Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats
Last Updated by Brandon F. on May 7, 2020
For many people, having just one cat isn’t enough. And while a single cat household comes with some challenges, those challenges are increased even more when you introduce additional cats into the equation. And one of the largest hurdles can be finding a proper multi-cat cat litter to meet your needs.
If you plan on purchasing multiple litter boxes and giving each cat their own litter box, then this article won’t be as helpful for you. However, if you are limited on space, time, and money and want to try having your multiple cats share the same litter box, then finding a good multi-cat litter is essential. You also want to find a proper multi-cat litter box (we picked some of our favorite multi-cat litter boxes here).
When trying to find the best cat litter for multiple cats, there are certain criteria that you should look for. We test a lot of cat litters here at CatLitterHelp so we know exactly which litters out there possess these qualities, and which ones fall short.
In this article, we will break down what to look for when shopping for a multi-cat litter box. After this, we will list out some of our top choices for the best cat litters for multiple cats.
If you are in a hurry and simply want to see our picks then check out the table below. Otherwise, scroll down and enjoy the full article!
Contents
What to look for in Multi-Cat Litters
Not all cat litters are cut out to be multi-cat litters. When you are exposing cat litter to multiple cats using it over some time, it can strain that litter’s performance. Thankfully, cat litter brands have found ways to combat this issue. We have also discovered some of these special cat litters in our testing. We will list out a few and briefly discuss them in this section.
Multi-Cat Litters: Almost Always Clay
There are a lot of different cat litters out now that come in dozens of different ingredients. Clay, wood, paper, corn, silica crystals just to name a few. And when you have a single-cat litter box, many of these more specialty types of litter materials can thrive. Some litters (such as silica crystals) can lock in odor better than a traditional clay cat litter in single-cat households.
But when you throw a second (or third) cat into the mix, a lot of the more eco-friendly litters out there just can’t keep up. Before that particular litter has time to fully lock in the odor from new cat waste, another cat is visiting the litter box to do its business. The result can be a litter box that never really locks in all of those smells. This can lead to an unpleasant experience for both you and your cat!
In our extensive testing, we seemed to see an emerging trend. In almost all cases, the best performing multi-cat litters are made of traditional clay. Now don’t get us wrong: clay litters come with their inherent negatives. But one thing that nobody will disagree on is that the good clay litters can lock in odors. And this ability can shine in multi-cat litter boxes.
The reason behind this is simple. Clay cat litters clump fast and clump hard. Some of the other materials on the market can clump but few do it as quickly as clay. This aspect is essential if you want to contain odors in a multi-cat household.
And that brings us into our next section.
Multi-Cat Litters: Almost Always Clump
Another common theme we found among the best multi-cat litters is that almost all of them have clumping ability. Clumps are essential for locking in odors. With non-clumping cat litters, their performance is heavily dictated by how timely you are in removing the cat waste. If you are very efficient with maintaining your litter box then non-clumping cat litter can be a great solution for you.
But with multiple cats, you are having to double (or triple) how often you have to clean the litter box to have similar results. If you work from home and have a lot of free time then this can still be possible. But let’s be honest: most people don’t have the time or energy for all of that!
Because of this, nearly all multi-cat cat litters that we recommend have clumping ability. And not only do they retain their ability to clump, but they clumping tends to be among the best in the industry. This goes back to what we said earlier: clumps that form quickly and stay hard are essential for multiple cats.
Clumps that remain hard are important because multiple cat litter boxes have much higher foot traffic. Each cat that visits it is going to walk around, kick up litter, and then move it again on their way out. If your clumps are on the soft side, this can lead to them breaking apart. And when clumps break apart, it can emit the cat waste odors back into the air.
Multi-Cat Litters: Tend to have Larger Granules
A more subtle observation that we have had is in regards to granule size. We have noticed that many of their more impressive multi-cat litters have slightly larger than average granules. We assume that this can be attributed to the need to minimize the tracking and moving of the litter. Larger granules tend to weigh more, making them more resilient to being kicked around by your cat. And the less litter that is already clumping is disturbed, the better that it will perform.
This does have some exceptions, however. Boxiecat, for instance, have quite small granules. Yet it is one of the most impressive multi-cat litters that we have ever tested.
