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Go into any pet store in Australia and you’ll find shelves lined with all kinds of cat litter.
Clay, clumping litter, tofu kitty litter…and everything in between.
But you might be wondering, what’s best for dust control and odour? What’s the best value choice?
Overall, Chandler cat litter is my top pick. It’s great value for money and is low on dust.
Most cats will dig it too.
Here’s my 3 best cat litter in Australia picks for comparison:
Buying cat litter is draining.
With a huge range of litter, it’s hard to know what’s best.
So to clear the confusion, I’ve gone ahead and bought a whole bunch of cat litter, and did hands on testing.
I’ve compared different types to find what works best for what situation.
So if you want to learn more, then read on…
As a dietitian, I have a background in researching nutrition for humans, but am also a cat health enthusiast.
I’ve hand tested all the products listed in this content and used key criteria to compare options.
Whilst I am not a veterinarian, I have taken every effort to ensure I’ve pick options suitable for felines.
Please note that this article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
>> Learn More on our About Page
4 Best Cat Litter in Australia Ranked
Using a database of popular cat litter, I filtered options that rate best for:
- Dust
- Odor control
- Tracking
- Price
- Absorption
- Cat enjoyment
Some of these came from objective measures (I used an air quality monitor to test for dust) and some from subjective (rating odor out of 10 after litter use).
Using a weighted scoring method, I gave every litter I tested a score out of 10.
Whatever came out on top is what I chose for this list.
To learn more about how I calculate and grade cat litter, check out our review guidelines.
Best Overall Cat litter in Australia
Chandler is a great value cat litter and scored best for all criteria combined.
This Australia clumping cat litter costs under $5 AUD to fill a standard litter tray, which is super affordable.
Our kittens enjoyed using it due to it’s soft texture on the paws.
Odor control is also good and absorption is excellent with this litter, sucking up pee with ease.
My gripes are the tracking, which is a bit average. This one uses attapulgite clay which I haven’t seen linked with health issues (unlike bentonite).
Very affordable
Easy on the paws
Top tier absorption
Tracks a bit
Is attapulgite safe?
Best Cat litter in Australia Runner Up
*Available in lavender scented.
Catsan is another value for money pick that most cats will enjoy.
Unlike Chandler, it’s a clumping cat litter. With it’s rock hard clumps and granule texture, scooping is a breeze.
Speaking of breeze, the odor control is pretty great with this one. It’s a heavier litter that seems to resist tracking.
Main issue is this uses bentonite clay. It’s harmful to cats if ingested and the dust isn’t healthful for asthma.
Not great for multi-cat houses or tiny apartments.
Rock hard clumping
Easy to scoop waste
Great odor control
Not safe to eat
Not asthma friendly
Best Cat litter in Australia for Kittens
Catlux is soft lightweight litter that’s easy on the paws.
My kittens enjoyed pounding away at it ’til the wee hours of the morning.
Although you don’t want kittens eating any litter, a small amount of wood doesn’t have the same issues as clay if eaten and doesn’t produce aflatoxin, like plant based litters.
Since it’s lightweight and has huge bags, this litter is affordable if buying in bulk.
Dust, odor, clumping, and absorption are all great with Catlux.
The only area this litter didn’t do too well at is tracking. It’s so light, that it flies around a bit.
Super soft on the paws
Absorbs like a sponge
Odor control is good
Tracks a little
Boring package I guess
Best Cat litter in Australia for Odour Control
*Activated carbon and baking soda.
Tofu Cat Litter Australia has activated carbon and baking soda, which combine like a superhero and side-kick to clamp down on odour.
So if you’re in a small cramped up space, you’ll love it.
It’s a pea based litter (even though it’s called Tofu) that you can flush and it’s compostable.
The litter is made in Australia as well so you’re supporting a local company.
It does well for most things. Clumping, dust control, tracking…all good.
The long thin texture is something my kittens don’t enjoy as much and the price is a little exorbitant.
Powerful odor control
Local brand
Super low dust
Expensive
Thin texture not paw-friendly
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Cat Litter?
The best litter for you will depend mostly on your situation.
Want dust control? Go tofu, walnut, or wood.
