Best Crystal Cat Litter (Reviews, Pros and Cons)

Detailed Top 7 Best Crystal Cat Litters Reviews

If you’re looking for the best crystal cat litter, you’ve come to the right place. These crystals are a unique way to eliminate odors and ensure your feline friend stays happy and healthy. Some crystals even come with a light lavender scent that will help combat odors but won’t harm your pet. These crystals are also ultra-durable, lasting up to a month. However, you should scoop your feline friend’s waste regularly to prevent odors.

Crystal cat litter is often better than clay varieties for controlling odors. It contains silica gel, which is super absorbent, so it traps odors when your cat visits the bathroom. Additionally, some crystal litters have additional ingredients to reduce odor, such as lavender or baking soda.

#1: PetSafe ScoopFree Premium Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter – Odor Control Cat Litter

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Top-rated for its odor control

This PetSafe crystal cat litter is top-rated for its odor control performance. It is compatible with any conventional box and performs most effective with the PetSafe ScoopFree reusable tray to keep the unpleasant smells from urine and solid waste to a minimum.

PetSafe does a better job of minimizing smells than dye-free regular crystals. Unlike others that mask the smells, these crystals are formulated to absorb the moisture they come into contact with to eliminate the smells.

Making a switch from clumping clay alternatives to these crystals was an upgrade, in the least to our experience. The manufacturer claimed that these beads work to absorb urine and dry solid waste to control the smell 5 times better than clay clumping litter.

Absorb urine better than clay clumping litter

We found that these cat litters have great absorbency, and there’s virtually no smell around the litter box when we get out for a while and come back in.

We would not say you never smell anything as there are still smells when you’re dealing with the litter box. Yet, for the week or so of a fresh pour, these crystals can spare you great sanity while lounging around the litter box.

The varieties of scents for these crystals are also one of the pros of this product, though the sensitive crystals won’t handle smells like the original and lavender varieties.

Long-lasting

This PetSafe ScoopFree litter is hassle-free to maintain. All you need to do is scoop the poop, stir daily, and change your litter. Your life is even better with the PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Self-Cleaning litter boxes. This system works great, and there is no need to replace your crystals for 2 weeks.

While we are usually disappointed about crystal litter labeled as dust-free, this is not the case with this litter. It is almost dust-free, with which people with asthma or allergies can be on good terms.

Out of the three varieties, the original version is the least dusty and the most effective in removing the smell of male urine. Additionally, because this product is basically amorphous silica, it’s safe if you inhale a trace of it.

PetSafe ScoopFree is fine ground crystals, so our cats still track them out of the litter box, though it’s still more tolerable than regular litter. You can always clean these trackings with your vacuum with ease, as opposed to these tiny traditional products that get sprayed by the machine.

Each box comes with 2 small packs of crystals, which can last you up to a month for a cat. The fact that there are two packs helps better preserve the freshness of the crystals, especially when your baby is going slow.

Drawback

While this litter comes with quality packaging, there is neither an ingredient list nor label instructions for where the package should be torn off. The former poses quite a concern for those regarding their cat’s well-being as the top priority.

#2: Ultra Micro Crystals Cat Litter – Cat’s Paws Cat Litter

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Switching a lot of litter, but your cats do not seem like using the box? This Ultra Micro Crystals Cat Litter might be your top solution. These non-toxic litter pearls are not only safe for your cats but also encourage them to use the box more, thanks to their softness.

Less tracking than clay

You should expect that the cats still track out the beads, but the tracking is still less than clay litter. Also, since the crystals are round rather than square, they can travel quite far outside the box. Putting a catcher pad next to the box would solve this problem.

The main strength of these tiny grains is that they are incredibly soft and easy on your cat’s paws. As a result, your cats will instantly love using the tray more.

There’s dust when we routinely pour this litter in or stir the litter box. The great news is that the kittens seem not to create any noticeable amount of dust while doing their business, so the dust does not bother them.

Non-toxic

This Ultra Micro comprises small and large chunks of round beads. They are technically super absorbent, non-toxic micro crystals work quickly to deliver instant liquid absorption and odor control with 1000’s mini-channels. These tiny grains adhere better to the waste, so there are fewer gaps for the smell to break free through.

Not smell at all

How fast does this cat’s litter cover up bad smells? We noticed that the poop smells are only noticeable right after the cat finishes the business. There is a fainter smell every time we stir this litter, but other than that, there’s no smell if the box is left alone. That’s why this product is the top performer in this aspect.

The crystal cat litter dries out the urine and poop pretty well, so it’s easy for you to scoop them out later.

Long-lasting

We used one bag of this Ultra Micro for 3 cats, and it turned out that the crystal litter is good for at least 2 weeks. It is pretty impressive as the cats often turn up their nose at other silica beads only after 4 days of use.

