The Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cat Households: Top 5 Products

Updated: February 19, 2021 by Kristen Chapple

For six years my first cat was an only child. I worried a lot about getting a second cat as my cat had always fought with other cats in the street and just didn’t seem like the type that would share a house well with other pets. But after six years, my desire for a new cat was just too strong and I introduced a second cat to my home, officially becoming a multi-cat household.

All the things that I was worried about proved to be no problem at all, and they actually formed a bond surprisingly quickly. But one thing that I hadn’t worried about, and probably should have, was what having multiple cats in the home would mean for their bathroom habits. I just assumed that they would use the same litter box, and everything would continue as before.

The first thing I noticed, of course, was that the litter box, in general, was smelling much worse because it was being used much more. I tried to clean it more regularly to keep on top of it, but that clearly wasn’t enough as my older cat began urinating outside the box, clearly out of protest.

Naturally, I immediately started investigating what I should do. As well as picking up some general tips for improving the bathroom situation, I learned that multi-cat trays require heavy-duty litter to do to the job. Read on for my top tips for looking after a multi-cat litter tray, thoughts on what makes a good cat litter for a multi-cat household, and my top five cat litters for multi-cat households currently on the market.

The Best Cat Litters For Multiple Cats Are…

Product	Details
Arm and Hammer Multi-Cat Clump and Seal Cat Litter		Unscented Clay clumping Controls odor with baking soda	Check Current Price
World’s Best Cat Litter Scoopable Multiple Clumping Cat Litter		Unscented Corn clumping Made with all natural ingredients	Check Current Price
Fresh Step Febreze Multi-Cat Cat Litter		Paw-activated scent Clumping clay Controls odor with activated charcoal	Check Current Price
Jonny Cat Complete Multi-Cat Cat Litter		Scented Clumping clay Controls odor with ammonia eliminator	Check Current Price
Dr Elsey’s Clean Tracks Multi-Cat Strength Clumping Cat Litter		Unscented Clumping clay Made from natural ingredients	Check Current Price

The following five cat litters are all ideal for multiple cat households. Which one is right for your household depends on your personal preferences and the preferences of your multiple feline users. Finding a litter that they are all happy with can be challenging and probably just requires trial and error.

If you have multiple litter trays, do use the same litter in all of them, otherwise, cats can find it confusing.

1. Arm and Hammer Multi-Cat Clump and Seal Cat Litter

I prefer an unscented cat litter, and this litter from Arm and Hammer manages to contain odors without the need for a masking smell. It does this by combining a patented baking soda mix that destroys odor on contact with moisture-activated micro-granules that form a tight seal around waste. These clumps are easy to scoop out, allowing for regular cleaning, and shouldn’t break apart.

I love this litter as it promises to stay effective for seven days, so I only need to fully change my litter trays once a week, saving on both money and time.

It is low-dust, so neither you nor your cat should find yourselves inhaling it, and while it is made from micro-particles, which cats prefer but are worse for tracking, this litter is very low tracking.

2. World’s Best Cat Litter Scoopable Multiple Clumping Cat Litter

This litter is second on my list for two reasons. Unlike the other litters on the list that are all clay-based, this is an all natural, corn-based option. This makes it better for the environment, but also means that it is safe for both septic tanks and sewer systems, which means that it is flushable. This makes it much easier when it comes to cleaning as you can just scoop up the waste and flush it away.

It is not the top of my list because it does not do quite as good a job when it comes to eliminating odors. It does, however, do a pretty good job of dealing with mess by forming tight lumps on contact with waste. These clumps won’t break apart during cleaning, releasing unwanted smells during the cleaning process.

3. Fresh Step Febreze Multi-Cat Cat Litter

This quality cat litter is a collaboration between Fresh Step and the trusted scent brand Febreze. It absorbs waste quickly forming tight clumps around waste that won’t break apart. It couples this with activated charcoal that dissipates quickly. Although this litter uses a scent, it is set apart because rather than constantly releasing a smell, the smell is only activated when the cat rustles the litter with its paws. This means that it is effective at masking odors, but my cats and I are not bombarded with a constant scent. It is also low-dust and low-tracking.

