Best Litter For Kittens In 2019 (Review)


Getting a pet is one of the most significant decisions you will make in your life. You are not just bringing an animal in your life; you are adding another member to the family.

And as with our families, we need to make sure that the newest member is getting the best of everything. Especially when the latest member is a cute little kitten.

It is a scientific fact that litter can play a crucial part in growth and development in the early days of a kitten’s life.

If you have had kittens or cats in the past, you must be aware that there are a variety of options available in the market, but choosing what is the best for your kitten will take a lot of time and research. 

kitten in the litter box

You do not want to expose your kitten to products that can cause disease and other health issues. Together let's look at some of the best litter for kittens available in the market today.

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okocat super soft wood kitten litter
Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Litter For Kittens
yesterday's news soft texture litter
Feline Pine Original
Naturally Fresh Walnut-Based
Kitten Training Litter
dr. elsey's Precious Kitten Training Litter
Pioneer Pet SmartCat All Natural Kitten Litter

okocat super soft wood kitten litter

Founded in Germany, Okocat litter has been around for over 100 years, which makes it a leader in the cat litter industry.


Made from 100 % natural material it Okocat super soft clumping wood cat litter is one of healthiest cat litter in the town.


Feeling like clay, this litter contains fine wood granules which are smooth on a cat's paws and helps in transitioning from litter to natural.


This lab-tested litter has been proven to absorb five times its weight in liquid and can control odor, which is always a big issue with litter for a week.

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Pros

  • Due to reclaimed wood being used in this litter, it is lightweight and less dusty.
  • No chemicals are used in manufacturing or in controlling the odor, which makes it safe for the kitten and the environment.
  • Since it can absorb 500% of its weight, you use lesser amounts, and thus each bag lasts longer.
  • It’s biodegradable and free of any pollutants which makes it safe not just for the kittens also for the household.

Cons

  • Higher quality but pricey as compared to competitors.
  • May not be the best bet for long-haired cats.
  • Also not a good idea to use it with clay as it will stick to the pan due to its smaller granules and becomes challenging to take off.

Key Features

  • The super soft formula of this litter creates soft bedding for the kittens to play with and is perfect for those delicate paws.
  • Using patented technology, which involves no use of chemicals, Okocat litter holds the odor for seven days.
  • With its high absorption and high yielding characteristics, this litter lasts much longer.
  • Superiors clumping allows you to clean and scoop it quickly, which in turn saves you time and money.

Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Litter For Kittens

Dr. Bruce and his wife Kathy founded Dr. Elsey’s in 1987 to create products which would help pet parents with litter box issues.


Formulated by combining dense no-tracking granules and medium-grain clay, Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter is one of the best selling products in the market.


The combination leads to prevention of moisture seeping to the bottom of the tray and at the same time, it creates a clump that will not break down.


Odor, which is always an issue with litter, is also controlled. 


If you want more information, you can check out our Dr. Elsey's cat litter review.

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Pros

  • Due to reclaimed wood being used in this litter, it is lightweight and less dusty.
  • No chemicals are used in manufacturing or in controlling the odor, which makes it safe for the kitten and the environment.
  • Since it can absorb 500% of its weight, you use lesser amounts, and thus each bag lasts longer.
  • It’s biodegradable and free of any pollutants which makes it safe not just for the kittens also for the household.

Cons

  • Higher quality but pricey as compared to competitors.
  • May not be the best bet for long-haired cats.
  • Also not a good idea to use it with clay as it will stick to the pan due to its smaller granules and becomes challenging to take off.

Key Features

  • The super soft formula of this litter creates soft bedding for the kittens to play with and is perfect for those delicate paws.
  • Using patented technology, which involves no use of chemicals, Okocat litter holds the odor for seven days.
  • With its high absorption and high yielding characteristics, this litter lasts much longer.
  • Superiors clumping allows you to clean and scoop it quickly, which in turn saves you time and money.

yesterday's news soft texture litter

Dr. Bruce and his wife Kathy founded Dr. Elsey’s in 1987 to create products which would help pet parents with litter box issues.


Formulated by combining dense no-tracking granules and medium-grain clay, Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter is one of the best selling products in the market.


The combination leads to prevention of moisture seeping to the bottom of the tray and at the same time, it creates a clump that will not break down.


Odor, which is always an issue with litter, is also controlled.

