6 Best Hypoallergenic Cat Litters With Our 2024 Budget-Friendly Pick

Cats can suffer from allergies, asthma and respiratory issues the same way humans can.

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As you know, allergies can be extremely irritating and difficult to manage. Cats who suffer from allergies need extra care from pet parents, and it’s crucial to choose a cat litter that won’t intensify their sensitivities.

Hypoallergenic cat litter can play a tremendous role in keeping your cat healthy. Since your kitty uses the litter box several times a day, they need to use a litter that won’t flare up their allergies. If visiting the litter box is causing your cat to sneeze or itch, they may become more likely to start eliminating outside their box. Avoid this unfortunate behavior by choosing a good hypoallergenic cat litter. In this article we bring you a list of our favorite hypoallergenic cat litters along with the benefits of using one.

5 Benefits of Using a Hypoallergenic Cat Litter

There are several benefits of using a hypoallergenic cat litter, and human health is included! Choosing to use a hypoallergenic cat litter is a safe choice for your entire household.

1. Cats with allergies: Hypoallergenic cat litter is first and foremost beneficial for kitties who suffer from allergies or asthma. Using a hypoallergenic cat litter will keep your cat comfortable when they do their business.
2. Cats with respiratory ailments: Some cats suffer from respiratory concerns, and those issues can be especially common in senior cats. A hypoallergenic kitty litter will help keep your kitty healthy and possibly prevent respiratory flare-ups.
3. Humans with allergies: Dusty or scented cat litters can also be irritating to a human’s allergies or asthma. You can keep sneezing and itchy eyes to a minimum by choosing a hypoallergenic cat litter.
4. Sensitive skin: If your cat has sensitive skin, a hypoallergenic cat litter will help avoid skin irritation and rash.
5. Better litter box use: If you have a cat with allergies or other sensitivities, you may have noticed that they have started to eliminate improperly. A hypoallergenic cat litter can help make your cat more comfortable using the litter box since the litter won’t flare up their asthma, sensitive skin or respiratory struggles.

Below we specifically discuss the symptoms of allergies in cats. We always recommend seeking veterinary attention if you believe your cat has allergies, asthma or respiratory issues.

Symptoms of Litter Allergies in Cats

While some cats may have general allergies, other cats could just be sensitive to certain types of kitty litter. Since cats are exposed to their litter and associated allergens several times a day, it’s important that you use a litter that won’t cause irritation. Below are some symptoms of litter allergies:

• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Itchy skin and scratching
• Sneezing
• Improper elimination
• Coughing

Cats can develop allergies just as humans can. Kitties who have been previously diagnosed with allergies could be more prone to developing allergies to their litter. Chemicals and certain materials in litter will potentially cause allergies or flare-ups. These include silica dust, sodium bentonite, dyes, perfumes, fragrances and more. When picking out a hypoallergenic cat litter, it’s important to choose a litter that is free of those types of ingredients.

5 Components to Look for in a Hypoallergenic Cat Litter

There are a handful of important components to consider when choosing a hypoallergenic kitty litter. We list them out below.

1. Dust free: A hypoallergenic litter will be at least 99% dust free. It’s important to buy a dust free litter because if your cat is kicking up a dusty cloud, it can cause or exacerbate allergies.
2. Material: As a cat parent you’ll need to decide what litter material to use. Often times it comes down to your cat’s preference. If you buy a clay litter, make sure it doesn’t contain sodium bentonite, which is the ingredient that causes dust.
3. Pellet size: You can purchase hypoallergenic cat litter that is made up of small grains, a perfect choice for mechanical litter boxes. Or you can buy pellet litter, which will be better for long hair cats. Pellet litter is also best to eliminate tracking.
4. Unscented: Hypoallergenic cat litters will be unscented.
5. Disposal: Some hypoallergenic kitty litters are biodegradable and flushable, while others are not. If disposal of the litter is important to you, check the labeling to see if the litter can be composted or flushed.

It’s time to get into our top picks for hypoallergenic kitty litter!

