Being a cat owner can be one of the most rewarding experiences for us humans, but one of the distinct disadvantages is dealing with the litter box. Part of the unpleasantness of litter boxes is the rather pungent odor of cat urine. Did you know that our domesticated cats’ ancestors lived in the desert, and their urine is very concentrated because it helped keep them hydrated? Well, if you’re like most people, you want a litter that can cover that smell, is easy to clean, and is not harmful to either your cat or the environment.

Perhaps you are already using pellet litter and want to know the best brand, or maybe you’re considering switching to pellet litter and aren’t sure where to begin. You have come to the right place as we’ve done the work for you and have reviewed some of the best pellet litters on the market. Hopefully, these reviews will help you discover the best pellet litter for you and your cat.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2026

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Feline Pine Non-Clumping Cat Litter	Dust-free Absorbent Environmentally friendly	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Okocat Mini Pellets Clumping Cat Litter	Flushable 99% dust-free Environmentally friendly	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Next Gen Pet Clumping Wood Cat Litter	All natural Environmentally friendly Flushable and compostable	CHECK PRICE
		Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Pellets	9% dust-free Excellent odor control Won’t track around your house	CHECK PRICE

The 7 Best Pellet & Pine Cat Litters

1. Feline Pine Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter – Best Overall

Feline Pine Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter makes the top of our list for best cat pellet litter. It absorbs your cat’s urine quickly and does an excellent job of covering the odor. The pellets are made of pine that act like tiny sponges. The pungent ammonia scent of cat urine is absorbed, eliminating the odor and keeping the litter dry. Creating these pellets includes dehydrating pine fibers, which allows them to absorb any liquid, which will turn to sawdust.

Feline Pine is completely natural as it does not contain any additives, chemicals, or perfumes; it just leaves a pleasant mild pine scent. It is also dust-free (unlike clay litters) when poured and less likely to stick to your cat’s paws and leave little presents throughout your house and is one of the least expensive brands out there.

2. Okocat Mini Pellets Clumping Wood Cat Litter – Best Value

Okocat Mini Pellets Unscented Wood Pellets is one of the best pellet cat litters out there for the money. This litter is an excellent alternative for those who want an environmentally friendly litter that can clump (for those who prefer to scoop their litter). It is made from reclaimed wood that is 100% sustainable and is environmentally friendly without any perfumes, chemicals, dyes, or additives.

Okocat is soft and, therefore, easy on your cat’s paws and will absorb the urine and its strong ammonia scent. It is 99% dust-free and biodegradable, which means it can be flushed down your toilet and won’t track around your house. Okocat is a little more expensive than Feline Pine, but perhaps its clumping and their use of wood fiber that has been rescued is worth it.

3. Next Gen Pet Clumping Wood Cat Litter – Premium Choice

Next Gen Gen Pet Clumping Wood Cat Litter may be the more expensive option, but it uses a unique formula that makes it worth the extra funds. Green Tea Unscented Fresh Cat Litter Pellets are made out of wood and combined with green tea leaves, which provides a naturally pleasing scent and prevents bacterial growth, which usually contributes to a nasty litter box odor.

While the litter bag is smaller and more expensive than the top two brands, it lasts a long time. The 5-pound bag should last for 4 to 6 weeks and is environmentally friendly and a natural product. It is clumping flushable litter, and any leftover litter can be used as compost. While it claims to be low in dust, it is not dust-free.

4. Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Pellets

Purina Tidy Cats Pellets will work for you if you have the Tidy Cats Breeze system or would like to switch to it. The Tidy Cat pellets are recommended only for the Breeze system as they are designed to allow liquid to flow to the bottom, where the Breeze pads will trap the liquid for easy removal. These pellets are different from the others in that they are made from a mineral rather than wood fibers.

The Breeze Litter Pellets are 99.9% dust-free and dehydrate your cat’s feces, which helps control any odor issues. This system is also designed for households with multiple cats, and it makes cleaning your cat’s litter box an easy chore.

5. Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter

Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter is another pellet litter made from recycled paper that is biodegradable and therefore reduces landfill waste. It is 99% dust-free, hypoallergenic, and will hold at least 3 times the liquid and is, therefore, effective at providing absorption. Just like the other pellets in this list, it doesn’t stick to your cat’s paws and track around your house, and you won’t need to worry about your cat licking litter off of her feet.

These pellets are non-clumping and unscented but are large. They contain baking soda that helps control the odor. However, at times, the odor control isn’t effective and, therefore, expect the possibility of an unpleasant smell from this litter. Also, compared to the top brands, it’s expensive.

6. Frisco Pine Pellet Unscented Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter

Frisco Pine Pellet Unscented Non-Clumping Wood Cat Litter is made with natural 100% pine and no additives, chemicals, or fragrances. These pellets can hold urine up to 3 times their own weight, which helps with odor control. Frisco pellets are low in dust and are appropriate for either single or multiple cat homes. This particular brand is cheaper than most of the others.

Frisco Pine Pellets are dried in a kiln, but again, the pellets are too large to be sifted when cleaning out the litter box and is not recommended for flushing. There is also an issue with the pellets crumbling too easily, and this makes cleaning the litter box more of a challenge.