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Pros

  • Manufactured entirely out of recycles paper, which makes it non-toxic, environment-friendly, and biodegradable.
  • Three times more absorbent than clay, which should make scooping and cleaning the pans a lot easier.
  • Almost dust free which enables everyone in the house, including the cat to breath more relaxed.
  • With no chemical in the configuration, it works for other animals like a guinea pig as well.

Cons

  • Depending on the amount of urine, the litter can turn mushy.
  • Since it is made of paper, it may be hard to notice the wet spots.

Key Features

  • Yesterday's news uses recycled old newspapers and magazines to make this litter.
  • No use of harmful chemical makes it safe for families too.
  • The constituents of this litter make it feel close to clay, which should help in training the kittens for the real world.
  • 99.7% dust free product makes it less messy than its other counterparts.

Feline Pine Original

Established in 1992, Feline Pine Cat Litter uses Southern Yellow Pine Lumber substrates as the building material for its Feline Pine Original Cat Litter.


This clay and chemical free product use the high absorbing qualities of pine fibers to keep the odors away naturally.


This non-clumping cat litter also absorbs twice the moisture and liquid than the original Feline Pine. Since it uses the odor-fighting abilities of pines, it does not need any chemicals or additives.


Pouring this becomes easier since there is no clay and thus no dust either.

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Pros

  • It uses 100% pure pine, and this makes it one of the best natural kitten litter options.
  • Absence of clay means no messy cloud of dust to be dealt with while pouring and cleaning.
  • This litter has twice the absorbing power than its original version.
  • The litter is a top recommendation in terms of odor control for cats.

Cons

  • Although 100% natural this litter cannot be recycled.
  • Since the litter has strong absorbing qualities, it cannot be flushed as it can lead to clogging.

Key Features

  • This litter keeps ammonia odors at bay with the use of highly absorbent pine fibers.
  • Even though it is non-clumping litter, it does not require a sifting litter pan which saves money and effort.
  • In terms of being environment-friendly, it goes to the next level as it is made from kiln-dried shavings which have been reclaimed from lumber production.
  • Price is within the accepted parameters.

Naturally Fresh Walnut-Based

Kitten Training Litter

Made from 100% walnut shell, this biodegradable kitten litter is the benchmark for natural litter.


This litter is the closest you will ever get to utterly natural without setting up camp in the Amazon basin.


The fibrous materials found in walnut shell forms the core of this litter, which gives it a superior control over odors and helps in harder clumps for better scooping.


Unlike its clay counterparts, this litter has almost no dust creating content and it to absorb three times more moisture than clay litter.

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Pros

  • Biodegradable and natural constituents mean that it is safe for the cat and the family members.
  • The litter absorbs three times more liquid than other clay litters.
  • Low tracking leads to lesser mess and bacteria in the house.
  • No chemical, toxins or clay constituents in this walnut shell based litter.
  • This all-natural litter is best suited for kittens up to 1 year old.

Cons

  • The lingering smell from the walnut shell could be bothersome for some users.
  • Only available in one size.

Key Features

  • Based on an all natural walnut shell, it does not use any chemicals or additives or toxins.
  • The combination of different walnut shells makes it a better odor controller than its clay, pine, or wheat litter counterparts.
  • The natural contents of this litter lead to low tracking issues, which in turn means less messy homes.

dr. elsey's Precious Kitten Training Litter

This litter is the second Dr.Elsey’s litter which makes it to our list.


As the name suggests, this is a training litter meant specifically for eight weeks to a year old kittens. This clay-based litter boasts of high quality scoopable and clumping abilities.


This litter contains a kitten-specific attractant which fires the curiosity in the feline towards the litter. This litter is a good buy for homes which house more than one cat.


This box of cat litter comes with a free litter box solutions kit which can guide new pet parents.

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Pros

  • 99.9 % dust free makes it easy to breathe for the kittens and humans alike.
  • Well suited for eight weeks to a year old kittens.
  • This litter has proven odor control credentials which have been approved by many users.
  • The litter box booklet is a big help for new as well as seasoned per parents.

Cons

  • There are known instances of this litter turning into paste at the bottom of litter boxes.
  • Available only in a 20 lb box.

Key Features

  • The larger granule size and texture make it an excellent kitten training litter.
  • The litter is 99% dust free and leads to hard clumping.
  • It works well for multi-cat households and provides superior odor control
  • It works well with sifting and mechanical litter boxes as well.

