Kate Barrington / Cats.com
The best non-tracking cat litter absorbs liquid and neutralizes odor, but, more importantly, it stays where it belongs: inside the litter box. Though no cat litter is truly non-tracking, low-tracking litter features larger, heavier granules with a smoother texture than standard cat litter to keep it from sticking to your cat’s feet.
After researching the cat litter industry, reviewing over a dozen of the biggest brands on the market, and performing extended in-box testing, I’ve chosen the following products as the best non-tracking litters you can buy.
At a Glance: Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Tidy Cats Instant Action Unscented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter
- Heavy weight and large granules
- Strong odor-control capability
- Didn’t stick to sides of the litter box
Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Cat Litter
- Large pellets are very low-tracking
- Natural alternative to clay litter
- Pine fibers are highly absorbent
tuft+paw Really Great Litter
- Large, thing pellets minimize tracking
- Clumps quickly and controls odor well
- All-natural, sustainable, and flushable
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Clay Litter
- Forms hard clumps, easy to scoop
- One of the most popular litter brands
- Strong odor control performance
Boxiecat Extra Strength Unscented Premium Clumping Clay
- Highly absorbent and forms hard clumps
- Very easy to scoop
- Strong performance in odor control
Fresh Step Clean Paws Simply Unscented Clay Cat Litter
- Very strong odor control
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Large granule size helps reduce tracking
Catit Go Natural Pea Husk Clumping Cat Litter
- Long, thin pellets minimize tracking
- Very lightweight, easy to carry
- Clumps hold together well during scooping
Kitty Poo Club Large-Grain Silica Cat Litter
- Large granules reduce tracking
- Very lightweight and easy to carry
- Dehydrated solid waste for easier scooping
Top Picks Explained
Why Should You Trust Us?
Over the last several years, we’ve written 34 in-depth reviews on over a dozen of the most popular cat litter brands and more than 50 litter products.
Our litter testing team has spent hundreds of hours testing these products’ dust production, clumping ability, odor control, tendency to track and scatter, and more.
Based on extensive research, hands-on testing, and expert insights, we’ve selected the following 8 cat litter products as the best low-tracking options.
How I Tested
In addition to four clay cat litters, I also tested four alternatives including three all-natural options. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
After thoroughly researching the cat litter market, I narrowed down the options using a combination of personal experience and customer reviews. I selected eight products for testing, including both traditional clay litter and eco-friendly alternatives like pine and soybean byproduct. I tested clumping and non-clumping varieties and, while I prioritized unscented litters, I included one scented product in my selections for testing.
I tested all eight cat litters at home with my own three cats over a period of two weeks. I made notes about the weight, appearance, and performance of each litter as well as my cats’ preferences for which type they used the most consistently.
Performance and tracking varied among the different product types, but I was able to hypothesize about which products were more likely to track based on the granule size, shape, and weight. To make a direct comparison between products, I weighed a ¼-cup sample in both ounces and grams (see chart below).
To gauge each litter’s potential for tracking, I weighed a 1/4-cup sample in both ounces and grams. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Top Picks for the Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter
A great cat litter is a must for cat owners, but, with so many products to choose from, you may need to pick a feature to narrow down your options. If you’re looking for low-tracking cat litter, we recommend the following eight products.
I tested four clay-based cat litters – three clumping and one non-clumping variety. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Non-Clumping Cat Litter Comparison | |||||||
Overall Best | Runner Up | Premium Pick | Budget Pick | Best Clumping | Best Lightweight | Best Sustainable | Best Silica |
Tidy Cats Instant Action Unscented Non-Clumping Litter | Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Litter | tuft & paw Really Great Litter | Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra-Premium Litter | Boxiecat Extra-Strength Premium Litter | Fresh Step Clean Paws Simply Unscented Litter | Catit Go Natural Pea Husk Clumping Litter | Kitty Poo Club Large-Grain Silica Litter |
Type
Clay |
Type
Pine |
Type
Soybean |
Type
Clay |
Type
Clay |
Type
Clay |
Type
Pea Husk |
Type
Silica |
Clumping
No |
Clumping
No |
Clumping
Yes |
Clumping
Yes |
Clumping
Yes |
Clumping
Yes |
Clumping
Yes |
Clumping
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
No |
Scented
Yes |
Scented
No |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
3.14 oz. 89g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
1.94 oz. 55g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
2.15 oz. 61g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
3.35 oz. |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
3.07 oz. 88g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
2.72 oz. 77g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
2.05 oz. 58g |
Weight (per ¼ cup)
1.48 oz. 42g |
Price/Lb.
$0.32 |
Price/Lb.
$0.50 |
Price/Lb.