4. Jonny Cat Complete Multi-Cat Cat Litter

This affordable litter from Jonny Cat deals with odors with a patented ammonia odor eliminator that works fast and effectively without the need for harsh chemicals. It also has powerful litter rocks that quickly trap waste matter to contain odors and allow for easy cleaning. It comes with a masking scent, but it is light enough not to irritate and strong enough to do the job.

5. Dr Elsey’s Clean Tracks Multi-Cat Strength Clumping Cat Litter

This is an all-natural litter made from natural medium grain clay that won’t track with your cat and forms hard, easy-to-scoop clumps. It is free from all deodorants, perfumes, and chemicals, making it hypoallergenic, and perfect for both sensitive cats and sensitive parents.

Tips for Multi-Cat Litter Tray Management

I have four main tips for keeping multi-cat litter boxes clean and under control.

1. Have Multiple Litter Trays Spread Around The Home

If you can, have at least one litter tray in your house per cat, and preferably an extra one. Cats like to have their own space for doing their business, and they also like to have an alternative option when a ‘cubicle’ is full, or a bit unpleasant. The downside is, of course, finding appropriate places for all the litter trays, as they shouldn’t be too close together, and the expense of all that litter, as all the trays should be changed on a weekly basis.

2. Keep It Cool

A warm litter box just increases the odors of what is contained within it. Make sure boxes are in cool, well-ventilated areas both to ensure that excess heat doesn’t intensify the odor and odors that are produced have somewhere to go.

3. Keep It Clean

The best thing you can do with a heavily used litter tray is to clean it regularly. This will both remove the sources of odor, leaving your home smelling better, and make the space more appealing for your cats to use. Clean them at least once a day, but you can check them as often as five times a day if you are in the home to quickly scoop any new deposits.

4. Use Heavy-duty Litter

Be prepared to pay a bit more for better quality cat litter that will do a better job of stopping odors, and clumping around urine and feces for quick and easy scooping and disposal. This will make it easier to quickly clean the trays multiple times a day, and it will limit the spread of odors from the tray throughout the home.

What to Look for in a Litter for Multiple Cats

Good quality cat litters that are ideal for multi-cat households should have the following three characteristics.

Absorbency and Clumping

Litters for high-use cat trays need to be highly absorbent to soak up more urine so that cats don’t enter a tray to find it moist and unappealing. A clumping litter is the best option, as it ensures both that the liquid is held in a dry clump that contains its odor, and that it is quick and easy to remove the clumps, along with other hard matter, on a regular basis to keep your cats, and your nose, happy.

We actually have a roundup post of our fave litters that make great clumps, and you can check it out here.

Odor Control

With multiple cats the litter tray is being used more, so is likely to smell more. Therefore, a good cat litter for multiple cat households should have extreme odor control properties. This generally means that the litter costs a bit more, but in my opinion, it is worth it not to have ‘that smell’ lingering around the house.

Litters with good odor control will typically contain baking soda, activated carbon, or activated charcoal, all of which dissipate odors on contact. Some may also come with fragrances that mask the smell, but sometimes these can be as offensive as the tray smell itself. Also, if the smell is overwhelming for the cats, they may find entering the litter box unappealing. Be careful when choosing a scent.

Low Dust And Tracking

All cat litters should be low on dust, and shouldn’t create a cloud in the air when you pour it into the litter box. If it does, you can be sure that your cat is also kicking up a cloud of dust every time they use the tray. This is bad for you to inhale, bad for your cat to inhale, and it can get into your cats’ hair and they can ingest it when cleaning themselves and, you guessed it, it is bad for them to ingest. Good litters are now almost completely dust free.

As well as dust, there is the problem of tracking. This is when cats pick up litter on their feet or in their fur and track it into the rest of the house. The more foot traffic a tray has, the more problematic tracking becomes. It is pretty unappealing to find granules of cat litter around the house, even if it seems clean. You can lessen the mess considerably by getting a good litter mat that would catch those stray granules.

The Verdict

All five of the cat litters on this list are appropriate for a multiple-cat household. Which one is right for your household will depend on the proclivities of your cats.

Arm and Hammer Multi-Cat Clumping litter is probably the most effective on the list, eliminating odors and forming tight, easy-to-scoop clumps. It remains effective for about seven days, which means only changing the litter completely once a week.

Although not quite as effective, I have a soft spot for The World’s Best Cat Litter. It is not quite as good at containing odors, but it is all-natural and safe to flush, which makes frequent scooping quick and easy.