Pioneer Pet SmartCat All Natural Kitten Litter

We close off our list with Pioneer Per SmartCat All Natural Cat litter.


With no added fragrances, this all natural cat litter is made out of 100% grass. Its roots in natural constituents make it a cat and family friendly litter.


With the absence of fragrances, the fast clumping of this litter is the reason behind its quality odor control. Since the litter clumps quickly and hard, it is comfortable to scoop and clean.


The texture of the litter allows for low tracking and thus minimal respiratory issues for the cats and their parents.

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Pros

  • Clay-free and 100% grass make it a natural replacement for litters with chemical and additives.
  • This litter is easier to carry, scoop, and clean.
  • Being 99.9% dust free makes it easier for families and pets to breathe and avoid any respiratory issues.
  • No use of fragrances is a big positive for families with allergies.

Cons

  • Since there is no fragrance from the litter, sometimes the odor control can be a bit of an issue as per some users.
  • The litter comes with a high price tag associated with it.

Key Features

  • The 100% use of grass and no fragrances means that the cats and the other members of the family would not be exposed to any chemicals or toxins.
  • Quick clumping leads to better odor control and ease of scooping and cleaning the litter box.
  • SmartCat all natural is 99.9% dust free, which creates a healthy environment to breathe for everyone in the house.
  • The litter is entirely biodegradable and can be disposed of as a renewable source.

types of kitten litter

With so many different options available to a pet parent, the decision to choose the best litter for kittens to buy is not an easy one. Let’s quickly run through the types of litter and get the process started.

Clay

This highly absorbent clay which turns into solid clumps after coming into contact with cat urine, is made from bentonite. Its ability to clump makes it easy to scoop and clean, but on the flip side, this type of litter creates a lot of dust and is non-biodegradable.

pine

This recyclable litter is made from lumber scraps after they have been heat-treated to remove all toxins and allergens. The scent of pine helps in odor control. This litter is available in pellet, granules, and roughly crushed pines. The latter two are somewhat clumping, but the pellets often turn into sawdust.

corn & Wheat​

Although both of these are highly absorbent and biodegradable, the biggest issue with them is that if ingested by kittens, it can lead to serious health issues. Avoid these is possible.

walnut​

This dark brown colored litter is made of crushed walnut shells. Highly absorbent, biodegradable, and excellent odor control make them one of the top choices for the kittens.

grass

The newest entrant in the litter industry, grass litter is sourced from grass fibers that are biodegradable, absorbent, odor controlling, and environment-friendly.

clumping vs. non-clumping

Clumping litter

This litter is designed so that after coming in contact with moisture and cat urine, it turns into solid clumps. These solid clumps are easier to scoop and clean and help in controlling odors by trapping odors inside these solid clumps. Clay litter, which consists of a material called bentonite is an excellent example of clumping litter, but now there are a lot more all-natural versions available. It also allows for keeping the wastage of litter under control as you can scoop out the solid clumps and leave the rest in the box.

non-clumping litter

The best non-clumping cat litter brands absorb the urine and moisture but does not clump. It also helps in absorbing the odor, but often the urine seeps to the bottom of the pan and can become a nightmare to scoop and clean. This litter is available in different varieties like clay, pine, wood, etc. One of the main reasons why some people are inclined to use non-clumping litter is because it is less expensive than clumping litter, but again since it's not the easiest to scoop and clean, it can lead to wastage of litter and odor issues from the residual moist litter.

things to consider when buying litter for kittens

In our quest to find the best litter for kittens, we have to consider many aspects before taking the decision. Let's look at some of the main things to consider:

odor control

This is an essential factor that you need to consider while choosing because cat urine odors can be nasty and very difficult to get rid of. You can choose between products which have fragrances to counter it or non-scented ones which have no chemicals or additives.

sensitivities & Allergies

Cat litter often contains added chemicals to make it better and control odor, but these can lead to allergies and health issue, not only for the cat but also everyone else in the house. Keep an eye out for the possible allergens in the litter before buying. 

price

This is an investment that you will regularly be making, so keeping the price in mind is always a smart idea. Carefully choose the one which is not heavy on your pocket.

final thoughts

Choosing the best litter for kittens is not an easy task and needs an investment of time, resources, and research. With multiple options available in the market, the job gets harder but finding the best for your kitten trumps all these other issues. Keeping the newest and the smallest member of your family happy, safe, and healthy is of paramount importance, and the joy they bring in our lives is priceless.