Multi-Cat Litters: Most are Scented
Cat Litter Scents can be a very hotly debated topic among cat owners. Some owners love the powerful perfumes that some products emit. While other owners (and cats) may be turned off by them or even have allergic reactions to them.
If you are sensitive to strong perfumes, then it will limit your options when it comes to viable multi-cat litters.
And this is no surprise. Perfumes, like them or hate them, provide an extra “scent barrier” between your nose and the smell of your cat’s waste. A litter that may not be able to completely lock in odor can benefit from an artificial scent being injected into it. This scent can help to mask what remaining odor wants to be emitted.
And with multi-cat households, that extra boost of perfume can be essential in keeping things in check.
Now keep in mind that not all scented cat litters smell the same. We have tried certain cat litters that have extremely overpowering scents that made our eyes burn. While other products have quite pleasant perfumes that we feel most people will like.
It is up to you to try out a few different scented cat litters (or at least smell them in the store) and determine which scents will and will not work for you.
Multi-Cat Litters Don’t have to Break the Bank!
Rejoice! Just because you need a multi-cat litter doesn’t mean that you will have to spend a lot on it. Since many of the best multi-cat litters are made of clay, they also tend to be on the cheaper side. This is because clay cat litters are typically the most affordable types of cat litter that there are.
When we were picking our top choices, we did consider this. We feel that all of our choices are very reasonably priced and should fall within most people’s pet budget.
Now that we have gone over some common things that you will find with multi-cat litters, let’s give you our top choices! All of these selections have been hand-tested by us in a multi-cat setting and came back with impressive results.
Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats: Our Picks
Cat’s Pride Fresh and Light Multi-Cat Cat Litter
This has been one of our favorite litters for many years. There is a reason why it is the highest-rated cat litter that we have ever tested! The key to the effectiveness of the Fresh and Light is the impressive clumping. This not only makes clean up easy but it also helps to lock in odors for long periods. This clay formula is perfect for single cat households up to potentially 3 cats sharing a single litter box. And the asking price is quite competitive.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Platinum Cat Litter
We have been a big fan of Arm & Hammer’s Clump & Seal series for a long time as well. But with the Platinum label, you not only get the effective 1-2 punch of clay granules and Arm & Hammer baking soda but you also get 10% more odor eliminators. What this means is that odor is stopped dead in its track. And that is exactly what you need for the demands of a multi-cat litter box. Arm & Hammer stands behind this litter by guaranteeing 7 days of odor-free protection between required cleanups.
Boxiecat Extra Strength Cat Litter
This is one of the newer brands that we have tried out. But since being initiated to Boxiecat, we have loved everything that they have rolled out. While all of their products are good at odor control, their Extra Strength model takes this to another level. It comes with an advanced probiotic-odor control formula that helps to stop odor-causing bacteria from forming almost instantly. It also lasts for a long period so you won’t feel like you have to constantly maintain your multiple cats’ litter box. You will pay a little more for this product but we feel that it is worth it.
Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented with Febreze Cat Litter
Fresh Step is another brand that has been in the cat litter business for a long period. Their multi-cat formulas have always worked quite well. But after joining their forces with Febreze, their newest formula has the effective clumping and odor control that we have come to expect and also introduces a refreshing Febreze scent. This is a great-smelling cat litter. And the best news is that the only thing that you should smell is the fresh scent – not your cat’s waste.
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra
Another tried and tested cat litter, De. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra has figured it all out. There is a reason why it is one of the best-selling litters in many online stores. Their Ultra model increases the odor-fighting capabilities which makes it right at home in a demanding multi-cat setting. Also, it is one of the few great multi-cat cat litters that doesn’t come scented. The only scent it has is the subtle natural scents of its ingredients. This can be good for those of you with extremely sensitive allergies and prefer to avoid cat litters with artificial perfumes.
Conclusion
We hope that this article about the best cat litters for multiple cats was helpful to you. Finding the right cat for your 2+ cat household can be intimidating so we wanted to take the effort out of it by providing you with some of our top choices based on years of testing and experience. We also went over some of the things that you should look for when shopping around for a new multi-cat litter.