What's the best litter for odor control?

meowfrau

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 2, 2014
Messages
34
Purraise
3
Location
NC, USA
The Breeze System is great ... until you have a kitty with diarrhea, which is what I'm dealing with right now. Looking for the best odor control, preferably with minimal tracking. (Also, do I need a covered litter box?)
 

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
I do not recommend covered litter boxes unless you only have one kitty and offer another open litter box style as well. With multiple cats, I have found a covered box encourages ambushes. Also, covered boxes, the ones I have seen are way, way too small.

I hope you can get the diarrhea under control first and foremost. :cross: :vibes: Really, scented litter is for us humans, cats do not prefer strong scents and most scented litters are probably very bothersome to such sensitive noses having to dig around in them.

I use Dr. Elsey's and found that I just have to scoop often. Scooping often keeps the smell away. ;) I have also just tried a new litter recommended by a friend of multiple cats. Arm and Hammer Clump and Seal. WOW - no dust when I poured it in and the cats took to it right away. You may like that litter. :wavey:
 

pinkdagger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 24, 2014
Messages
2,158
Purraise
468
Location
oh Canada~
Arm & Hammer is one I find good too, but if I need more odour control, I usually sprinkle baking soda and mix it in. I also keep an open box of baking soda in the litterbox room. MaxxScoop hasn't been bad for us either, but when you get the scented varieties, you run the risk of the cats not liking the smell and avoiding litterbox use. We mix it in with our unscented litter and some baking soda so it isn't so strong.

We have a big covered litterbox, but it's honestly a bigger hassle than just having an open box so we keep the lid off.

Hope your little one's tummy feels better soon!
 
Last edited:

bluebird gal

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
451
Purraise
41
Location
On The Road
We actually started with a Breeze system when we only had one cat.  It worked great until, as  you mention, the random upset tummy rolls around.  Ick!   After acquiring our second cat I went with this particular litter box - a Moderna Trendy Cat - from
Petco.  It is deep (first boy thinks he still lives outside..haha) and I liked that it also has a small charcoal filter in the lid. 

At the time of purchase we tried the Clump & Seal by Arm and Hammer.  Litter works great, but I let myself get scared about it sticking to their feet, etc. and them ingesting it since it's clay based, so I am now at the end of a large bag of Shweat Scoop for multiple cats.  Hate this stuff .. tracks everywhere.  So I am going back to the Clump & Seal.   I may give the Worlds Best a try but I'm certain of the capabilities of the Clump & Seal.
 

catpack

TCS Veteran
Kitten
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
3,271
Purraise
646
Location
Southeastern USA
Blue Buffalo's litter works well with odor control and the tracking isn't that bad.

It is made from walnut shells, is chemical-free and comes in either scoopable or pellet form.

I will note the litter is brown.
 

lamiatron

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
966
Purraise
136
Location
Queens, NYC
my personal favorite is Nature's Miracle Intense Defense clumping clay litter.

it clumps instantly

there is never any issues with odor, and my cats use only the litter box that's in my bed room

Dust and tracking is VERY low

the clumps are strong, and don't break apart while scooping.

sometimes i forget to scoop because i'm tired, and there isn't any smell bothering me so i just assume the kitties haven't really used it much.

I've used a lot of other brands: worlds best cat litter, tidy cats (different varieties), arm and hammer (different varieties), dr. elsey's precious cat. I found that this was the best litter for us (the kitties, and the ones that have to clean the litter), and when I have strayed, i've always come back to this.

of course if you're really worried with "odor control" then you might want to explore the root of the issues, which would be the cats waste, which then in turn would be the cat's diet. its all connected. food that's not good for kitty, and filled with fillers and bad ingredients will result in stinkier poops!
 

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
my personal favorite is Nature's Miracle Intense Defense clumping clay litter.
I have been wanting to try this one too. My issue is more with dust than anything else. I scoop so often (and feed partial raw) so I am able to stay on top of any stink. :lol2:
 

luv2cats

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 26, 2014
Messages
66
Purraise
12
I used Dr Elseys Precious Cat Litter (blue bag) for years and it has superior clumping and odor control, very little tracking and not too dusty.  I've switched to their crystal litter due to allergy problems and it has helped a lot even though it does track a lot, it has given my kitty some relief with her allergies. I do agree sometimes "odor" is the result of the food, I know when I occasionally give my girls food with salmon in it (for a treat) the solid waste can clear a room!  Not that this needs to be said scooping one or two times a day always helps.  Even with the crystal litter I mix in some baking soda with the litter for odor control.  I found, in the past, that the "natural" litters do not do a good job of odor control at all (I've tried just about all of them).  I've read that there is also a tea leaf litter on the market also.  You might try the crystal litter that has a softer feel on their paws, does not weigh a lot and last a long time, you do have to make sure it isn't the crystal that looks like jagged pieces of glass (I wouldn't want to walk on that so why expect my cats to) the sandy or sugar looking is softer on their paws.  
 