For a single-pet household, this package can last around a month. You can feel comfortable with an almost odor-free space until the end of the month rolls around.

Drawback

As mentioned, you will put up with the dust while scooping, which is one of the main cons to those with allergies. Unfortunately, the amount will increase for every scoop, so you should wear a face mask while doing the job.

#3: Alpha Paw Cat Litter Natural Clumping Crystal Litter – Health Indicator Cat Litter

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Monitors your cat’s health

Alpha Paw Litter helps keep your cat’s health in check and suggests preventative care in addition to keeping them content with their odor-free box. This product changes to different colors to reflect the deviating values in your cat’s urine, including alkaline, blood, bilirubin, and abnormal urinary PH. It’s a suitable option if your pet has a history of urinary problems.

No trouble when cleaning the litter box

This non-clump cat’s litter is made of highly absorbent silica gel, absorbing liquids in seconds to keep the box clean and fresh. We encountered no trouble cleaning the litter box. It stays dry, and there are no heavy urine clumps to scoop out. In addition, this litter is incredibly lightweight and airy, so there’s no need for elbow grease to clean up the mess.

Dustless, slightly track

The manufacturer uses vacuum compression bags to pack these beads to reduce dust formation. That’s true because these crystals do not create any cloud of dust except when you pour them out. You might notice this litter can slightly track on the floor, but it is hassle-free to sweep up.

Hypoallergenic

Alpha Paw Cat is hypoallergenic, unscented, and contains no additives or chemicals to keep your pets safe while using their litter box. It makes sure different cats can use it at the same time, which is one of the biggest pros to multiple-cat families.

Long-lasting

This litter can last for a month in a single-cat household, which is relatively standard for cat litters. Scooping daily and mixing the grains up well to get more use out of them is a should.

Drawback

As mentioned, you should expect a cloud of dust when refreshing the litter box despite the dust-free label. It is one of the cons to those with a sensitive nose or allergies.

#4: Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief Gel Crystal Cat Litter

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Stress-reducing herbal essences

Not all cats are willing to use their litter box. Dr. Elsey comes infused with hydrolyzed herbs to make the tray more inviting to the cat when it needs to go. This feature is especially useful if you have kittens.

Non-toxic

Another great news is that this litter is not crystalline but amorphous silica gel, like our first pick. So, if your cats, especially newborn ones, happen to inhale or swallow it (in small amounts), it is safe and does not lead to silicosis.

Low dust & not easy to track

What sets this product apart is the large, lightweight grains, which create very little dust (almost non-existent). They also don’t get caught in the long hair tufts between the toes of your cat or color the cat’s coat.

Large particle size also means that this litter is not easy to track. Out of all the picks here, Dr. Elsey’s is an absolute winner when it comes to tracking.

Traps urine and odor on contact

This litter is specially formulated with heavy granules with medium-grain clay. It instantly absorbs urines or moisture in the feces on contact and prevents moisture from reaching the bottom of the tray. It takes quite a long time before the box starts to reveal bad smells.

Since it does not clump, you don’t lose much litter after scooping it out. As mentioned, this litter also absorbs all the moisture from the feces, so what you’re taking out is dry and scoopable. You can also know when it’s time to change their litter. The crystals turning yellow means that it’s time for a refill.

Drawback

The large particle size is one of the main cons of this product as far as we found. If your furry friends are used to the micro or pearls, it will take time to make the switch. They are also more prone to irritations standing in or digging the litter with their paws.

Unfortunately, the crystal cat litter won’t last as long as other crystals. If you adhere to the instruction, which specifies using 1 inch at a time, this product can last 2 full weeks before needing to be replaced (it also depends on the urine and waste output).

#5: Fresh Step Crystals Premium Crystal Cat Litter, Scented Crystal Cat Litter

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Non-toxic silica

Fresh Step Crystals are safe for absorbing urine and getting rid of the smells. This is the same material used for soaking moisture in food or flowers, so you can rest assured of using this litter for your cats.

Ammonia Block Technology

With this litter, the brand uses Ammonia Block Technology designed to trap, absorb and eliminate smells. Most pet owners will agree with us on the efficiency of this advertised technology, as the smell does go away right after we use the crystal cat litter.

Easy to clean

These beads will absorb the urine but do not clump. The pee can sink a bit to the bottom, but generally, it’s pretty easy to clean. To make the most out of the litter, frequent stirring to mix used and unused crystals is advisable.

Low-dust formula

As inhaling dust can be a nuisance for you and your felines, Fresh Step designed its products to be a low-dust formula with large crystals. You should notice a bit of paw traces of crystals, however, but this calls for very little maintenance. You only need to scoop the poops and stir daily like other brands.

