7 Best Non-Tracking Cat Litter With Our 2023 Budget-Friendly Pick

No cat parent enjoys constantly cleaning up after their feline friend, especially several times a day.


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Every cat owner understands how difficult it is to keep cat litter contained to one area, let alone the litter box. You’ve done everything you can to maintain a clean, fresh home despite your kitty crew running around, and it can be frustrating when litter tracks throughout the house. But have no fear – there are solutions for you!

Using a plastic or rubber mat outside your cat’s litter box can stop litter from spreading throughout your home, but how about using a non-tracking litter to stop it from ever leaving your cat’s box? Non-tracking litter is specifically designed to not stick to your beloved cat’s paws. When the litter doesn’t stick, it doesn’t track! In this article we discuss the benefits of using a non-tracking cat litter, and we have 8 phenomenal product recommendations for you.

5 Benefits of Using Non-Tracking Cat Litter

Cat parents like non-tracking litter because it creates less of a mess to clean up. But along with that wonderful benefit come several others! We list them below:

  1. Creates less of a mess: Cat parents understand the struggle of having to constantly clean up litter around the box. Whether you sweep or vacuum the excess litter, it seems to be a never ending task. When you use a non-tracking litter, it mostly eliminates any extra cleaning.
  2. Prevents the spread of bacteria: When your cat tracks litter from their paws to the floor, it spreads bacteria. Litter can track throughout your house, which means the potential spread of bacteria throughout your entire home. Using a non-tracking cat litter will prevent this from happening.
  3. Better for your cat: If you use a non-tracking litter, it’s unlikely that it will get stuck in your cat’s paws or fur. This is just healthier for your cat overall, especially if your kitty has sensitive paws.
  4. Maintain freshness in your home: When litter doesn’t track it helps keep odors, dust and mess inside the litter box. With your cat’s litter contained, it keeps your home looking and smelling fresh!
  5. Available in natural options: Non-tracking litter is often made from eco-friendly, natural materials. You can help keep the planet clean and healthy, as well as your cat and your home!

What is a non-tracking litter?

You hear your cat making a pit stop at their litter box. They are digging…digging…digging…then you hear them hop out of the box. You walk over to the litter area to see a nice trail of litter leading from the box into the room. It’s time for spot cleaning…for the fifth time today. The cat parent struggle is real.

Small-granule litter sticks to your cat’s paws after they use the litter box, then when kitty leaves the box they bring the litter with them. It’s really not your cat’s fault – this is just how it happens. While litter mats can help keep excess litter maintained, it’s not the ideal situation. A non-tracking litter won’t get stuck to your cat’s paws, and therefore won’t leave a trail of unwanted litter from the box. Non-tracking litter is made from larger granules that are too big and weigh too much to remain stuck to your cat’s paws and fur.

5 Components to Look for in a Non-Tracking Kitty Litter

Non-tracking cat litters come with a plethora of different characteristics and components. Review some of these components below so you know what to look for when deciding which litter to buy.

  1. Material type: Non-tracking litter comes in a variety of material options. On our list you’ll find non-tracking cat litter made from clay, corn, paper, pine and walnut! The decision is up to you…and your cat!
  2. Pellet or granule: A majority of good non-tracking cat litters are in pellet form. Pellets are large and heavy so they won’t get stuck to your cat’s paws. We do have a medium-granule clay non-tracking litter on our list, however!
  3. Scent: Many non-tracking cat litters are unscented. If they are made from ingredients like corn, pine or wood they may have a natural or earthy smell to them. You won’t often find a scented non-tracking cat litter.
  4. Earth-friendly: Want a litter that is safe for the environment? You have plenty of non-tracking litter options! You will find that most of the litters on our list of recommendations are eco-friendly.
  5. Clumping: Choosing a clumping or non-clumping litter is completely up to you as a pet parent. Many non-tracking cat litter do not come in a clumping formula if they are made out of pellets, but that’s something to consider when making your purchase.

Overall Best Non-Tracking (Lower Tracking) Cat Litter

Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

  • Dust free
  • Great for long hair cats
  • Absorbs 200% it’s weight in liquid
  • Biodegradable

The beauty of paper litter is it won’t track. The pellets are simply too large and heavy to get stuck to your cat’s paws! Our favorite paper pellet litter is this one from Okocat. It’s dust free so your entire family will breathe easier. Cats or humans with allergies in your home? This non-tracking litter will be purrfect!

These Okocat paper pellets are soft on the inside but firm on the outside allowing them to absorb 200% their weight in liquid. Okocat litters are made with patented Odor Shield Technology, keeping odors controlled for up to 7 days. Since this non-tracking litter is 100% natural, you don’t have to worry about any added chemicals, dyes or fragrances. And don’t forget the benefit for cats with long hair – these pellets won’t get stuck or matted in fur like small-grain litter will.

We love Okocat litters because they are eco-friendly. This paper litter is biodegradable and comes in a compostable package.

Pros:

  • Eco-friendly
  • Dust free
  • Good for cats with long hair
  • Naturally absorbs odors

Cons:

  • Won’t work in mechanical litter boxes

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

Key Benefits:

  • Made specifically for non-tracking
  • Odor-free
  • All natural
  • Hypoallergenic

Runner-Up Best Cat Litter that Doesn’t Track: As the name of this litter suggests, it was designed specifically to be a track free. All of Dr. Elsey’s litters are formulated by Dr. Elsey himself, a feline veterinarian of over 35 years. Clean Tracks litter is full of benefits, starting with the fact that it’s made from all natural medium-grain clay. The granules were created to avoid getting stuck to a cat’s paws, and therefore tracking onto the floor.

