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8 Best Cheap Cat Litters in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Written by: Kathryn Copeland

Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

Owner cleaning cat litter box at home

8 Best Cheap Cat Litters in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Owner cleaning cat litter box at home Owning any pet comes with specific care requirements, many of which revolve around waste. As cat parents, we must regularly deal with cat litter, so finding the right kind that is best for our cats and us is essential.

But another factor is cost, which goes up if you own more than one cat. However, finding the time to shop for quality inexpensive cat litter is daunting, so we did the research for you!

We have reviews for eight of the best of the cheapest kitty litters, ones that won’t break the bank but should still do the job well.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
  • Clumps well
  • 99% dust free
  • Unscented
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Frisco Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter Frisco Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
  • Affordable
  • Forms hard clumps
  • Low tracking
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    World’s Best Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter World’s Best Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Clumps and lightweight
  • 99% dust free
  • Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
  • Available in unscented or clean linen
  • Clumps well
  • Uses antimicrobial agents for odor control
  • Fresh Step Multi-cat Extra Strength Scented Clumping Cat Litter Fresh Step Multi-cat Extra Strength Scented Clumping Cat Litter
  • Prevents the growth of bacteria
  • Forms hard clumps
  • Uses charcoal and plant extracts to prevent odor
  • The 8 Best Cheap Cat Litters

    1. Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter — Best Overall

    Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 18, 20, or 40 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is the best overall cheap cat litter. It clumps well, is 99% dust free, and keeps the tracking down to a minimum. This litter is definitely a cut above many of the cheaper cat litters! This version is unscented, but it is also available in a fragrance (though we don’t recommend scented litter).

    However, this litter actually clumps so well, the clumps adhere to the litter box to the point that it can be troublesome to remove them.

    Pros
    • Clumps well
    • 99% dust free
    • Low tracking
    • Unscented
    • Decent odor control
    Cons
    • Clumps too hard

    2. Frisco Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter — Best Value

    Frisco Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 20 or 40 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    The best cheap cat litter for the money is Frisco Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter. It’s available in unscented and lavender fields, tropical breeze, and fresh scents.

    It forms hard clumps and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients. It’s low tracking and has good odor control. But it tends to be fairly dusty, and the odor control can be hit or miss.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • Unscented or three scents available
    • Forms hard clumps
    • Low tracking
    Cons
    • Fairly dusty
    • Odor control can be hit or miss

    3. World’s Best Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter — Premium Choice

    World's Best Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 8, 14, 15, or 28 lbs.
    Material: Corn

    The World’s Best Multi-cat Unscented Clumping Corn Cat Litter is a bit pricey, but it is still quite affordable! It’s an excellent option if you’re more interested in using something environmentally friendly. It has decent odor control and clumps, making clean-up easy. It’s flushable in most sewer and septic systems. It’s also lightweight, so you won’t strain your back when working with it, and it’s 99% dust-free.

    However, some cat owners aren’t fond of the scent, and since it’s lightweight, it tends to track.

    Pros
    • Environmentally friendly
    • Flushable
    • Clumps and lightweight
    • Decent odor control
    • 99% dust free
    Cons
    • Odor isn’t great for everyone
    • Tends to track

    4. Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    3Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 28 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    Scoop Away Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is available in unscented and clean breeze and uses antimicrobial agents to prevent odor for up to 7 days. It clumps well and is relatively low in dust.

    But a few buyers have complained about quality control: Some boxes of the litter are low in dust, while others seem to be quite dusty. Also, it’s only available in one size.

    Pros
    • Available in unscented or clean linen
    • Uses antimicrobial agents for odor control
    • Clumps well
    • Low in dust
    Cons
    • Only one size available
    • Some boxes of litter can be dusty

    5. Fresh Step Multi-cat Extra Strength Scented Clumping Cat Litter

    Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 14, 25, or 4 x 10.5 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    Fresh Step Multi-cat Extra Strength Scented Clumping Cat Litter uses Febreze to help combat odor. This litter offers up to 10 days of odor control with the use of “ammonia block” technology, which prevents the growth of bacteria. It contains charcoal and plant extracts that also keep those odors at bay. It’s low dust and forms hard clumps that shouldn’t crumble while scooping.

    The issue here, though, is that while it’s advertised as being low in dust, it still tends to be dustier than some other brands. It also tends to track.