Long-lasting

Fresh Step scented crystal cat litter comes in an 8-pound bag, yet you will get plenty of use out of it. This quantity is estimated to be equal to a 28-pound bag of clumping cat litter. It can last up to a month for a cat and 2 weeks for two felines. There should not be any scent associated with litter boxes in your house.

Drawback

One of the cons of this product is its particle size. Stepping on large crystals is uncomfortable and even painful. Luckily, this litter does not tend to track heavily, and you should place a pad next to the tray for your ease of mind while walking around it.

#6: Vibrant Life Formerly Mimi Pet Cat Litter Mini Silica Crystals Litter

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Environmentally-friendly silica gel

Each package of this Vibrant Life litter comes with 2 long-lasting separate bags of environmentally-friendly gel. It is unscented, so it’s a suitable choice if your pets are sensitive to smells.

Dust but don’t track the floor

There is still room for improvement in terms of dust with this litter. There is quite an amount of dust upon pouring these crystals into the litter box.

Although they are tiny grains, we loved that they don’t track the floor, far less than traditional clay litter. Of course, placing a pad next to the box will do the trick if you can’t stand walking on these crystals somehow.

Eliminate odors

This litter has great absorbency and can eliminate odors in seconds. Besides, it does not create balls. We noticed that the solid waste collects just enough beads to mask the smells and does not create huge balls.

Easy to clean

In addition to absorbing the liquid waste, this litter also fossilizes the poops. It is hassle-free to scoop, although you need to do so daily and give the liter a good stir to facilitate the evaporation speed of the urine.

Long-lasting

2 4-pound bags of these crystals can last from 20 to 30 days, depending on your cats’ needs. This product, however, is not as long-lasting as the Ultra Crystal Micro Crystal Kitty Litter.

Drawback

We have no complaints about this product except for the high price. This package weighs 8 pounds and offers odor control for quite the same period as any other crystal litter on this list, but a bit more expensive.

#7: Neon Clumping Silica Gel Crystal Cat Litter

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100% made of non-toxic silica gel

NEON crystal litter takes care of your cats’ well-being as much as the litter box. It is 100% made of non-toxic silica gel crystals, so your pets should not be at any risk if they wash their paws after finishing their deed.

More bright colors

Also, it comes with 5 different fun, bright colors (and thus the name NEON), which are also safe as they are food coloring.

Guar Gum – natural clumping agent

Crystals do not have any attributes to form clumps. This NEON clumping crystal litter is specially formulated with a natural clumping agent, called Guar Gum, made from peapods. You need to wait for a few hours for the clump to dry and become hard to scoop.

Unlike others in this review, NEON litter clumps after absorbing urine and moisture from poops on contact and clumps. The clump size depends on the amount of liquid waste.

Odor control lasts a month

We were pretty skeptical at first as the package stated the odor control would last a month. In reality, there’s indeed almost no smell for that amount of time.

There is no need for a daily scooping with this litter. You and your furry friends are still good with 2 times per week scooping the litter box to take out the solid waste and clumps.

Of course, if you have multiple cats in the house, you will need to do the job more often.

Tracking but super lightweight and absorbent

This clumping litter is super lightweight and absorbent. It is ground virtually as fine as sand, which gives the crystal cat litter both pros and cons. Fine crystals definitely track more heavily than coarser particles. Therefore, you should expect to clean up the tracking more often. Fortunately, our pets seemed to take to this crystal litter instantly since the fine, soft particles are easy on their paws.

This clumping crystal cat litter scores very high in this regard. If you fill the litter box to 2 to 3” depth as instructed, a 4-pound bag of crystals can last up to a month.

Drawback

For the price-to-amount ratio, this crystal litter is on the relatively steeper price spectrum. It might depend on preferences, but we would appreciate it if this clumping litter came in larger packaging.

Benefits Of Crystal Cat Litter

Highly absorbent

Silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2) contains millions of tiny pores. They can absorb and hold up to 40% of their weight in moisture. This substance is one of the most absorbent substances in nature. Silica works efficiently to capture liquid waste and eliminate the smell when serving as cat litter.

Light for ease of use and carrying

Pearl cat litters are super lightweight, making them easy to carry around and refill to the litter boxes. It is a nice perk, especially considering the hassle of carrying the same size as a traditional clumping litter.

Less dust than traditional clay litter

For pet owners with allergies, the fact that crystals generate very little dust is a real lifesaver. There are no huge clouds of dust the moment you fill the box like clumping cat litters.

More hygienic

Clumps can be a breeding ground for bacteria and mold to thrive, which is always the case with clay alternatives. The good news is there are no large clumps of pee sitting around if you use crystal litters.

Frequently Asked Questions