8 Best Hypoallergenic Kitty Litters

Our 2024 Picks: Best Hypoallergenic Cat Litters
	PrettyLitter Flushable, Subscription Cat Litter Made from natural minerals Color-changing to detect medical issues 20% off with code BESTLITTER Price:  $22.00/mo per cat	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter Low tracking formula Great for mechanical litter boxes Price:  $.046/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter Great for long hair cats Biodegradable Price:  $1.44/can	CHECK PRICE
	Frisco Multi-Cat Clumping Cat Litter Cost-effective Multi-cat strength Price:  $.033/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Silica Gel Cat Litter Made with silica gel crystals Dust free and hypoallergenic Price:  $2.46/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Naturally Fresh Walnut-Based Pellet Non-Clumping Cat Litter Walnut-based pellet Eco-friendly and biodegradable Price:  $0.47/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Classic Litter Dust free and hypoallergenic Hard clumps form to contain odor Price:  $0.46/lb	CHECK PRICE

PrettyLitter

Key Benefits:

• 20% off with code BESTLITTER
• Color-changing to alert you to your cat’s medical issues
• Delivered to your doorstep
• Made from natural minerals
• Traps odors and eliminates moisture

Best Hypoallergenic Cat Litter: PrettyLitter is unlike any litter you have used before. Not only is it hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly, but its most amazing benefit is that it changes color to alert you to your cat’s health issues. PrettyLitter can detect health issues such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, inflammation, kidney issues, and more. Many times cat owners don’t know their cat is suffering from a medical issue, so PrettyLitter takes out the guess work and tells you what your cat can’t! With a once-a-month convenient delivery service, PrettyLitter costs less than some other typical cat litters and the amount is tailored based on the number of cats in your home. The super absorbent silica gel is made from natural minerals, and it traps odors and eliminates moisture, which means less dust and allergens and less litter in the landfill.

Pros:

• Made from natural minerals
• Detects medical issues
• Less dust and mess
• Convenient delivery service

Cons:

• Non-clumping can cause tracking
• Subscription service

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• Low tracking formula
• Great for mechanical litter boxes
• Veterinarian formulated
• Tight clumping for easy scooping

Runner-Up Hypoallergenic Cat Litter: This Dr. Elsey’s hypoallergenic cat litter is made of medium-grain clay granules. It’s low-tracking formula helps keep litter from being tracked throughout your home, which means a kitty litter area that is easier to maintain. Tight clumps are formed upon contact with liquid and moisture, making this a great cat litter for stress-free scooping and disposal. Quick-clumping action also keeps unpleasant smells locked in for superior odor control.

Dr. Elsey’s hypoallergenic cat litter is dust free and unscented, so you won’t have to worry about kitties or humans in your home with allergies. This litter is also multi-cat strength, meaning it’s ideal for homes with more than one cat. This hypoallergenic cat litter takes the top spot on our list because it’s veterinary formulated, low tracking, dust free and great for homes with multiple cats and sifting litter boxes.

Pros:

• Multi-cat strength
• Works in sifting or mechanical litter boxes
• Superior odor control
• Forms tight, scoopable clumps
• Low tracking

Cons:

• Not the most eco-friendly cat litter option

Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• 7 day Odor Shield Technology
• Low tracking
• Great for long hair cats
• Biodegradable

Best for Environmental Friendliness: Okocat’s paper litter is dust free and hypoallergenic. The paper pellets absorb 200% of their weight in moisture without added chemicals or toxins. The pellets effectively trap in liquid and odor with their hard shell and soft inner layers. The high absorbency of this hypoallergenic paper cat litter also means high yield, so you will use less litter and save money!

We love that Okocat litters are eco-friendly. This one is biodegradable, so it’s safe for your cat and the planet. Even the packaging is compostable! If you want a cat litter that doesn’t track, Okocat paper litter is an excellent choice. It’s a tremendous option for cats with long hair because the pellets won’t become matted in their fur like a small grain litter can. Paper litter won’t produce any dust and this is an environmentally-friendly litter, and that’s why we chose it as our runner-up!

Pros:

• Works well for long hair cats
• Eco-friendly
• Low tracking
• High absorbency

Cons:

• Not suitable for mechanical litter boxes
• Non-clumping

Frisco Multi-Cat Clumping Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• Cost-effective
• Multi-cat strength
• No plant proteins, dyes or perfumes
• All natural clay

Best Budget-Friendly Hypoallergenic Kitty Litter: Frisco makes fantastic budget-friendly cat litters. The multi-cat clumping litter is our budget-friendly pick. This all natural clay litter is made without any plant proteins, perfumes, dyes or additives. The dust free formula will be beneficial for anyone in your home with respiratory sensitivities – cats or humans!

