I occasionally have a houseguest who stays for long stretches of time, doesn’t do much except sleep, and yells at me when he wants his dinner. It’s my in-laws’ cat, and he stays with me whenever they’re going to be out of town for more than a day.
I’m happy to have him (he’s pretty cute) but on his most recent visit, I told him it was about time he started lending a paw as my official one-feline focus group. You know I can’t ever pass up an opportunity to test a new subscription!
My least favorite thing about having a cat in the house is the litter box. I will pick up after a dog all day, but there’s something about scooping litter that’s just so much worse for me. I honestly think it’s the litter itself—something about the combination of dust and smell (especially the super scented litters) really gets to me.
Since Fennec was going to be staying with us for several weeks, I figured this would be a good time to try some new litter. He’s not particularly picky, so I wasn’t worried about him rejecting it, but I was hoping to make my life a little easier. Last time he was here, he used Tidy Cats Free and Clean, but this time, my in-laws sent him with half a bag of Exquisicat. Once that was done, I decided to test out GreatLitter on him since I heard it was particularly easy to scoop and they offer a subscription service.
My quick take:
Here’s the scoop (litter pun intended): GreatLitter is more expensive than a lot of the clumping litters you’ll find in stores, but it’s cheaper than premium litters and crystal litters. It does an excellent job of clumping and a more than decent job of masking odor. Plus, it’s the only litter specifically formulated to work in a Litter Robot (though you don’t need a Litter Robot to appreciate it). My only real complaint is that you can’t buy it everywhere.
So, if you’re the type of person who finds themselves running to the store when it’s time to change the litter box, it might not be the kitty litter for you. That being said, I wouldn’t be talking about it if they didn’t offer a subscription! My recommendation would be to “set it and forget it” and sign up for their monthly subscription. You’ll never have to think about restocking again, and you’ll get a pretty sweet 20% discount!
GreatLitter at a Glance
GreatLitter is made by Whisker, the company that makes the Litter Robot. It was specifically formulated to work in a Litter Robot, but you can use it in a regular litter box as well. It’s a medium-weight clumping litter made from 100% natural, sun-dried sodium bentonite clay.
How GreatLitter Compares to Other Litters
Mess and Clean Up
GreatLitter clumps exceptionally well. Unlike other brands, where the clumps tend to break apart when you try to scoop them, I didn’t have any issues. Not to get too graphic or anything, but sometimes I have trouble “catching” the clumps from other brands. They aren’t big enough and end up falling through the scoop. The GreatLitter clumps were large and held together, so the litter actually looked clean and fresh after I scooped it.
GreatLitter did kick up some dust, though not as much as some of the other bentonite clay brands I’ve used, like Tidy Cats Free and Clean. One of the bonuses of crystal litters like Exquisicat is that they don’t really kick up dust and debris.
I have yet to find a litter that doesn’t track, and unfortunately, GreatLitter was no exception. I did still have to vacuum around the litter box every day.
Odor Control
GreatLitter gets an A- from me for odor control. After Fen did his business, the odor lingered for about a minute but was quickly absorbed. I’m obviously never going to love the smell of kitty litter (I seriously doubt there’s anyone out there who does) and honestly, even the smell of clean kitty litter makes me gag a bit, but GreatLitter was nowhere near as bad as some of the other types of litter I’ve used. Give me an unscented litter any day over those fake floral urinal cake smelling ones!
Price
GreatLitter falls somewhere in the middle of the price scale. It’s more expensive than your standard clumping litters and is more than twice the price of Arm and Hammer and three times the price of Tidy Cats. It’s definitely a “premium” litter, but it’s less than half the price of Pretty Litter and cheaper than Excuisicat. One 20lb bag will cost you $30, but you’ll get it for $25 a bag if you order more than one at a time.
Availability
GreatLitter is meant to be a subscription service, which means it’s meant to be ordered directly from the website. Even more so than its price, GreatLitter’s availability is what I think will make it inaccessible (or at least inconvenient) to anyone who doesn’t want a subscription. As far as I can tell, it’s not sold at PetSmart or on Chewy. I couldn’t even find it on Amazon. You don’t have to subscribe, but you’ll have to order it directly from litter-robot.com.