7. Nature’s Logic All Natural Pine Wood Cat Litter

Nature’s Logic All Natural Pine Wood Cat Litter is completely natural as it is made only from Ponderosa pine wood (the most common pine in North America). It is biodegradable and may be flushed as long as it’s done in small amounts. It claims to be dust-free, but there were issues with the pellets turning into sawdust too easily, making cleanup difficult.

Nature’s Logic also claims to cover up any odor issues, but the odor control of this brand of pellets wasn’t as good as with the top brands. The pellets are also very hard, and therefore, there’s the possibility that your cat may not want to use them if it’s uncomfortable for her to walk on.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Pellet & Pine Cat Litters

So, you’ve had a look at the top cat litter pellets choices out there, but how do you know what kind of litter is best for you and your cat? There are several factors to take into consideration, so please read on, and hopefully, we can help you make the best choice.

Cat Litter Expense

The price for most pellet litters is a little higher than your traditional clumping and clay litters. However, keep in mind that this kind of litter can actually last longer, which might just save you money in the end. Overall, the cost of the litter won’t mean as much if you’re helping the environment and it’s healthier for your cat.

Cat Litter Odor

Many traditional litters tend to add fragrance to their product, but what might smell pleasant to us humans is actually very potent and unpleasant for most cats. The last thing you want is your cat avoiding her litter box, so choosing a scented vs. unscented litter is something you need to think about. Some pellet litters are better than others at controlling odor, so you might need to try a few before you find the one that works.

Combating tough cat litter smells is an ongoing battle for pet parents but luckily, there are products out there designed to help! Two products that significantly reduce odors are the Hepper Litter Additive and the Hepper Enzyme Spray.

Image	Product	Details
Best Enzyme Cleaner	Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray	Works on multiple surfaces Gentle yet effective Lifts stains & set-in odors	CHECK PRICE
Best Litter Additive	Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer	Neutralizes odor within cat litter Cat-safe Unscented	CHECK PRICE

At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

Cat Litter Dust

Clay litter is notorious for creating a dust cloud when it’s poured and even when your cat walks around her box. Almost all pellet litters are completely dust-free, which is super important if you have an asthmatic cat or if she has any kind of breathing condition.

Cat Litter Tracking

Finding those annoying bits of litter scattered around the house and getting stuck to your bare feet can be frustrating. Particularly when you need to be constantly sweeping or vacuuming them up. As a general rule, the pellet litters do not track around your house, except for the occasional few that your cat will probably kick out of the litter box when she’s enthusiastically scratching around in there. This also means your cat will not be ingesting bits of litter when she’s licking her paws, which could end up causing an upset stomach or health problems.

Cat Litter Material

If you’re very environmentally conscious, what type of litter you choose will be an essential factor. Most pellet litters are made from natural and recycled products and are usually biodegradable and sometimes compostable. They also tend to be much more absorbent than the other kinds of litter, which means they will last longer. Keep in mind that some of the pellet litters might be a bit big for sifting, and most don’t clump if that’s what you prefer. Your cat might also not like walking on these large and hard pellets, so a little trial and error might be in order.

Our Pellet & Pine Cat Litters Selection Process

Catster’s dedicated team of writers and editors collaborate with expert veterinarians, considering a wide range of factors when selecting the best pellet and pine litters for cats. These parameters include customer reviews, brand reputation, veterinary experience, and in some cases, hands-on testing. Of course, our cats have a say in the process, too! We strive to select and review the highest-quality products available, to help you choose the best possible product and make the most informed decision for your and your cat’s needs.

Why Trust Catster?

Catster has been a trusted online brand since 2001, so we know a thing or two about pellet and pine cat litters. We’re a team of cat-loving writers, editors, and veterinarians dedicated to helping you make the most informed decision for your feline. We deeply believe in providing the best information for cat owners to help their cats live their best life possible. We look at reviews from the most trusted sources available, and this, combined with our veterinary team’s experience and expertise, helps us gather the best options on the market. Our team is invested in the welfare and health of cats around the world, and believe that expert knowledge is one of the best ways to achieve this.

Conclusion

The winner of the best overall pellet cat litter goes to Feline Pine’s Original Non-Clumping Litter for ease of use. It’s an environmentally friendly litter that is one of the least expensive yet one of the highest-quality pellet litters. Our second-place winner goes to Okocat Mini Pellets, which might appear costly, but it’s designed to last a long time and is one of the few clumping pellet litters that actually work.

Finding the right pellet litter that works for both you and your cat might take a bit of experimenting and exploring. Hopefully, we’ve made your job of finding the best cat litter a little easier, and our reviews of some of the various pellet litters out there will help you in your quest to make the unpleasant chore of cleaning the litter box a little more pleasant.

Related Reads:

• 10 Best Natural Cat Litters – Reviews & Top Picks
• 6 Best Automatic Litter Boxes for Self-Cleaning – Reviews & Top Picks

Featured Image Credit: frantic00, Shutterstock