The 10 Best Natural, Eco-Friendly Cat Litter Brands

Cleaning out the litter box is probably one of the worst parts of having a cat. But you can make the process a little better by choosing an eco-friendly, natural cat litter.

The 10 winners of this Green Matters Approved contest are listed below. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

Catalyst litter has four formulas: multi-cat, healthy cat, unscented, and wood pellet. All versions are made with soft woodfiber and are biodegradable and compostable. The company was developed by Lignetics, Inc., which upcycles wood waste into other products. Catalyst has received accreditation from the Pet Sustainability Coalition for its efforts. Additionally, Catalyst's Shelter + Rescue program supports numerous animal shelters and trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs across the U.S.

Tuft + Paw's Really Great Cat Litter is made primarily from soybean fiber and comes in pellet form. The litter is biodegradable, flushable, 99 percent dust-free, and uses charcoal to eliminate odor. Tuft + Paw products are available as a subscription or a one-time purchase.

Dofu Cat makes four litter varieties: cereal, tofu, multi-cat, and coffee bean. The multi-cat variety is made with bean fiber, corn starch, and guar gum. Dofu Cat's litter is biodegradable and 99 percent dust-free. Litter can be purchased as a one-time or a subscription.

ökocat is made of 100 percent renewable, plant-based, and biodegradable wood fiber. ökocat litter comes in clumping or pellet form and has 100 percent recyclable paper packaging. It is also a USDA-certified biobased product. Additionally, Healthy Pet, ökocat's parent company, has created "ökocause4paws," where customers can nominate their favorite cat shelters or rescues to receive free litter. Healthy Pet is a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and working on becoming zero waste.

Dr. Elsey's has 15 litter products, but the most eco-friendly option is its Pine Litter, which is biodegradable, made of pine pellets and other all-natural ingredients, and low-odor. The company is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and aims to provide recyclable packaging materials to customers. Dr. Elsey's provides shelter kits to rescue groups nationwide, and Dr. Elsey's Fund to Cure Cancer supports the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and the annual Save $3, Give $3 campaign.

Naturally Fresh makes six types of litter from walnut shells, with one pellet version that can be used for all kinds of pets. The Naturally Fresh formula is nontoxic, silica-dust-free, biodegradable, and compostable. Also, Naturally Fresh products are made in facilities that use solar panels.

Sustainably Yours makes three varieties of litter from corn and cassava: multi-grain, small-grain, and large-grain. Sustainably Yours litter is entirely plant-based, virtually dust-free, and unscented. The company's packaging can be recycled, with 51 percent of its packaging produced from bioplastic made of sugar cane.

Italian company Almo Nature's 100 percent plant-based cat litter is made with cassava tuber, leaves, and branches. The cat litter is biodegradable, compostable, and can be flushed down the toilet. Almo Nature is owned by the nonprofit Fondazione Capellino, which works to protect biodiversity. One of the nonprofit's projects is the "Companion for Life" initiative, which advocates for EU regulations recognizing domestic pets as legal family members.

World's Best makes eight varieties of cat litter made from whole-kernel corn. Litter products are 99 percent dust-free, contain no harmful chemicals, synthetic perfumes, or clays, and are made from renewable ingredients. World's Best formulas are flushable, and the company has donated more than 3 million pounds of litter to rescue cats in need.

Pioneer Pet's SmartCat litter is non-GMO verified, made from U.S.-farmed grasses, fragrance-free, 99 percent dust-free, clay-free, and biodegradable. It also comes in a corn + wheat litter variety. Pioneer Pet also makes a slew of cat products, including feeders, toys, and scratching posts.