If you like to plan ahead and stock up on things like kitty litter, this probably won’t be a huge issue for you, but if you’re frequently running to the store for last-minute supplies, this could be a deal-breaker.
Subscribe and Save
One thing that does make GreatLitter both more affordable and more accessible is its subscribe and save option. You get 20% off each shipment when you sign up for a subscription. Whisker recommends one bag per month per cat, and you can choose to receive one to six bags per shipment and have them delivered anywhere from every two weeks to every six months.
My “focus group’s” thoughts
Honestly, until I gain the ability to speak to animals (a girl can dream) I can’t say with any certainty whether or not Fennec liked GreatLitter more than any of his other litters. He used it without any issues or hesitation, but he’s not as particular about stuff like that as some cats are. I guess he’s got a long way to go before he should think about pursuing a professional career in product testing.
He didn’t scratch at it and kick up as much dust as he did with the Tidy Cats, and it feels softer than Exquisicat, so I’m going to go ahead and assume that he likes it.
If You Have a Litter Robot
You don’t need to use GreatLitter in your Litter Robot. According to their website, you can use pretty much any medium-weight clumping litter and even some gel litter beads, crystal litters, and plant-based litters. That being said, this is the only litter specifically designed for the Litter Robot—so if you’re having issues with a different litter you’re using in your robot, you might want to give it a try.
Of course, you don’t need to use GreatLitter in a Litter Robot. I used it in a traditional litter box, and it worked just fine. The fact that it is designed to clump in a way that allows the Litter Robot to remove clumps also means that the big clumps are easier to scoop the old fashioned way!
Pros
- Strong clumping: Forms tight clumps that are easy to scoop, making waste removal more efficient.
- Excellent odor control: Odors are neutralized quickly and the litter doesn’t have that gross urinal cake smell.
- Low dust: Produces minimal dust, which is a plus for your cats and for you—especially if you have any respiratory sensitivities.
- Litter Robot compatibility: It was designed specifically for the Litter Robot and works well with both regular and self-cleaning litter boxes.
- Subscription option: I love a subscription for things you need to buy regularly anyway. You’ll get a discount, and you won’t have to worry about running out or remembering to reorder.
Cons
- Premium price: It’s more expensive than many traditional clumping litters and may not fit all budgets.
- Only available through Whisker: It’s not as widely available as other litters, which means you probably won’t see it in your local PetSmart or find it on Amazon. It’s primarily sold through the Whisker website.
- Stickiness: Some of the clumps got stuck to the litter box, especially if I didn’t scoop them immediately.
Alternatives to GreatLitter
If you don’t use a Litter Robot:
You can be less picky with the litter you use (unless your cat is picky or has sensitivities, of course). I like both Tidy Cats Free and Clean and Exquisicat, depending on your budget.
If you do use a Litter Robot:
Although GreatLitter is the only kitty litter specifically formulated to work in the Litter Robot, these litters will all work as well.
- Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Slide
- Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter
- Fresh Step Advanced Simply Unscented
If you’re looking for another litter subscription:
- PrettyLitter is more expensive than GreatLitter ($24 for a 6lb bag) but it changes color based on your cat’s health. It doesn’t clump, so it won’t work in a Litter Robot.
- Kitty Poo Club starts at $26.99 per month, which includes litter and a disposable box. The box is meant to be recycled and replaced every month.
- Boxiecat costs $24.99–$26.99 per bag with one- or two-month subscriptions. It’s a low-dust clumping litter, so you can use this in your Litter Robot as well.
My Final Thoughts on GreatLitter
I still don’t like scooping litter (to be honest, if I had a cat for more than a few weeks or months out of the year, I’d probably invest in a Litter Robot) but GreatLitter did make litter box duty a bit easier. It’s not as dusty and messy as some litters, it’s easy to scoop, and it doesn’t have any weird chemical smells. I wish it was available in more places so that you could run out and grab some in a pinch, but I love anything I can subscribe to and have it arrive on my doorstep before I even knew I needed a refill!
At any rate, it was Fennec-approved, and that’s what matters.
Lauren is also a bona fide mixologist, bringing her professional bartending skills to the table as one of our resident drink testers. In Lauren's world, life is a celebration, and her home is the party hub.