Litter types
Most owners choose a material first. Here is what each type is made from, what it does well, and how it performed on average in our lab.
| Type | Tested | Average score | Best of the type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tofu and soy | 9 | 85 | Tofu Cat Litter Australia, Original 98 |
| Cassava | 7 | 87 | Petabite, Snow Cat Litter 92 |
| Clay (bentonite) | 20 | 76 | Ever Clean Extra Strength 94 |
| Blends | 7 | 82 | Petabite, Terra Cat Litter 92 |
| Wood, paper and grain | 6 | 70 | Tofu Cat Litter Australia, Oat 84 |
| Silica | 1 | 72 | Unicharm Deo Toilet 72 |
Tofu and soy
- What it is
- Soybean fibre, the pulp left over from making tofu and soy milk, pressed into small pellets.
- Good at
- Renewable and biodegradable, light to carry, and low in dust.
- Watch out for
- Clumps can be a little softer than clay. Some brands say small amounts can be flushed; we never recommend flushing cat waste.
Cassava
- What it is
- Cassava (tapioca) root, ground into fine, sand-like grains.
- Good at
- Renewable and biodegradable, soft under paw, and among the best for clumping and low dust in our tests.
- Watch out for
- Fine grains can track further than pellets.
Clay (bentonite)
- What it is
- Sodium bentonite, a clay mineral that swells and binds when wet.
- Good at
- Strong, hard clumps and solid odour control. Widely available.
- Watch out for
- Strip-mined, heavy, and neither renewable nor biodegradable, so it ends up in landfill. Often dustier.
Blends
- What it is
- Mixes of tofu, cassava and clay in one litter.
- Good at
- Aims to pair plant-based materials with the clumping strength of clay.
- Watch out for
- Any clay content counts against sustainability, and quality varies by recipe.
Wood, paper and grain
- What it is
- Pine, other woods, recycled paper, corn and oat, as pellets, crumbles or chips.
- Good at
- Usually renewable, and compostable where properly certified.
- Watch out for
- Many don’t clump as firmly as clay, and performance varies widely between brands.
Silica
- What it is
- Silica gel crystals that absorb liquid rather than clumping, often sold as part of a two-tray “system”.
- Good at
- Very low dust in our test.
- Watch out for
- Not renewable, and needs the matching tray system. Only one silica litter is on this year’s list.