Best Cat Litter For Asthma
Updated by Brandon F. on May 7, 2020
For someone who suffers from asthma or has serious allergies, a dusty cat litter can be the source of nightmares. The idea of becoming stopped up or even having an asthma attack while handling or scooping cat litter can be a major cause of concern for a lot of people.
Thankfully, there are cat litters out there that are designed to work well with people with asthma or sensitive allergies. These cat litters will typically be made of less harsh materials, avoid using strong perfumes, and (most importantly) be very low in dust levels.
In this article, we will go over some of the best cat litters for people who suffer from asthma or that have significant allergy issues.
Check out the table below for a summary of our top choices. If you wish to read our more thorough explanations of each product, just scroll on down!
Overview of Cat Litters for Asthma
If you have shopped around for cat litter for very long, you have likely seen that there are many different products out there. They can vary in the type of material, granule size, clumping ability, odor control, etc.
But when you focus on cat litters intended for those with asthma or allergies, the number of variables is reduced quite a bit.
Most good cat litters for asthma that you find will be comprised of a non-clay based material. While clay cat litter is fantastic for clumping and odor control, it does emit a lot of dust. Not only that, but many clay cat litters have very strong perfumes that can be a catalyst for allergies or even potentially asthma issues. That being said, there are some exceptions to this rule (as you will see in our list of top choices below).
Crystal cat litters are another type of cat litter that typically will produce higher levels of dust than many people would prefer. But again, there are outliers to this statement.
Another commonality of the asthma-friendly cat litters that we have come across is that many of them are made of all-natural ingredients. This can include things such as paper, corn, wood, and more.
However, it is important to state that just because a cat litter isn’t made of clay doesn’t mean that it would automatically be good for someone with asthma or allergies. Quite a few of these all-natural cat litters can still emit pretty powerful perfume smells. Also, many of them can still produce significant levels of dust (although rarely at the dust levels of clay and some crystal cat litters).
Unfortunately, many of your cat litters that are good for people with asthma will have to make some sacrifices when it comes to odor control and clumping. Many of them completely sacrifice clumping ability.
It will be up to you and your cat to try to find that happy balance between low dust levels and perfumes while still being able to find odors and potentially clump.
Now that we have briefly discussed what to look for in typical cat litters for asthma, let’s list out a few of our top choices!
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Cat Litter
Pros: Can still clump, Reasonably-priced, Good odor control
Cons: Still has some dust in the clay version, Smell might be a turnoff to some people
Believe it or not, Precious Cat Respiratory Relief comes in two forms: a silica gel and clay. As we mentioned above, clay cat litters oftentimes have more dust than other cat litters. And while the clumping clay used here is much lower in dust levels, it is still present to an extent. Their silica gel version, however, has essentially no dust at all. But you will give up the clumping ability of its clay counterpart.
Both types of litter have no plant proteins, perfumes, or other ingredients that could potentially affect sensitive cats or owners. They are also going to be lower-priced than many other all-natural options that are out there.
You can read our full review of Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Cat Litter here.
Okocat Dust Free Paper Natural Litter
Pros: Very lightweight, Can mask odors quite well
Cons: Does not clump, Easily tracked, Can be pricey
Okocat has quite a few cat litters that we like, but their dust-free paper version, in particular, stands out to us. As the name suggests, this litter is comprised of paper. We have tried paper cat litters that emitted quite a bit of dust, but Okocat has found a way to make their product emit essentially no dust. And lower dust levels are also a nice bonus to have when dealing with cats that have asthma.
To add to that, this product is completely free of chemicals, dyes, or synthetics. The only negatives are that you will have to sacrifice clumping ability with this product and you may have to open your wallet a bit more.
You can read our full review of Okocat Dust-free litter here.
CatSpot Cat Litter
Pros: Essentially no dust, Very absorbent
Cons: Easily tracks, Lack of clumping, Can be expensive
Another unique litter, CatSpot cat litter is made from 100% coconut. This means that it is all-natural and completely biodegradable. We have also experienced little if any dust levels with the shredded coconut. Another benefit is that coconuts, when shredded, are extremely absorbent and also control odors quite well. Which is helpful because you will sacrifice clumping with this product. Active cats may also track it some as the coconut shreds are extremely lightweight.
Our full review of Catspot cat litter can be read here.
Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Ultimate Care Unscented Hypoallergenic Cat Litter
Pros: Improved clumping and odor control, Affordable
Cons: Will emit more dust than other choices
It might have a long name and be made of clay, but Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Ultimate Care Unscented Hypoallergenic is a fine choice for those cats or owners who suffer from asthma. This is a clay-based cat litter. So it will have some dust (although much lower than most other clay cat litters that you have tried). Also, it comes with no perfumes or dyes. And since it is made of clay, you will enjoy boosts in odor control and clumping that most non-clay cat litters simply can’t compete with (as well as the lower asking price).
Click here to read our full review of Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Ultimate Care Unscented Hypoallergenic Cat Litter.
Garfield Cat Litter
Pros: Good clumping for all-natural litter, Reasonably priced, Gentle on paws
Cons: Could be better at odor control, can track
There are two types of Garfield Cat Litter: The Clump Grand and the Clump Tiny. We feel that the Clump Grand produces just a tad less dust due to larger granule size (but at the sacrifice of tracking a bit more). But both models are made of all-natural plant-based ingredients. They utilize no chemicals or perfumes. In our experience, these litters worked well with cats and owners that suffer from asthma or have sensitive allergies. They will also be a bit more affordable than some of the more exotic options that we have listed.
If you would like to read a larger review of Garfield cat litter, head over to our full review.