If you have cats with allergies or asthma, this odor-free litter would be a great choice! It’s hypoallergenic and dust-free, so your whole kitty crew will breathe easily. And did we mention this is a multi-cat strength litter? Hard clumping action helps control odors and makes cleanup easy for pet parents. For a non-tracking litter that is full of additional benefits, we strongly recommend this one from Dr. Elsey’s!

Pros:

  • Hypoallergenic
  • Odor-free
  • Veterinarian formulated
  • Hard clumping
  • Appropriate for mechanical or sifting litter boxes

Cons:

  • Not eco-friendly
  • May get stuck in fur of cats with long hair

Yesterday’s News Original Formula Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

  • A  good choice for cats with long hair
  • Eco-friendly
  • Cost-effective
  • 3X more absorbent than clay

Best Budget-Friendly Non-Tracking Kitty Litter: Another paper pellet litter makes our top list! This trackless litter from Yesterday’s News is a great budget-friendly option. Made from 100% recycled newspaper, the paper pellets are environmentally-friendly and dust free. It’s also unscented, so you won’t have to worry about exacerbating your kitty’s sensitive nose. You can also use this litter for other small animals in your home such as rabbits, ferrets or guinea pigs!

Similar to other paper litters, the pellets that comprise Yesterday’s News are too big and heavy to track. Although they are too large for a mechanical litter box, they are also too large to get matted in your cat’s fur! Yesterday’s News non-tracking paper pellet litter is 3X more absorbent than traditional clay litter, making it an excellent choice for odor control. The benefits far outweigh any negative aspect of this litter.

Pros:

  • Safe for the environment
  • Made from renewable resources
  • Highly absorbent
  • Perfect for long hair cats
  • Cost-effective
  • Appropriate for other small animal enclosures

Cons:

  • Pellets are too large for a mechanical or sifting litter box

4 More Top Rated Cat Litters that don’t Stick to Paws

Rufus & Coco Wee Kitty Clumping Cat Litter

This litter is an innovative and healthy non-tracking litter option, as it’s made from corn and formulated into pellets. We like that it is eco-friendly and biodegradable. And not only that – it’s also flushable for convenient disposal! This corn pellet litter absorbs up to 4X as much moisture as standard litters, so it’ll control odor and remove ammonia smells. If you’re looking for a premium non-tracking litter, Rufus & Coco is a good choice!

Hartz Multi-Cat Strong Clumping Cat Litter

Many cat parents have reported how great this Hartz cat litter is because of its non-tracking characteristic. Made out of recycled paper, the pellets won’t get stuck to your cats paws like traditional granule litter will. This is a clumping litter, and the pellets turn blue when soiled for easy scooping! Hartz non-tracking pellet litter is dust free and eco-friendly. Plus, there’s an added benefit for cat parents – it weighs 70% less than clay litter! Say goodbye to lugging litter with this Hartz multi-cat formula.

Nature’s Logic 100% All-Natural Pine Non-Clumping Cat Litter

This Nature’s Logic non-tracking litter is made from 100% Ponderosa pine. It’s completely natural and free of silica dust, chemicals or fragrances. The smaller pellets are dust free and safe for cats of all ages. If you’re a cat parent who prefers pellet litter but wants something different from paper, this is a fantastic choice! We like that this litter is comprised of smaller pellets, but they still won’t track or get stuck in your kitty’s fur. It’s also biodegradable, so it’s safe for your feline friends and the planet.

Naturally Fresh Walnut-Based Pellet Non-Clumping Cat Litter

Last but certainly not least on our list of best non-tracking cat litters is this walnut-based litter from Naturally Fresh. It’s a pellet litter created from a blend of fibrous walnut shells. Walnut is known for neutralizing odors better than other materials such as clay, corn and wood. This particular litter absorbs up to 7X as much moisture and odor as other litters. Since this non-tracking litter consists of pellets, it is not clumping. Naturally Fresh pellet litter is dust free and safe for cats of all ages to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I keep my cat from tracking litter everywhere? – As our article suggests, you can use a non-tracking litter to avoid unwanted litter from being spread around your home. You can also place a plastic or rubber litter mat outside the box that will catch litter which is stuck to your kitty’s paws. Dust-free litter is also much less likely to track than standard litter.
  • Why does my cat track litter everywhere? – Unless your cat is kicking litter out of the litter box or sitting on the side of the box and pouring it out, it’s likely that the litter is becoming stuck to your cat’s paws. Then, when your cat leaves their box, the litter comes off their paws and tracks onto your floor. A non-tracking cat litter is an easy solution to reduce and eliminate tracking.
  • How do you get cat litter out of paws? – Use a damp cloth to wipe your cat’s paws free of litter. Most cat litters will shrink or dissolve when they come in contact with water. Apply water as necessary to remove the litter from kitty’s paws, then wipe away remaining pieces of debris.
  • How often should I clean my cat’s litter box? – You should scoop your cat’s litter box 1-2 times daily. You need to hand wash the litter box every two weeks as well as completely change out the litter. If you use a non-clumping or pellet litter, you may need to clean it more frequently. Non-clumping litter will stick to your cat’s litter box and become especially soiled if not maintained regularly.

Conclusion

All cat parents can agree that litter tracking is a daily issue which proves to be a constant hassle. By using a non-tracking cat litter you keep your home clean and reduce the amount of maintenance you need to perform every day. Your cats will appreciate having clean, soft paws after doing their business, and you will love not having to constantly sweep and vacuum. Everyone wins when you use a non-tracking cat litter!

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