5 Best Paper Cat Litters With Our 2024 Budget-Friendly Pick

There are several eco-friendly cat litter materials on the market today. This concept is great for cat parents because you can choose one based on a variety of factors. Paper cat litter is popular because it offers premium absorbency and it’s cost-effective. The idea of using a paper cat litter is also attractive because you can purchase one almost any budget.

Paper cat litter can benefit cats in a variety of situations. Whether you have a long hair cat or a kitty who suffers from allergies, a paper cat litter can potentially be your best bet. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the top paper cat litters, along with reasons why you may want to consider paper the next time you need litter.

7 Benefits of Using Paper Cat Litter

Using paper cat litter has several benefits that traditional litters may not possess. We lay them out below:

1. Environmentally-friendly: When you use paper litter, you are reducing your ecological footprint and helping to save the environment. Less trees are harvested when you use a biodegradable paper litter. You can help reduce the treacherous amount of clay litter that clogs up landfills every single year.
2. Multi-use: Paper cat litter is highly versatile. You can use it in enclosures for other small furry friends such as rabbits and guinea pigs. They can even be safe for reptiles, but read labeling and instructions to be sure.
3. Absorbency: Paper cat litter is going to be more absorbent than standard clay litter. Typically paper litter is about 3X more absorbent than traditional litters.
4. Non-tracking: Unlike small granule cat litter, paper pellets won’t get stuck in your cat’s paws, reducing and eliminating tracking throughout your home.
5. Dust-free: Paper cat litter doesn’t contain sodium bentonite or any other elements that cause dusty residue. Paper cat litter is great for households stricken by allergies or asthma.
6. No scraping: Litter boxes are much easier to clean if you use paper cat litter (as long as you keep up with daily maintenance). Non-clumping paper pellets won’t stick to the bottom of your cat’s litter box like other materials will.
7. Long hair cats: Paper cat litter tends to be the best choice for long hair cats. Pellets won’t get matted and stuck in your cat’s fur like tiny granules will.

Let’s dive further into how paper cat litter can benefit your cat’s health.

How Paper Cat Litter Can Be Better for Your Cat’s Health

Paper cat litter offers several benefits for keeping your beloved kitty healthy. Paper cat litter may not be as easy to maintain as general clumping litters, but it could potentially much better for your cat’s overall wellbeing.

The first benefit to note is the lack of airborne dust emitted by paper litter. Since it’s natural and generally doesn’t contain any additional chemicals or elements, there won’t be a cloud of dust after your kitty is done with their business. You also won’t have to breathe in an icky dust cloud when refilling the litter box. The absence of dust in paper litter is extremely beneficial for not only cats, but also humans who may have respiratory sensitivities or allergies.

Paper cat litter is also said to be great for cats with sensitive skin. Small granule litter could irritate sensitive skin and get matted in your cat’s fur. Paper litter pellets are much easier on your kitty’s precious skin and fur.

On that note, paper cat litter is fantastic for cats with sensitive paws as well. The soft, larger pellets may be easier for a cat with sensitive paws to step on and dig through. Because of these properties, paper litter is also said to be purrfect for senior cats or post-surgical cats. The pellets won’t irritate stitches or a surgery site.

Now let’s take a look at some components to consider when picking the best paper cat litter for your feline friend.

5 Components to Look for in a Paper Cat Litter

1. Origin of the material: Some paper cat litters are made from recycled newspaper while others are created from reclaimed lumber. If this component is important to you, be sure to check the litter’s label. It will tell you where the paper pellets are sourced from.
2. Odor control: Most paper cat litters are formulated without any sort of fragrance or deodorant. However, some have additional baking soda for superior odor control.
3. Clumping: Paper cat litters aren’t typically formulated for clumping, but the option does exist. If you want a clumping paper litter, your options will be narrowed significantly.
4. Other ingredients: Clumping paper cat litter may contain additional elements such as starch or polymer. Check the packaging and labels for a specific list of ingredients.
5. Pellet size: It’s not often that a paper cat litter will work in a mechanical litter box because the pellets are too large. However, there are a few paper choices that have thinner, shorter pellets.

Now for the fun part – our paper cat litter recommendations!

5 Best Cat Litters made of Paper

Our 2024 Picks: Best Paper Cat Litters
	Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter Made with Odor Shield Technology Dust free Price:  $2.05/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Unscented Cat Litter Made from recycled paper Eco-friendly Price:  $0.68/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Fresh News Cat Litter Contains baking soda for odor control Made from 100% recycled paper Price:  $0.59/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Hartz Multi-Cat Strong Clumping Cat Litter Eco-friendly litter Excellent for multi-cat households Price:  $2.19/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Yesterday’s News Original Formula Cat Litter Made from recycled newspaper Naturally tough on odors Price:  $0.66/lb	CHECK PRICE
	Tidy Cats Lightweight Glad Tough Odor Solutions Clumping Cat Litter Lightweight yet powerful Glade Tough Odor Solutions Price:  $1.23/lb	CHECK PRICE

Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• Made with Odor Shield Technology
• Dust free
• Absorbs 200% its weight in moisture
• Biodegradable

Overall Best Paper Cat Litter: Okocat is our favorite paper cat litter. The pellets are firm on the outside, yet soft on the inside, allowing for maximum absorbency. Along with Okocat’s Odor Shield Technology, the design of the pellets will absorb liquid and odor for a pleasant cat litter box experience. Odors will be controlled for up to seven days with this patented system. Okocat paper cat litter is dust free, which is important for any cat’s respiratory health.

