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Review Summary
We give Tidy Cats litter a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Although brand recognition does not equal quality or performance, Tidy Cats from Purina is one of the best-known names in cat litter manufacturing. Its history means that it has had a long time to perfect its litter, and whether you prefer clumping or non-clumping, scented or unscented, clay or alternative litter materials, you will find a Tidy Cats litter to match.
Purina has combined with Glade, and recent iterations of their litter now have Glade scents directly infused into the litter so it emits a pleasant smell all the time, and you get a fresh waft whenever your cat scratches or buries anything under the clay.
Tidy Cats does offer a limited range of other materials, but it has developed its reputation using clay-based litter. Today, the majority of their litter range is made up of clay-based ingredients, so if you want litter made from other materials, you may have to consider another brand. If clay litter is your preferred choice, then you have a good selection to choose from. In either case, read on to find out more about the Tidy Cats brand and the wide range of litters that the company produces.
At a Glance: The Best Tidy Cats Litters
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Tidy Cats Glade Tough Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter |
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Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Scented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter |
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Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Enhanced Pellets Refill |
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Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Pads |
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Tidy Cats Lightweight Glade Scented Clumping |
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Tidy Cats Cat Litter Reviewed
Cat litter absorbs urine and feces and soaks up the smell when your cat goes to the toilet. It is recommended that you have one tray per cat, plus one extra, although you can have additional trays to ensure that your cats each have a favorite and spares. Litter trays are beneficial for cat owners because their cats won’t have to do all their business outdoors, but trays also pose a few problems.
Litter trays were once lined with newspapers and filled with sand, but modern litter has advanced a long way since then. Litters can now clump when they get wet, which makes it much easier to clean up liquid mess and makes it possible to skim-clean the tray. This means that you can clean out just the litter that has been used and replace that section, using less litter overall while still ensuring a clean and odor-free environment.
This brings us to another important function of cat litter: preventing and removing the strong and acrid smell of cat urine from the room where the litter tray is kept. Good litter will absorb the smell, as well as the liquid and mess. It will prevent the smell from getting out of the tray, which makes for a more pleasant environment for everybody.
Other factors to consider when choosing litter include how often it has to be replaced before it becomes unusable, whether it is easy to store and easy to dispose of, and whether your cat tracks it through the house, which can happen with some litter.
Manufacturers have come up with various ways to address these problems, including the Tidy Cats brand.
Clay Litter
Clay was one of the first materials used in cat litter manufacturing. It naturally clumps when wet, can be attained easily and at minimal cost, and is relatively easy to pick up. However, it does get heavy when wet, it can form cement-like clusters on the sides and bottom of the tray, and it does tend to stick to a cat’s paws so it can be tread throughout the house.
Tidy Cats has developed a good reputation for its production and provision of cat litter, and this reputation has been forged on the use of clay litter. Although it has introduced limited other materials into its range, the company has stuck with clay, and you will find that most of the products it offers now are clay-based cat litters.
Does Tidy Cats Offer Other Types of Litter?
Although most of Tidy Cat’s products are clay-based, they do offer litter pads and litter pellets. They even have litter products made from activated charcoal, which aims to filter out the smell rather than simply cover it up.
Glade Partnership
Purina has partnered with Glade in recent years. Glade is well known for its manufacturing of plugins and other room deodorants, and Tidy Cats buyers can now enjoy a few of the same fragrances with their cat litter. These litters provide a better-smelling room throughout the day, and the action of your cat moving the litter around reactivates the Glade to introduce more of the scent. Fans of Glade will appreciate the scented litter products.
Who Makes Tidy Cats Litter?
Tidy Cats litter was introduced in 1954 by Ed Lowe. It was sold exclusively in supermarkets and was designed to take advantage of the natural clumping nature of clay. Lowe was an inventor and cat owner, and he had become tired of seeing sooty cat pawprints around the house.
At the beginning of the 1990s, Lowe sold his successful cat litter company but the brand did not stop innovating. The company launched Tidy Scoop, which was its first scoopable litter, and in 2008, it introduced the Breeze system, which combines odor-absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets in a single system.
Even more recently, in 2013, LightWeight Tidy Cats was launched. It is not only lighter than traditional clay but comes in a convenient jug-type bottle that is easy to pour and even easier to keep tidy. Tidy Cats continues to innovate with its Naturally Strong range, launched in 2019, which is a strongly scented litter that is designed for more difficult smells.
Today, Tidy Cats is owned and run by Purina, a well-respected name in the cat industry, and it continues to provide a good range of innovative cat litter products, including clay, activated charcoal, and pellet litters.