If you’re looking for a cost-effective, hypoallergenic clay cat litter, we suggest this one from Frisco. It’ll work well in mechanical litter boxes and it’s perfect for a home with several kitties. Scooping and cleaning is made easy with quick-clumping action, and a unique deodorizing system keeps nasty odors at bay. We like that this litter goes through a de-dusting process to ensure that any potential dusty residue it kept under control. It’s truly a great hypoallergenic cat litter.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Great for multi-cat households
• All natural clay
• Proprietary de-dusting process

Cons:

• Not biodegradable
• Not recommended for long hair cats

3 More Top Rated Hypoallergenic Cat Litter Picks

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Silica Gel Cat Litter

Another Dr. Elsey’s cat litter makes our list of best hypoallergenic kitty litters. This one, comprised of silica gel crystals, helps cats with allergies, asthma or respiratory complications. It’s free of plant proteins and any additional deodorants or perfumes. Not only is this cat litter dust free and hypoallergenic, but it’s also biodegradable! A benefit to using this silica gel hypoallergenic litter is it’s also formulated with natural enzymes to reduce stress in cats. If your cat is anxious, elderly or ill, this may be the best hypoallergenic cat litter for them.

Naturally Fresh Walnut-Based Pellet Non-Clumping Cat Litter

Walnut is highly effective in controlling cat litter box odors. We like this walnut-based pellet litter from Naturally Fresh because it’s dust free and won’t track like micro-grain litter will. Since this hypoallergenic cat litter is made from renewable sources, it’s eco-friendly and biodegradable. We like that this cat litter can be used for any kitty, even those with long hair. Although this is a non-clumping pellet litter, it will absorb up to 7X as much moisture as a traditional litter. The fibrous blend of materials is sure to keep your cat’s litter box free of unpleasant smells, as long as it’s maintained.

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Classic Litter

This Dr. Elsey’s cat litter is similar to our overall top pick. The granules are larger and thick, so they won’t get stuck on your cat’s paws, reducing tracking of bacteria and litter throughout your home. Of course this litter is dust free and hypoallergenic, and it doesn’t contain any plant proteins. Hard clumps form to contain odor and moisture for simple cleanup and maintenance. We recommend this classic hypoallergenic kitty litter for any size kitty crew.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can kitty litter cause skin allergies? – Dusty kitty litter or those with fragrances can cause your cat to begin exhibiting signs of allergies. Symptoms of allergies can include sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, rash or redness on the skin, coughing and improper elimination. You will notice that the cat litters on our list are all unscented and don’t contain any chemicals, dyes or fragrances.
• Can indoor cats have allergies? – While indoor/outdoor cats are more prone to allergies from pollen, dust and grass, indoor cats can still suffer from allergies from perfumed litter. All cats can end up with seasonal allergies, but indoor cats are less likely to suffer from them.
• What should I do if my cat still has allergies after I switch litter? – If you notice that your cat is still exhibiting signs of allergies after you switch to a hypoallergenic cat litter, you will want to seek veterinary attention. A vet will be able to put together a treatment plan for your cat based on diagnosis. They will also be able to recommend an appropriate cat litter.
• Do dust mites live in cat litter? – Dust mites can exist in any part of your home. To help avoid extra dust in and around your cat’s litter box, keep it in a well ventilated area. It’s helpful to also keep the kitty litter boxes away from high traffic areas in your home, such as the bathroom.
• How often should I change my cat’s litter? – Your cat’s litter box should be scooped every single day. You should completely change the litter and wash the box every two weeks or so. Non-clumping litters may require more frequent cleaning.

Conclusion

You really can’t go wrong by choosing a hypoallergenic kitty litter. Of course, they may be necessary for cats with allergies, but they are great for the general wellbeing of any cat. Hypoallergenic cat litter is also the best choice if there are humans in your home who have asthma or severe allergies.

Hypoallergenic cat litters can come in all sorts of materials and offer a wide variety of benefits and components. Your choice comes down to preference. Just remember to keep your cat litter box in a well-ventilated area, which is especially crucial for cats with allergies. Help everyone avoid toxic inhalation of bacteria and odor by keeping up with cat litter maintenance, and washing your hands after the cleanup process.