Okocat litters are high quality and eco-friendly. Not only is this paper cat litter biodegradable, but so is the packaging! The box and litter are lightweight so you can easily pour it when it’s time to replenish your kitty’s box. We also like this paper cat litter for long hair cats, as it won’t get matted in their fur like traditional litter will.

Pros:

• Super absorbent
• Biodegradable litter and packaging
• No chemicals or toxins
• Lightweight
• Dust free

Cons:

• Not appropriate for mechanical litter boxes

Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Unscented Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• Made from recycled paper
• Eco-friendly
• 300% more absorbent than clay litter
• Cost effective
• Veterinarian recommended

Runner-Up Best Paper Cat Litter: Yesterday’s News paper cat litter is different from Okocat paper litter in that it’s made from recycled paper rather than reclaimed lumber. We like that this paper litter has a softer texture, making it a good choice for kittens, seniors, and post-surgical cats. This eco-friendly litter is light on the wallet but offers superior absorbency and odor control.

This particular paper cat litter formula is unscented and dust free. These properties make this pick an excellent choice for kitties who may struggle with allergies or other respiratory issues. You can expect low tracking with this paper cat litter, and it will work well for long hair cats. We recommend Yesterday’s News softer texture paper cat litter for cat parents wanting a lower cost, environmentally-friendly paper litter.

Pros:

• Soft texture
• Absorbs 3x as much moisture as clay litter
• Budget-friendly
• Eco-friendly
• Great for cats with allergies

Cons:

• Not flushable

Fresh News Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

• Contains baking soda for odor control
• Made from 100% recycled paper
• Dust free and non-allergenic
• Soft pellets

Best Budget-Friendly Paper Cat Litter: Fresh News Cat Litter is a biodegradable paper cat litter which contains baking soda for good old fashioned odor neutralization. The pellets are soft but will retain 3x as much moisture as a standard clay litter. The soft texture will keep this litter from getting stuck on your cat’s paws or in their fur.

Like our other paper cat litter choices, this one is dust free and great for sensitive cats. The recycled paper formula will absorb odors naturally, and we like that it’s effectively absorbent. We also recommend this litter for other small animals in your home, including rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets.

Pros:

• Contains baking soda for maximum odor control
• Biodegradable
• Soft texture is gentle on paws
• Dust free
• Great for other small animals

Cons:

• Not flushable

2 More Top Rated Paper Cat Litter Picks

Hartz Multi-Cat Strong Clumping Cat Litter

This is the only paper cat litter on our list that has clumping properties. This innovative, eco-friendly litter clumps and turns blue upon liquid contact, making it easy to scoop and keep clean. The ultra-lightweight paper litter is dust free and it won’t stick to the bottom of your kitty’s litter box. This Hartz paper cat litter is excellent for multi-cat households, and for pet parents who prefer clumping litter. This litter is unscented and it’s not flushable.

Yesterday’s News Original Formula Cat Litter

This paper cat litter from Yesterday’s News is similar to our runner-up pick, but this is the original formula. It is unscented and made from recycled newspaper. The formula is low tracking and the pellets won’t become stuck in your cat’s fur or paws. This paper cat litter is naturally tough on odors and it offers superior moisture absorbency. Limit your ecological footprint and provide your kitty with a healthy litter box experience with this great paper cat litter.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use shredded paper as cat litter? – While technically you can use shredded paper as cat litter, it’s not recommended. The thin pieces of paper will absorb liquid quickly and become wet, which will cause your cat to be displeased. It will also cause an incredibly stinky litter box, and no one likes that! It’s best to stick to paper pellets.
• How often do I need to change paper cat litter? – Paper cat litter should be scooped at least once a day and changed completely about once a week. Paper litter needs to be changed more frequently than traditional litters, unless it is a clumping formula. If you’re using clumping paper litter, you can change it once every two weeks or so.
• Is paper litter safe for cats? – Paper cat litter is very safe for cats, as it’s made from recycled, natural materials. Paper cat litters typically don’t have any added chemicals or toxins. This type of cat litter is also much safer for the environment than clay litter. Paper pellets are generally soft on your cat’s paws and good for their respiratory health because the pellets don’t emit dust.
• How do I dispose of paper cat litter? – Although paper cat litter is biodegradable, that does not mean it’s flushable. Paper pellets are often too large to fit through a sewer system without clogging pipes, so always check disposal instructions on your litter’s packaging. You can dispose of paper litter via the trash, and it will decompose in the landfill. You can also compost certain portions of paper cat litter, but you will need to review your specific litter brand’s instructions for those details.
• What can I add to paper litter to control odor? – If your cat enjoys their paper litter and you clean it frequently but there’s still an unpleasant odor, you can consider adding some baking soda directly to the litter box. This will help neutralize urine odors without harming your cat. Baking soda is non-toxic.

Conclusion

As you now know, paper cat litter can be an excellent choice for cat parents. Paper litter can help keep both your cat and the planet healthy. We appreciate that paper litter can be used for cats in a variety of situations, whether they have long or short hair, or they have sensitive paws or allergies. Depending on the type of paper litter you buy, it can also be disposed of in several different ways, including via composting.

Paper cat litter does need to be maintained and cleaned more frequently than traditional litter, but that’s not a bad thing! Although it may be more work for you, that means a clean, safe litter box for your special kitty. Be sure to keep your cat’s litter box in a well-ventilated area so you and your cat can avoid harmful inhalation. It’s also important to thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning and handling the litter box, as toxic bacteria can potentially be spread.