15 of the Best Natural, Eco-Friendly Cat Litter Brands

Cleaning out the litter box is probably one of the worst parts of having a cat. But you can make the process a little better by choosing an eco-friendly, natural cat litter. Here are our picks of 15 of the best brands making eco-friendly cat litter.

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Italian company Almo Nature's 100 percent plant-based cat litter is made with cassava tuber, leaves, and branches. The cat litter is biodegradable, compostable, and can be flushed down the toilet. Almo Nature is owned by the nonprofit Fondazione Capellino, which works to protect biodiversity. One of the nonprofit's projects is the "Companion for Life" initiative, which advocates for EU regulations recognizing domestic pets as legal family members.

Arm & Hammer makes a cat litter of natural corn, baking soda, and plant extracts. Arm & Hammer is also the parent company of Feline Pine, which makes two variations of cat litter: clumping and pellets. Feline Pine is made of kiln-dried pine shavings, derived from reclaimed lumber. Arm & Hammer's parent company, Church & Dwight, is a partner of the Arbor Day Foundation, which plants trees to offset carbon emissions.

Boxie's Cat Scent-Free Cat Litter is made with one ingredient: premium clay. The other variations of Boxie Cat litter are similar, with two containing natural probiotics. The company also boasts that its clay litter is 99.9 percent dust free. Boxie also sells Scoop & Tie litter bags it advertises are made of materials that break down faster than traditional plastic.

Catalyst litter has four formulas: multi-cat, healthy cat, unscented, and wood pellet. All versions are made with soft woodfiber and are biodegradable and compostable. The company was developed by Lignetics, Inc., which upcycles wood waste into other products. Catalyst has received accreditation from the Pet Sustainability Coalition for its efforts. Additionally, Catalyst's Shelter + Rescue program supports numerous animal shelters and trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs across the U.S.

Dofu Cat makes four litter varieties: cereal, tofu, multi-cat, and coffee bean. The multi-cat variety is made with bean fiber, corn starch, and guar gum. Dofu Cat's litter is biodegradable and 99 percent dust-free. Litter can be purchased as a one-time or a subscription.

Dr. Elsey's has 15 litter products, but the most eco-friendly option is its Pine Litter, which is biodegradable, made of pine pellets and other all-natural ingredients, and low-odor. The company is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and aims to provide recyclable packaging materials to customers. Dr. Elsey's provides shelter kits to rescue groups nationwide, and Dr. Elsey's Fund to Cure Cancer supports the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and the annual Save $3, Give $3 campaign.

Michu sells two litters: Natural Cat Litter and Mixed Cat Litter. Both products are made with tofu, but the Natural Cat Litter is available in five scents: peach, green tea, original, watermelon, or ocean fresh. The Mixed Cat Litter is available in two scents: original or coffee. Michu litter is 100 percent plant-based, flushable, and 99 percent dust-free. Michu litter bags are also recyclable. Michu sells other cat products, including litter boxes, treats, and wooden cat trees.

Naturally Fresh makes six types of litter from walnut shells, with one pellet version that can be used for all kinds of pets. The Naturally Fresh formula is nontoxic, silica-dust-free, biodegradable, and compostable. Also, Naturally Fresh products are made in facilities that use solar panels.

ökocat is made of 100 percent renewable, plant-based, and biodegradable wood fiber. ökocat litter comes in clumping or pellet form and has 100 percent recyclable paper packaging. It is also a USDA-certified biobased product. Additionally, Healthy Pet, ökocat's parent company, has created "ökocause4paws," where customers can nominate their favorite cat shelters or rescues to receive free litter. Healthy Pet is a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and working on becoming zero waste.

Only Natural Pet makes grass seed litter that is non-GMO verified, biodegradable, plant-based, and grown in the U.S. Only Natural Pet litter is flushable and free of chemicals and fragrances. The company is a Certified B Corp, a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, Green America Approved, and a Carbon Credit Capital partner.

Pioneer Pet's SmartCat litter is non-GMO verified, made from U.S.-farmed grasses, fragrance-free, 99 percent dust-free, clay-free, and biodegradable. It also comes in a corn + wheat litter variety. Pioneer Pet also makes a slew of cat products, including feeders, toys, and scratching posts.

While not biodegradable, PrettyLitter is made of silica gel crystals and designed to change color to alert pet parents to potential health issues based on the urine. For example, shades of yellow to olive green are OK, but other colors may indicate your cat should see a vet. PrettyLitter is non-clumping and does not expire.

Sustainably Yours makes three varieties of litter from corn and cassava: multi-grain, small-grain, and large-grain. Sustainably Yours litter is entirely plant-based, virtually dust-free, and unscented. The company's packaging can be recycled, with 51 percent of its packaging produced from bioplastic made of sugar cane.

Tuft + Paw's Really Great Cat Litter is made primarily from soybean fiber and comes in pellet form. The litter is biodegradable, flushable, 99 percent dust-free, and uses charcoal to eliminate odor. Tuft + Paw products are available as a subscription or a one-time purchase.

World's Best makes eight varieties of cat litter made from whole-kernel corn. Litter products are 99 percent dust-free, contain no harmful chemicals, synthetic perfumes, or clays, and are made from renewable ingredients. World's Best formulas are flushable, and the company has donated more than 3 million pounds of litter to rescue cats in need.