$3.05 |
Price/Lb.
$0.51 |
Price/Lb.
$1.03 |
Price/Lb.
$0.71 |
Price/Lb.
$2.30 |
Price/Lb.
$3.57 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a litter low-tracking?
The weight of the granules as well as their size, shape, and texture are the primary determining factors in how much a litter tracks. Heavy litter is more likely to fall off your cat’s paws as they step out of the litter box. Large, smooth, pellet-shaped granules are less likely to stick to your cat’s paws in the first place than small, sharp-edged pieces of litter.
How do you keep cat litter from tracking?
Choosing a low-tracking litter is a good start but if you want to keep litter from tracking all over the house, it’s important to catch it before your cat walks away from the litter box. Enclosed, high-sided, and top-entry litter boxes do a better job containing litter than shallow litter pans. Placing a litter mat under or in front of the litter box can also help catch litter as your cat steps out of the box.
Also Read: The 5 Best Top Entry Litter Boxes
Does natural cat litter track less than clay?
Natural litters do not inherently track less than clay but the materials from which they are made tend to lend themselves better to the ideal qualities that make up a low-tracking litter. Recycled materials like soybean byproduct, paper, and pea husk, for example, can be pressed and dried into oblong pellets whereas clay can only be broken into small pieces.
Also Read: The 5 Best Natural Cat Litters
Hello..i get AllAboutCats.com emails..and i enjoy them..and learn..everytime..something different..
I have this question: i tried so many cat litter brands…and with no help..some says it will help with tracking..but no..no help
My cat Samy..like to drink her water with her paws..so when she uses the litter box..ishe goes directly to drink water and is a mess!!
Like cement on her paws!!
Also too much tracking i live doing vacuum.
I use Tdy Cat lightweight..but change also different brands..they said at store use Arm/ Hammer..no dust..low tracking..noooo was a nightmare!
Was like sand in all the apartment..veey hard to clean
Any advice you can send me?
I would really appreciate that!
Thank you so much!
Ana
..
Hello Ana, thanks for the comment! You’ll still have the cementy-paws issue with it, but you might try Dr. Elsey’s Ultra. It tracks a lot less than the ones you’ve mentioned. Any other heavier, denser product will scatter and track less.
I had a similar problem with the cement-like paws with my cats. I used different Clump and Seal brands and Dr. Elsey’s but found that they all were cement like (Dr. Elsey’s clumps in the litter box were also cement-like and very hard to clean the box). So far what’s worked best for me is the grass-based litter.
I recently solved all the tracking and odor problems by switching to to the Breeze litter box system. No large bags of litter, no dust, no tracking. Change the litter once per month, change the pad weekly.
I brought the World’s Best cat litter (in the green bag) on this recommendation and have never experienced litter tracking like this in the two years I’ve had my cat! It’s horrendous, it gets everywhere and I have to vacuum or sweep every time my cat uses her boxes, or else it looks like I have crumbs ALL over my floor. I even have the sort of litter boxes that look like small cabinets to contain stray litter. My cat is not a litter kicker or otherwise messy in the litter box, either. I might have to return to the tofu litter, even though it’s more expensive
Thanks for sharing, Joan. Lightweight litter like this does tend to get everywhere.
Yes that litter does not work for eliminating tracking. This is obviously a sponsored post
I switched from clay litter (so much dust everywhere in the room) to Okocat. I really like the odor absorption and the fact that it’s biodegradable but the tracking is terrible! My cat’s paws bring it all over the house, on the couch and beds – ugh! Back to trying to find a suitable litter…
i was so excited to find this site. When I read the recommendations, I was about to purchase the number one recommended World’s Best Cat Litter…then read comments here. Confused and dismayed as the recommendations said virtually no tracking and then the comment said lots of tracking. UGH. This was unfortunately no help at all.
Hi Kim, I’m sorry about this. Having tested out a lot of cat litter over the last couple of years, I can clearly see that most of these recommendations are actually high-tracking products. I’ve lined this piece up for an update. It needs a lot of work. In the meantime, I can stand behind the following recommendations for non-tracking (or low-tracking, really) cat litter:
Arm & Hammer Platinum Slide Easy Clumping Cat Litter
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter (or any Dr. Elsey’s clumping clay, really; I haven’t tried it yet, but you may want to consider their Clean Tracks formula)
Litterbox.com’s Premium Cat Litter
Fresh Step Clean Paws (also haven’t tried it yet, but it’s intended to reduce tracking and should work well)
Feline Pine or any other wood pellet litter makes a good “natural” option
Hope this helps.