After budget? Bentonite clay is a great choice.
Here’s a quick chart comparing cat litter types at a glance:
Clumping
Clumping litter is preferable.
It’s easier to clean and controls odour better. Cats tend to prefer it.
Moisture can build up with non-clumping litter and seep to the bottom leaving a musty smell if not changed every month.
However, some non-clumping cat litter options are great value for money. For multi-cat houses, this type of litter helps with your budget.
Dust
Tofu, walnut, and wood are best for dust control.
I tested this using an air quality monitor and compared readings from pouring different cat litter into a tray.
The fine particle dust level (PM2.5) doesn’t spike in those litters. This is the type of dust that can trigger asthma.
Crystal, zeonite and recycled paper litter are the dustiest types of cat litter based on my tests.
Scented vs Unscented
Cats don’t have a preference for scented or unscented litter.
However perfumes may trigger asthma in some cats and it’s hard to know if cats tolerate all scents.
For odour control, it’s best to clean the cat litter tray daily and/or use activated carbon.
Cat litter with activated carbon helps boost the ability to trap stinky gas.
Price
The best way to compare price is through volume.
Issue here?
Some cats list weight in grams. Some give you the volume.
That makes it hard to compare types because lighter cat litter will get more volume per gram.
A standard cat litter tray (anything at Big W, Woolworths, Coles etc.) requires about 5.5L of cat litter for a depth of two inches.
You need to buy heavier cat litter to fill a tray, all things being equal.
To cut to the chase:
Recycled paper, zeonite clay, and corn litter are the lightest types based on my testing. Tofu and crystal are the heaviest.
Of course, you also have to factor in longevity.
Small clumping cat litter tends to last longer because it’s easier to filter waste without scooping a bunch of good litter into the bin.
Absorption
I poured water on different cat litter to see what absorbs better.
Most cat litter absorbs water pretty well, which isn’t a surprise – they are cat litters after all.
They should work, otherwise no-one would buy them.
Clay litter seemed to perform best in my experience, which is great for those on a budget.
Any generic clumping clay litter will do a good job here.
Cat Enjoyment
Your cat has to use the litter, not you.
So they should like it.
Research suggests cats prefer small cat litter and my testing supports this.
I compared litter size and weight with how often my two kittens used the cat litter.
Each litter was tested against a generic clay cat litter control for two days, rotating position for each day. Deposits were tallied.
I found a moderate correlation between increase in volume (i.e. lighter cat litter) and cat usage.
Then I compared cat litter size to cat usage.
I looked at:
- Length
- Width (girthiness of the pellet, I guess)
- Length to width difference
What seems to matter most is length and length to width difference.
There’s a weak negative correlation between length and litter usage and a moderate correlation with length to width difference.
So it seems the most cat friendly litter is:
- Light
- Soft
- Round-ish
Long skinny tendrils seem to put off my cats most. Maybe they feel like mini-needles on the paws?
The results aren’t statistically significant though. I’d need to test this with more cats for more days for more clearer results.
Tracking
Sometimes cats kick litter out the tray.
The cat litter box and location help to limit the mess (i.e. get a higher sided litter tray).
But in my experience heavy and skinny litter stick to paws less often and track less. The issue?
It’s a bit of a trade off, because (at least in my testing) these types of cat litter don’t seem to be as enjoyable.
Finding What’s Best?
If you’re still not sure what to use, try a cafeteria test.
This is where you take two cat litter types and pour them into trays.
Let your cat decide which one they like using best and go from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict for Australian Kitty Litter
There’s a massive range of cat litter to choose from in Australia.
I bought 16 popular options, testing them for odour control, dust, and cat enjoyment.
What’s best for you will depend on your needs.
After biodegradable cat litter? Tofu or wood are great.
Is dust control important to you? Tofu, walnut, and corn perform best.
Want to save on costs? Clay litter gets it done.
For most owners, small clumping litter is easier to scoop and put up with on a daily basis.
It’s what cats tend to prefer more, and the best option to start with if you don’t know what to get.
>> My top recommended cat litter is Chandler. It’s great for value for money, low dust and offers good odour control.