A Quick Look at Tidy Cats Litter
- Good and long reputation for producing cat litter
- Range of materials and litter types
- Inexpensive
- Reasonable odor control
- Not the best clumping litter
- Somewhat limited material choices
Recall History
Tidy Cats cat litter has never had a product recall.
Reviews of the 3 Best Tidy Cats Litters
1. Tidy Cats Glade Tough Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
The Tidy Cats Glade Tough Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter is clay-based. It clumps up when it gets wet, which enables you to remove just the soiled section of litter and replace it with clean litter. What’s more, the litter is infused with Glade air freshener, so when it is disrupted, the litter releases a pleasant smell around the area of the litter.
Tidy Cats claims that this litter will retain its smell for 10 days, which should be enough time before you have to remove and replace the litter. Tidy Cats also claims that this litter is dust free, and depending on the size of the container you buy, it either comes in a convenient and easy-to-carry jug or a pail design.
- Glade odor control
- Clumping litter
- Convenient carrying container
- Doesn’t clump that well
- Can be tracked around the house
2. Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Scented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter
Clay cat litter is how Tidy Cats made its name, and the 24/7 Performance Scented Non-Clumping Cat Litter continues this trend today. This inexpensive litter has an extended-release deodorizing system that is considered suitable for litter trays that need high-performance litter. The non-clumping litter absorbs moisture rather than clumping, making it preferable for cats that otherwise choose to ignore their litter tray because they don’t like the discomfort of litter clumps.
- Cheap
- Large bag
- Odor-controlling performance
- Non-clumping
- Doesn’t control odor as well as claimed
3. Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Enhanced Pellets Refill
The Breeze litter system combines litter pads with litter pellets. The pads soak up and dispose of bad smells, while the litter pellets gather moisture and cover solids. The most recent version of the litter includes improved odor control so you do not have to endure the smell of cat urine and poop around the whole house. It is also anti-tracking, so your cat won’t drag it into the living room or on the furniture. The litter does not clump, enabling liquid to pass through and into the pads underneath, effectively controlling odor while allowing the collection of solids on the top of the litter.
- Scented, odor-control litter
- Low-tracking pellets
- Used in the Breeze system
- They smell bad after a day or two
What Other Users Are Saying
Read what others are saying about Purina Tidy Cats cat litter:
- CatLitterHelp: “Their decades of experience and tweaking of their products are represented in everything that they sell, and the result is a product list of respected and proven litters that tend to get the job done.”
- AllAboutCats: “If you are looking for an affordable brand of high-quality litter, Tidy Cats is one to consider.”
- Amazon: We have also checked Amazon reviews to see what other buyers and users have to say about the Tidy Cats cat litter brand. You can read what they say here.
Conclusion
Tidy Cats has developed a strong brand reputation in the 70-plus years it has been manufacturing cat litter. It built its reputation on clumping clay litter, and it continues to concentrate its efforts in this area, although it has widened its product range a little with the introduction of litter pellets and even an activated carbon option. Its lightweight, clumping, and Glade-scented litters are especially popular, and if you’re a fan of clay litter, Tidy Cats, which is now a Purina brand, is worthy of consideration and purchase.
Featured Image Credit: Chewy/ yamamedal, Shutterstock
5 Responses
Tidy Cat lightweight, clumping, Free & Clean litter is not like it used to be. It now is mostly clay, heavier, & doesn’t control odors. It also makes a mess. What in the world did Purina do?? I’m now looking for a different litter. Thank you.
Hi Susan, and thank you so much for reading Catster. We truly appreciate you being part of our community. Our goal is to provide helpful, well-researched information to support you and your feline family members.
Since we’re an independent publication and not directly affiliated with the litter manufacturers, we recommend reaching out to them for the most accurate and up-to-date information about any product changes.
In the meantime, here are a couple of guides you might find helpful if you’re exploring other litter options:
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/best-clumping-cat-litter/
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/best-unscented-cat-litters/
We hope this helps, and thank you again for stopping by!
We usually buy 10 or 20 lb bags of Tidy Cats & all is good. Occasionally we’ve gotten the 30 lb size from a different store. It’s lighter in color & our cat won’t use it! Any insight?
Sounds like the product might have changed. Cats know what they like from what they don't. Our best advice is that you contact the manufacturer to ask if this is the case.
I used to like the Tidy Cat unscented with activated charcoal, USED to clump hard and controlled odors, I stopped using it altogether due to its now fowl smell from clumps disintigrating when scooping. Its definitely gone downhill.