6 Best Cat Litters For Multiple Cats: Clumping, Odor Control & More

Life with a clowder of cats can be super rewarding, but that can be forgotten for the moment when cleaning a particularly messy litter box. Thankfully, plenty of quality litter substrates make this job more manageable. So, what’s the best cat litter for multiple cats?

There are many factors to consider when picking out the best multi-cat litter, including performance and price. No matter your biggest concern, we’ve found a litter to fit your needs.

Here are our top 6 picks for the best cat litter for multiple cats.

Note: Clicking the above links may take you to one of our affiliate partner’s sites, where you can get additional product information and customer reviews. If you make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

8 Factors To Consider

I used the following criteria to determine the best multi-cat litter. Consider these factors when choosing the best litter for you and your furry friends.

• Odor control: How well does the litter neutralize odors?
• Tracking: How much litter ends up outside the box and around the home?
• Dust: How much dust does the litter produce? Dust is an important factor for both cats and humans with respiratory issues and allergies.
• Clumping: How well does the litter clump and coat solid waste? Clumping is an important factor for cleaning the litter box.
• Cost: How affordable is the litter for multi-cat homes?
• Weight: How easy is the litter to transport and pour?
• Health and safety: The litter should be made of non-toxic materials, including scents, preservatives, and colors.
• Eco-friendly: Is the litter made from sustainably harvested, natural materials?

Best Overall Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

Clay cat litter is one of the oldest forms of cat litter. It’s known for its strong clumping ability, affordability, and widespread availability in pet stores. If you’re looking for an affordable litter with superior performance, clay is hard to beat. That’s why we’ve picked Boxiecat’s BoxiePro as our top cat litter for multiple cats.

Boxiecat is a clay-based litter that is free of chemical fillers and preservatives. The BoxiePro formula contains only two ingredients: pure premium clay and natural deep-cleaning probiotics. The bentonite clay has a very high absorbency rate and performs well with odor control. The additional probiotics fight odor-causing bacteria and create a safer litter box environment for your pet. According to Boxiecat, its litter is 99.9% dust-free and hypoallergenic.

What are the cons of this litter? Many people have switched from clay litter due to its environmental and health implications. Clay is sourced through strip mining, an environmentally damaging practice that results in soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat destruction. Aside from environmental drawbacks, clay litter contains crystalline silica dust, a known carcinogen when inhaled. Silica dust can cause respiratory problems in both humans and felines when inhaled. Clay litter is also prone to tracking and is quite heavy.

Best Budget Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

If you’re looking for quality litter at an affordable price, check out Dr. Elsey’s Ultra unscented litter. This product gets major points for its clumping and odor control without adding harmful preservatives, fragrances, and other scary additives like many of its competitors.

The litter uses only one ingredient, bentonite clay, which forms tight clumps that hold together very well for easy cleaning. It also produces much less dust than other clay-based formulas I’ve tried.

That being said, every litter has its trade-offs. This litter comes in a heavy, awkward plastic bag that’s difficult to pour litter from and can be challenging to carry. Like our top pick, it also has potential environmental and health concerns.

My Personal Experience With Dr. Elsy’s Ultra

I recently began using Dr. Elsy’s Ulta litter while testing the Neakasa automatic litter box. I am super impressed with this litter’s clumping power and odor control. While not as environmentally friendly as some other options on this list, it performs very well at an affordable price and doesn’t include any questionable additives.

Best Premium Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

Tuft + Paw’s Really Great Cat Litter is a tofu-based litter that meets all the primary criteria for quality cat litter for multiple cats. The pellets are designed to be larger than most to reduce tracking around the home. The substrate is super absorbent and clumps together for easy cleaning. It also contains activated charcoal, known for its ability to absorb odor and moisture.

The product itself is super lightweight and is packaged in an easy-to-carry resealable bag with an integrated handle. It is made from human and pet-safe ingredients that raise no safety concerns.

Does this litter have any cons? Sure. For one, it’s pretty expensive. It’s also subscription-only; you can’t just stop by your local pet shop to replenish your supply.

You can read more about this product in our Tuft + Paw Really Great Cat Litter review.

My Personal Experience With Tuft + Paw Really Great Cat Litter

Overall, Tuft + Paw makes an excellent cat litter. I saw no noticeable dust and extremely minimal tracking. The substrate clumped well for easy cleaning, and the product significantly reduced the odors in my home.

While Tuft + Paw litter’s performance is top-notch, it has a few cons. The main issue people find with this product is its price. However, because of its superior absorption, I found that this litter was highly long-lasting. It worked very well in my two-cat home. The litter needed to be changed and replaced less often than other varieties I’ve tried.

I’ve tried other tofu litters, and they didn’t perform as well as Tuft + Paw. If you’re on the fence, give it a try. But be warned—it will make all other litters pale in comparison.

Best Sustainable Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

Walnut cat litter is becoming an increasingly popular choice among pet parents. Unlike clay, which requires extensive mining and processing, walnut litter is made from a renewable resource. By opting for walnut litter, you reduce your carbon footprint and support sustainable practices. Our choice for best walnut litter? Naturally Fresh Multi-Cat wins thanks to its superior performance and eco-friendly initiatives.

