed, and you may need to break up urine clumps made with this litter before flushing.
Available in 9.5-pound resealable bags
What We Like: Complete odor control; totally dust-free; pellets disintegrate in water
What We Don’t Like: Texture can be hard to transition to
Best Eco-friendly: This fragrance-free litter effectively masks odors, produces no dust, and does not stick to paws so tracking is minimal. Tuft and Paw Really Great Cat Litter is made from a soybean byproduct that comes in the form of tiny pellets and is often referred to as tofu litter. The pellets clump together with urine but dissolve in water. Tofu litter is Bennett’s preferred type of litter, though (as of now) it doesn’t work in most automatic litter boxes, so she’s had to switch.
Depending on the number of cats in your home, a monthly supply will consist of one to three resealable bags. Unlike clay litter with sand-like consistency, this pellet-shaped litter doesn't cover solid waste, and, much to the dismay of Cornella, often doesn’t slip through the scooper slots, meaning you can end up tossing unsoiled litter. Our younger felines were more accepting of the texture change in their box than our more seasoned cats, with one silently protesting the switch by relieving themself outside of the litter box for the first time since kittenhood.
The pee clumps made with this litter can be broken into smaller pieces and flushed, but you should always refer to your local ordinance when it comes to flushing pet waste. Solid waste should never be flushed, and you may need to break up urine clumps made with this litter before flushing.
Available in 9.5-pound resealable bags
What We Like: Effectively masks odors; clumps easy and remains solid during scooping; minimal to no dust; very minimal tracking (even with a test cat prone to tracking litter)
What We Don’t Like: One product in a confusing line of Clump & Seal products
Best for Multiple Cats: Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Litter leverages the odor-squashing power of baking soda and has a very faint floral scent that reminds us of fresh laundry. Our tester found you could only really smell the scent of the litter when your face was within close proximity to the litter box, like when scooping or changing out the litter. They also noticed it was superb at maintaining its odor control qualities, even when the box had been left unscoped for a few days.
The clay-based litter resembles the consistency of coarse sand and produces little to no dust along with very low tracking, even with a test cat known for kicking up litter to hide a mess. The litter forms solid clumps that are easy to scoop, and true to its name, it performs well in multi-cat households. We found that it doesn’t tend to track as much as other litter brands, making it a more tidy option, especially when it comes to clay litters.
Be sure when shopping for this litter that you’ve got the right box in hand—we noticed there are several different litter varieties under the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal umbrella. (We’ve tested six so far, and this one is our favorite.) Clump & Seal Multi-Cat is available in a variety of sizes, all of which come in a recyclable cardboard box with a handle for easy pouring and storage.
Available in 14-pound, 19-pound, 28-pound, and 38-pound boxes
What We Like: Sturdy clumping for easy scooping, effective in multi-cat households; light, laundry detergent smell and Febreze odor-fighting
What We Don’t Like: Slight dust and tracking
Best Value: Fresh Step Advanced Cat Litter is scented with Gain, a laundry detergent that many find pleasing and is often described as fresh. But the olfaction satisfaction of this litter is fueled by the ammonia-blocking ingredients from Febreeze to banish odors, and, like Purina Tidy Cats Naturally Strong Unscented Cat Litter, Fresh Step Advanced Cat Litter makes use of activated charcoal to fully eliminate any remaining feline funk.
Throughout our testing, this litter emitted very little dust and led to minimal tracking. It’s a sodium bentonite clay-based litter with a texture resembling tiny pebbles, but it clumps together quickly and firmly for easy scooping.
All sizes of this affordably priced litter come in a cardboard box with a handle for easy pouring and storage.
Available in 14-pound, 25-pound, and 42-pound boxes
World's Best Cat Litter: While we experienced complete odor absorption with no detectable urine scent from this corn-based cat litter, the litter ultimately didn't produce easy-to-scoop clumps and emitted dust when being poured. We also noticed over-saturation of the litter that would cause the litter to turn into a paste that could get stuck on cat paws and track around the house.
PrettyLitter Health Monitoring Cat Litter: PrettyLitter is a fine-grain silica gel litter that absorbs urine and moisture from poop. This litter has excellent odor control for the first few weeks, but we found that its power fades as more and more of the litter absorbs and holds waste. It also doesn’t clump, leaving saturated crystals to be mixed into the clean ones.
Sustainably Yours Small Grain Cat Litter: This cassava-based litter produces some of the tightest, rock hard clumps we’ve ever seen. We love that it is truly fragrance free and biodegradable, but the fine grains produce some annoying tracking and the odor control left a little to be desired after a few weeks of use.
Disposing of used litter and placing fresh litter in the litter box should be done monthly at a minimum, even if your cat goes out through a cat door and does its business outside some of the time. For odor control, many will find it advantageous to replace their cat’s litter every two to three weeks. This can easily increase if you have more than one cat sharing the litter box, and daily scooping to remove pee and poop is always recommended.
Cat litter is primarily made with one of the following as the base: clay, silica gel, pine, wheat, grass, corn, walnut shell, or paper. For odor control, the litter must contain an odor-fighting agent with enzymes that break down bacteria, such as activated charcoal or baking soda. You can click here for more in-depth descriptions of each type of litter by The Spruce Pets.
This story was updated with real tested results by K.Alex Beaven, a lifelong cat owner and support human to @hellomisterbo. Alex is a personal fan of crystal litter, and was devastated when her favorite odor-controlling litter disappeared from the shelves over 10 years ago. Her current cat, Bo, is an avid litter box abuser when it comes to odors and after three years of trial and error, she thinks they’ve finally got the right combination of litter and litter box. Other stories Alex has written for The Spruce Pets include The Best Kitten Foods, Best Bone Broth for Cats, and Best Lickable Cat Treats.
The Spruce also gathered expert input from Devin Bennett, owner of the nonprofit cat rescue Here Have a Kitten, and Jessica Cornella, owner and professional cat sitter from Such a Treat PDX. Jessica scoops and sniffs different cat litters on a daily basis, while Devin is well-versed on managing different types of litters and subsequent odors in a multi-multi-multi-cat household where the cats are always changing.
bathroom fitting A previous version of this article was written by Anna Mejorada, an editor for The Spruce Pets.