– Mallory
Thank you Mallory! I am impressed that you took the time to reply and I am going to give Dr. Elsy’s and/or Arm and Hammer Platinum a shot! Thanks Again! KIm
Heya Kim, I just wanted to let you know that we finished testing a variety of products and completely reworking this article. If you’re still looking for a good low-tracking litter, you might find this helpful!
Hi! I love your newsletters and look forward to reading them. I too changed to World’s Best on your advice. Sad to say but I have to agree with everyone else, the tracking is horrible! Now I own 3 vacuums, one is for the bed alone. I do not wish to return to clay or silica due to the amount of dust that comes with them. Is there anything natural that clumps, controls odor, and is natural? I have 6 cats and seven cat boxes, one big fluffy uses her foot to drink from so no icky paws either. I know, this is a big wish.
Hi Ali, glad you enjoy the newsletter! I have fun writing them 🙂 As for natural clumping litter, I really like Catit’s natural litter made from pea husk. It’s low tracking, lightweight, and lightly scented to help with odor.
I currently am using Arm & Hammer Platinum Slide Easy Clumping Cat Litter, and the fact that my bathroom feels like I am walking in a sandbox and that I can see his litter footprints on my floor are precisely why I looked this problem up. So, in my opinion, I would not switch to this brand if you do not want gritty sand everywhere. I am sweeping and using a hand-held vacuum daily and need to find a better solution.
I purchased several different kinds of liter none that I can find is any help with tracking! I have to vacuum every day servals times because it sticks to my cars feet! I have a mat in front of box and a covered box but it still a mess! Right now I am using “Pretty Liter” and I like the liter hate the tracking it gets every where! So what’s a cat mom to do???? Please so tired of cleaning liter up !
Hello Kay, thanks for the comment! If you don’t like tracking, Pretty Litter is one of the absolute worst choices! You already have a covered litter box and a mat, so the liter is really the only thing you can change. A heavy, dense-grained cat litter would work much better in this respect.
I’d been using A&H clump and seal litter for years, but recently my cat had a lot sticking to her back paws, so I switched to clean step, the triple effect one. It’s not sticking to her paws, but there’s no odor control. I never noticed a smell before! She urinates a lot so it’s somewhat diluted. I bought a sprinkle in deodorizer that’s helping a lot. My cat will be 15 this year, and she has medium length hair. I didn’t think switching to a pellet litter would work as she’s used to fine, clay litter.
Forgot to add that with the A&H clump and seal, I was finding it everywhere, including in my sheets! With the Clean step, no tracking. None!
My vet encouraged me to try the newspaper pellets litter, so I was mixing it in with the Clean Step clay. However, my cat hated it and tried to tell me by pooping on the bathroom rug x2. I thought she had an accident! Until she peed on my bed at 3:30 am…she’s never done that before! I scooped out most of the pellets and I’m only using the Clean Step now. She’s been using the pan ever since.
Hello fellow cat people. I have a spoiled (aren’t they all) 3 legged rescue and have his two LARGE stainless steel boxes inside a soft sided pen. Have recently been using Boxie cat ( recommendation from this great site) but do still get litter tracking . It’s somewhat contained, due to being in the rather large pen. This litter clumps pretty well but is VERY heavy. The bag las a built-in handle on its side. If I hadn’t accidentally discovered it I would’ve quit using it as the bag is nearly impossible to handle without the handle to manage it while pouring. This litter does control odor quite well, however, but I’m also in the market for another option. Keep up the great work. Mallory!
Interested in fixing a typo?
Large, **thing** pellets minimize tracking
is written for the
tuft+paw Really Great Litter
Thank you for letting us know!
I really have tried every litter on the market. My 4 cats will not utilize all of them, and many I reject due to toxicity. I have found that choosing the healthiest (for cats and planet) is good, then A PROPER MAT outside the litter box is key.
I create a long pathway leading to the box (using furniture or boxes as sides) that force my cats to walk there to and from the box. The floor there is lined with Blackhole Litter Mats by Moonshuttle. and it takes care of 90 percent of stuff on their paws.
What a relief!
I need to save up some money to buy more mats (they are worth it but not cheap!) for the other 3 litter boxes.
The Boxiecat litter was low dust, but tracked everywhere. One of the worst I ever used.
Love watching you Kate, u r soo helpful!
I personally have never used clay for mine & my cat’s health.
There is a great Larger litter box for all cat’s I think it’s called Kitty can’t cope litter box.
Very roomy, durable & great for cat’s of all ages & health issues 🙂
Lastly, you look Great! love your nails/polish would u mind sharing brand? Is it Ella & Mila?
Thanks again for all you do to help us help the kitties 🙂
Thank you Cindy, It’s Sarah who is in the video:) I’ll find out if she is using Ella & Mila and will get back to you