An analysis of the Naturally Fresh cat litter life cycle performed by Trayak and facilitated by the Pet Sustainability Coalition found that this product produced 130% fewer greenhouse gases than clay litter production. That same study found that the production of this litter uses nearly 42% fewer fossil fuels than standard clay litter. The product itself is produced in solar-run facilities to reduce its carbon footprint.

Naturally Fresh also performs very well thanks to its featured ingredient: walnut shells. They’re virtually dust-free, highly absorbent, and have the organic ability to neutralize odors—in particular, ammonia.

Our Personal Experience With Naturally Fresh Litter

I have tried out Naturally Fresh walnut litter with my two cats. They normally use pine, but I like to have a few backups in case I cannot find the pine pellets. I like walnut litter for a few reasons. It has a very nice smell and clumps very quickly. Most pine pellets do not clump, so this is a feature I really like. It is very absorbent and has very low dust, which is another big bonus. As far as tracking, there is very little with this walnut litter. It is very soft in texture, and my cats have no issues using it. I really like that this litter is all-natural and eco-conscious.

My cats have no problems with this litter, and even with two cats and heavy use, it stays fresh much longer than most clay options I have tried.

– Danielle DeGroot, Longtime Cat Parent & Love Your Cat Research & Writing

Best Pine-Based Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

Feline Pine litter is a wood litter made from compressed pine sawdust. It’s made using kiln-dried shavings, a byproduct of lumber production. It’s free of artificial chemicals, dyes, and fragrances.

Users love this product for its natural yet effective approach. The litter is low in dust and the pellets are large to reduce tracking. The pine pellets do a decent job of controlling odor, and users enjoy the natural pine scent.

The major con of this litter is that it doesn’t clump. The granules also fall apart when exposed to moisture, which can be messy during cleanup. Still, this is a quality product at an affordable price.

Our Personal Experience With Feline Pine

Feline Pine has been my go-to cat litter for many years. I have two cats currently but have used this in a four-cat home at one point. It is great with odor absorbency and, with regular cleaning, it lasts me several weeks. The smell is natural and fresh, and it is very easy to clean. While the litter does not clump, it is super absorbent and does not hold onto cat urine smell. I add baking soda for extra odor control because my cats are very stinky. Feline Pine pellets do not clump but are still simple to clean. With two cats, I must change this litter out about every two weeks, which is the main downside. It does not last as long as some other options, but there are no stinky, goopy messes or hard clumps stuck on the litter pan.

This litter is natural, with no chemical additives or fake smells. It is also dust-free. There is minimal tracking, though an occasional pellet or two gets tossed out of the box occasionally.

– Danielle DeGroot, Longtime Cat Parent & Love Your Cat Research & Writing

My Personal Experience With Feline Pine

My favorite feature of Feline Pine is its odor control. The litter substrate is very absorbent and has a natural woody smell that covers up any unpleasant odor. I didn’t like that the pine pellets dissolved into sawdust when wet, causing particle buildup at the bottom of the box. This sawdust can be tracked out of the pan if it isn’t cleaned fast enough. I’ve heard that using a sifting litter box can mitigate this issue, so keep that in mind if you go with this product.

Best Corn-Based Cat Litter For Multiple Cats

Corn litter is another popular alternative to clay-based options, and as its name suggests, World’s Best Cat Litter is a popular option among consumers. The litter is made from compressed dried corn, making it safe for humans and their companion pets.

World’s Best Cat Litter is very absorbent. It provides quality clumping without being too overpowering and sticking to the pan. It’s also biodegradable and flushable.

The litter comes in a plastic, non-resealable bag. It’s heavier than some other natural alternatives, so it can be challenging to store and pour. Corn cat litter is also susceptible to mold and can spoil in humid, warm conditions.

My Personal Experience With World’s Best Cat Litter

I used World’s Best Cat Litter multi-cat formula for several years before switching to a different brand. I liked that this litter is made from whole-kernel corn, which is safe for people and pets. The litter performs very well in terms of clumping and odor control. My only complaint was the amount of dust this litter produces. I would have to weekly wipe down the litter box room to remove the fine layer of litter dust that had settled on the floor and walls. While it ensured I kept the area clean and tidy, I decided to switch due to respiratory concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are questions our readers frequently ask regarding cat litter for multiple cats. Don’t see yours? Ask us in the comments.

Can Multiple Cats Use The Same Litter?

Multiple felines can use the same litter; however, numerous litter trays are recommended. Experts advise having one litter box for each feline in your home.

How Often Should You Change Cat Litter For Two Cats?

How often you should fully change your cat’s litter depends on the type of litter you use. Clumping litter usually requires changing every 2-4 weeks, while non-clumping varieties need more frequent cleaning.

Why Trust Love Your Cat?

Tara’s goal at Love Your Cat is to give readers the information they need to raise well-adjusted, happy cats. Tara has 20+ years of experience with felines and spends countless hours researching to provide in-depth detail on every topic. She currently lives with two nine-year-old domestic cats, Luna and Lucy. Tara’s cats have personally tested various litter substrates, including clay, corn, pine, and tofu.

The post 6 Best Cat Litters For Multiple Cats: Clumping, Odor Control & More appeared first on Love Your Cat.