Cat Litter by Price Tier
Updated by Brandon F. on May 12, 2020
One of the biggest considerations that a buyer typically makes when choosing a cat litter (or any item, really) is how much it costs. There is a rather wide variance on how much cat litters can cost. Variables such as the type of material used, the size of the bag, how established the company is, shipping costs, difficulty in obtaining, and many others play a role in determining this metric.
Our Top Rated Cat Litters by Price Tier (on Amazon)
| Budget-Priced | Mid-Priced | Premium-Priced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Quick Action | Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Ultimate Care Premium Unscented Hypoallergenic Multi-Cat | Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance | |
 |  |  | |
| Our Rating |  |  | |
| Material Type | Clay | Clay | Clay |
| Container Size | 9 - 30 Pounds | 12 Pounds | 14 - 40 Pounds |
| Our Full Review | Link | Link | Link |
Since there are different quantities, shapes, and sizes of cat litter containers the easiest way to analyze this is by considering the relative cost in dollars per pound. This puts a 40-pound bag of cat litter on the same level as a 5-pound box. The other important note here is that we are basing these values off of online prices (generally Amazon) with localized shipping costs. You may see some prices and think to yourself, “What a minute! I can buy that in my local grocery store for a lot cheaper!“. And you are probably right.
Since cat litter tends to be quite heavy (particularly clay cat litters), shipping costs play a part. The benefit is that you don’t have to personally drive to the store and lug the heavy bag back home and instead can have it delivered to you, and online will have a much larger selection than any store you come across. The con is that this comes at a price. Only you can decide if the extra cost is worth it.
Even if you decide to purchase from the store our reviews still apply and we hope they will guide you in your purchase either way.
Also since prices fluctuate we won’t list specific prices but rather break them down into price categories that you will typically pay. There may be overlap between some of these but they are a good starting point. We encourage you to do research from potential sellers and go with the option that is the best price for you.
To simplify things, we have broken down the price ranges into three categories: budget-priced cat litter, mid-priced cat litter, and premium-priced cat litter. Their ranges are as follows:
budget: The cheapest option. These will be some of the more affordable litters that you can purchase online.
mid: A step up from budget. Not the cheapest but are noticeably more expensive than an average budget litter.
premium: The highest tier. These will be some of the more expensive litters that you will find online.
Further details of each and links to their respected lists can be found below.
Budget-Priced Cat Litter
The budget-priced cat litters are the most affordable tier that we have. They are typically clay-based and come from larger, more-established companies that can afford to drive down the price. There is a variety of clumping and non-clumping options. While there are reasonably-priced, many of these litters still perform extremely well. They might not have some of the more unique attributes that litters with more exotic materials have, but they still can get the job done with a lot less impact on your wallet.
Check out all of our budget-priced cat litter reviews here.
Mid-Priced Cat Litter
The mid-priced cat litter tier is for products that are typically a step up in cost from the budget level. At this price we start to see other materials mixed in with clays and even some non-clay litters. There are more eco-friendly options at this level as well. Most of these litters clump in some form and some of the more specialized features so as hypoallergenic and flushable come into play. If you are willing to spend a bit more there are some great-performing litters in this category, especially for multi-cat and sensitive cat households.
Head on over to our extensive list of mid-priced litter reviews located here.
Premium-Priced Cat Litter
The premium-priced cat litter tier are the most expensive, and will generally be higher-priced than both the budget and mid lines. These litters can be made of all sorts of materials such as crystals, silicon, pine, etc., and quite a few are intended for special circumstances such as cats that might have breathing difficulties or long-haired types. You will almost exclusively find litters that have some sort of clumping feature or a more advanced odor-elimination process, and many of these will be offered by smaller companies that you might not find in the budget offerings. You don’t have to spend this kind of money for a great litter, but for those willing to open up their wallet they will enjoy certain aspects you can’t find in cheaper tiers.
You can read up on all the different premium-priced litter options here.