bonepicker

Animal Lover Extraordinare
Top Cat
Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
3,350
Purraise
439
Location
ON THE LAKE NORTHEAST OHIO
Fresh step Xtreme controls all odor I have never smelled either cat. They each have their own box and a third to share all on one floor.
 

purplemilkywayy

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Messages
46
Purraise
14
Location
California
I used to use World's Best Cat Litter. I would put in 2-3 inches and clean it out every single night, but it still smells. A few weeks ago, I switched to Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter because I saw people raving about it on Amazon. I decided to try it, and it really is amazing. 

It still tracks, but there's no dust and no odor at all. It's been about 2.5 weeks, and I can't smell a thing after I clean the clumps out. It's also much cheaper than World's Best. Yay!
 

red top rescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,466
Purraise
1,486
Location
Acworth GA, USA
Blue Buffalo's walnut shell based litter, either kind (multicat or regular) -- expensive but it lasts and controls odor better than any other I've used, and I've used a lot of them.  It's expensive so I don't use it for the rescue mob (I use the corn cob litter from Tractor Supply which is actually horse bedding, Best Cob, $8.99 for 40 lbs) but in the Petco adoption center, I use the Blue Buffalo.  Yes, it's brown, so you need a new (nonporous) box and preferably not a white one.  We have a new and shiny covered box and that has been working very well for 10 months.  Obviously we did the clumps and tootsie rolls daily, and I dump and totally replace litter either when I can notice any leftover smell, or when we change groups of cats there (we don't mix groups from different fosters) or every week, whichever happens first.
 

lamiatron

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
966
Purraise
136
Location
Queens, NYC
I recently, in the hopes to buy a litter thats closer to me (pet smart is far from me) , tried two different litters. Let me state now, as i've stated before ALL OVER TCS that i'm an avid Nature's Miracle Clay Clumping Litter user.

Out of desperation I bought Cat's Pride Fresh and Light Scented from the local grocery store, because i was completely out of litter.

it wasn't bad. I would compare it to Tidy cats, except in the clumping and odor control department it really works. But, its too dusty, and tracks A LOT. I did love the fact that it was light, which made cleaning out the box super easy. but, the dust and tracking just did not work out for me.

Then, when i ran out of that, I purchased the Petco Brand Clumping Clay litter, the unscented one, the ones where the tubs can be refilled...

i HATE it. It doesn't clump so good. it tracks all over. odor control is not that great, and the worst part is it's SOOOOOOO DUSTY omg. the BF and I DREAD having to clean the litter boxes. the only "PLUS" i would give this litter is that it LASTS A LONG TIME.

I'm waiting for it to run out so I can get Nature's Miracle Intense defense clumping clay litter. I always go back to this. and I've pretty much tried almost EVERY LITTER ON THE MARKET at this point. lol
 

catpack

TCS Veteran
Kitten
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
3,271
Purraise
646
Location
Southeastern USA
@Lamiatron, is the Nature's Miracle scented? I've seen it in stores, but have feared it may have a scent similar to fresh step scented.
 

lamiatron

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
966
Purraise
136
Location
Queens, NYC
@Lamiatron, is the Nature's Miracle scented? I've seen it in stores, but have feared it may have a scent similar to fresh step scented.
Although it doesn't specify on the packaging whether it is scented or unscented, it doesn't have a smell to it. 

there is a scent to it when you first pour it out...but the smell is like...a bit like glue, like elmer's glue...but then after pouring it out the smell goes away almost immediately.

The litter does not have a smell or scent to it  which you will notice when cleaning out the box. Definitely NOTHING like fresh step which to me smells like laundry detergent. 

http://www.chewy.com/cat/natures-mi...ne&utm_term=&gclid=CNLQis32wsACFVIqjgodW0UAgg
 
Top