    Pros
    • 10 days of odor control
    • Prevents the growth of bacteria
    • Forms hard clumps
    • Low dust
    • Uses charcoal and plant extracts to prevent odor
    Cons
    • Can be dusty
    • Tends to track

    6. Arm & Hammer Litter SLIDE Easy Clean-Up Clumping Cat Litter

    Arm & Hammer Litter SLIDE

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 14, 19, or 28 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    Arm & Hammer Litter SLIDE Easy Clean-Up Clumping Cat Litter is designed to make hard clumps, but the litter should just slide right out, making cleaning easy. It contains baking soda and micro-granules for odor control for up to 10 days, and it’s 99.9% dust free and has low tracking.

    Unfortunately, there are no options for unscented litter, and it’s a fine litter, which tends to track outside of the litter box.

    Pros
    • Hard clumps that slide out
    • Odor control for up to 10 days
    • Baking soda and micro-granules for odor control
    • Low tracking
    • 9% dust free
    Cons
    • Only available as scented
    • Can track to a degree

    7. Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Tidy Cats Free & Clean

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 14, 35, 2 x 20 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    The Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter uses activated charcoal to help combat strong odors. It forms hard clumps and is 99.9% dust free. It also doesn’t contain dyes or fragrances.

    There are issues with odor control, though, and it doesn’t always clump well. It also tends to track.

    Pros
    • Unscented
    • Contains activated charcoal for odor control
    • Forms hard clumps
    • 9% dust free
    Cons
    • Issues with odor control
    • Doesn’t always clump well
    • Tends to track

    8. Arm & Hammer Litter Super Scoop Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Arm & Hammer Litter Super Scoop Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter

    Clumping: Yes
    Sizes: 40 lbs.
    Material: Clay

    Arm & Hammer Litter Super Scoop Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is 99% dust free and contains baking soda crystals to eliminate bad odors. It clumps well, is free of dyes and fragrances, and is made to be low on tracking.

    However, while it’s advertised as being 99% dust free, many cat owners find it quite dusty. It’s also not always effective at eliminating odor and is only available in one heavy size.

    Pros
    • 99% dust free
    • Contains baking soda crystals for odor control
    • Clumps well
    • Free of dyes and fragrances
    Cons
    • Can be dusty
    • Doesn’t always eliminate odor
    • Only available in one size

    cat paw divider

    Buyer’s Guide: Buying the Best Cheap Cat Litter

    If you’re still on the fence about what litter you want to try or are just looking for more information, this buyer’s guide contains pointers about what factors you should consider when shopping for cat litter.

    Unscented vs. Scented

    This list contains unscented litter as often as possible for the sake of your cat’s sensitive nose. That said, the last thing that you want is an unscented litter that does not contain the odor well, which can be worse for everyone, including your cat. This is particularly essential if you use a covered litter box, as it will trap those odors, and cats that aren’t happy with the smell of their litter might start eliminating outside the box.

    So, you may need to experiment a bit with scented and unscented litters until you find the right one.

    Quality

    Unfortunately, the adage, “You get what you pay for,” can be quite accurate in this situation. If you’re opting for cheap cat litter, you might need to deal with litter that isn’t “perfect.”

    You’ll need to decide what is non-negotiable and what you can put up with. If a lack of dust and odor control are more important than the clumping, look through product descriptions and customer reviews until you find a litter that seems to have those features.

    Cat looking in the litter box
    Image Credit: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock

    Tracking

    It’s nearly impossible to find a litter that doesn’t track at least a small amount or that won’t spill outside the litter box during your cat’s enthusiastic scratching. Unless it has large particles, most litter will stick to your cat’s paws, which will then be tracked throughout your home.

    So, we recommend investing in a good cat litter mat, as it can be quite effective at trapping the excess litter from your cat’s paws.

    Material

    The most common kind of litter available is bentonite clay, which is likely what you’ll end up using because it tends to be cheaper than most other materials. It also clumps well and has effective odor control, depending on the litter brand.

    Crystal cat litter is one of the more expensive options. It’s made with silica gel, works quite well at odor control, and effectively absorbs urine. It tends to be lighter in weight than clay if that’s an important quality for you.

    If you are aiming to be environmentally friendly, know that you’ll have to pay extra for biodegradable litters. Bear in mind that natural litters also aren’t always great at containing odors or clumping. You might need to experiment with a few different kinds until you find the right one for your needs.

    cat paw divider

    Conclusion

    We love Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Cat Litter for being one of the best of the cheaper cat litters. It’s virtually dust free and is one of the best for clumping. Frisco’s Multi-Cat Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter has low tracking and great odor control, and it’s the most affordable cat litter. Finally, the World’s Best Multi-Cat Unscented Cat Litter is an excellent litter among the natural cat litter options, and it’s flushable and lightweight.

    We hope that these reviews of less expensive cat litters have led you to the best product for you and your cat. After all, you don’t always have to spend a significant amount of money to get something great!

    See also:


    Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock

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