10 Best Silica Cat Litters on the Market in 2023

Being a cat parent comes with a lot of responsibility. One of the first things you have to address and provide for your cat baby is a safe, effective, and appealing litter box, and finding the perfect litter is far from easy.

Most Affordable

Frisco Summer Clean

• Cost-effective
• Appealing to cats

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Best Overall

Pretty Litter

• Clean and effective
• Free monthly delivery
• Risk Free 30 day trial

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Most Popular

Dr. Elsey’s Precious

• All-natural ingredients
• 99.9% dust-free

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Since its invention in the 1990s, silica-based crystal cat litter has made a breakthrough on the market and is an outstanding choice guaranteeing happy cat parents and delighted cats. But what is the best silica cat litter for the feline member of your household? One thing there is no argument about is that the best litter for your beloved cat would be one that is highly absorbent, and ideally, can neutralize odors so that the distinct smell of cat pee doesn’t linger in your home.

Hold on to your seat because if you’re not yet very familiar with silica-based cat litter, you are about to be amazed. Like you, we are particularly fond of cats and their natural healing abilities, soothing presence, and adorable faces. Cats are authentic, intriguing, and clever beings. They can steal your heart right away and bring so much joy and comfort to your household.

If you are into symbolism and mystery, you likely have an even deeper infatuation with felines and their unique ways. Whether you want to give useful advice to a loved one who has a cat, are considering getting one yourself, or already have one or more of these impressive creatures, this article is for you. The thing is that we not only like cats but are also very fond of you—the cat lover—and understand what it takes to care properly for a feline at home. The litter you put in your kitty’s litter box is just as important as the food you give them.

So, we are very happy to discuss this outstanding cat litter, tell you about its unique makeup and benefits, and share information about some excellent brands you may like that are currently on the market.

Benefits of Silica Cat Litters

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• Biodegradable and non-toxic – Cat litter with silica gel is more environmentally friendly because it’s biodegradable and non-toxic, which is also an excellent benefit for you and your cat.
• Minimal dust – Crystal cat litter is virtually dust-free and is, therefore, preferable in many households, particularly ones that have members with allergies.
• Odor neutralizing – The quartz sand composition of the silica-based cat litter and its unique atom structure allow the silicon to bind with a high amount of liquid and neutralize any odors.
• Easy to maintain – Silica cat litter needs to be changed by emptying the entire box once a month and replacing it with new litter. Since it doesn’t clump, all you have to do meanwhile is scoop the solid waste.
• Better capacity – One of the most impressive features of this product is that five liters of silica kitty litter equal roughly three times the amount of clumping litter. Silicon cat litter usually lasts up to four weeks before it needs to be changed.
• Lightweight – Silica-based cat litter is significantly lighter than traditional clay litter, and its weight increases with liquid absorption.

How is Silica Cat Litter Made

Up until the 1950s, cat parents filled their cats’ litter boxes with sand, dirt, or ashes, which is something someone living in today’s modern world probably wouldn’t even want to imagine. Just picture your kitty walking around the house after having just taken care of their business and leaving dirt or ash track marks all over the place.

Horrified at the image?

How about feeling your kitty’s warm body and their soothing, healing purring vibrations while you are asleep and then jumping up startled at the realization sand or dirt from the litter box is accompanying your feline companion in the bed with you?

So much for your comfort and peace.

The introduction of clay cat litters made cat parents sigh with relief, and an even bigger wave of relief swept up the nation when clumping cat litters hit the market.

Finally, silica cat litter made its breakthrough and introduced its crystal formula, making things even easier for cat parents.

Silica-based cat litter manufacturers use silica gel to make the crystals responsible for its improved odor control. They manufacture this type of cat litter from sodium silicate sand (quartz sand) processed with water and oxygen.

The result is a kitty litter containing beads called silica gel crystals, or microcrystals, with tiny pores all over them. The pores allow the crystals’ absorption of kitty urine and then promote their ability to let the absorbed liquid evaporate.

There is fear present among some cat owners regarding the possibility of their cat ingesting these super absorbent beads as they lick their paws and groom themselves after visiting the litter box. The fear associated with this comes from silica’s connection to respiratory issues in both humans and felines.

Not to worry, though, because many silica cat litter manufacturers assure cat lovers that they specifically formulate the silica gel crystals in such a way that there is no compromise when it comes to your safety and the safety of your cat. The beads don’t contain any crystalline silicate, a harmful mineral found in the earth’s crust.

Our Reviews of the Best Silica Cat Litters

Are you interested in taking a closer look at the best silica kitty litters out there? If so, keep reading. The silica kitty litter has been steadily increasing in popularity, and the number of crystal cat litter options has been rising accordingly. With so many choices, making a decision can be overwhelming. We wanted to minimize the headache and save you some time, so we took a closer look at the remarkable variety of silica cat litter options out there.

Below is an outline of our findings. We have also summarized the top features of our pick for the best crystal cat litter on the market.

Our Picks for the Best Silicia Cat Litters in 2023

Our 2023 Picks: Best Silicia Cat Litters
	Pretty Litter Clean and effective Free monthly delivery Price: $$	CHECK PRICE
	Frisco Summer Clean Non-Clumping Cat Litter Cost-effective Appealing to cats Price: $	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Cat Litter All-natural ingredients 99.9% dust-free Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Fresh Steps Fresh Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter Long-lasting crystals Absorbs moisture on contact Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Long Hair Crystal Cat Litter Traps urine and odor on contact Hypo-allergenic and non-toxic Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Ultra Pearls Micro Unscented Crystal Cat Litter 70% less landfill waste than clay Maximum odor control Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	ScoopFree Premium Scented Crystal Cat Litter  Long-lasting formula 99.9% dust-free crystals Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Litter Pearls Trackless Crystal Cat Litter  Low-tracking litter One bag is enough for one cat for two months Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Snappy Tom Natural Crystal Cat Litter  Environmentally safe with no sodium bentonite. Bacteria-resistant formula. Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE
	Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Crystal Cat Litter  Hypoallergenic Non-toxic Price:  $$	CHECK PRICE

Pretty Litter

Pretty Litter is easily our top pick when it comes to silica-based cat litter. As far as we’re concerned, it’s the best silica cat litter currently on the market and a perfect choice for you and your precious feline representative.

Key Features:

• Changes color to indicate the presence of possible health issues
• Does not contain harmful components
• Produces fewer dust mites or none at all
• Up to 80% lighter
• Household friendly

Best Overall: Pretty Litter’s manufacturers make this product with you and your feline companion in mind. The litter’s breakthrough feature is its ability to monitor your kitty’s health by changing colors to alert you if they are at risk of developing or are developing any illnesses, inflammations, or infections. You can save a lot of money on vet bills because of this excellent feature—not to mention you can save your cat baby’s life. After all, you are probably aware of how notorious cats are for masterfully hiding and concealing any problems, illnesses, or diseases they may have. Because Pretty Litter doesn’t expand in the GI tract and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, your kitty’s safety if they accidentally ingest some of it while grooming or playing is guaranteed.

For your convenience, Pretty Litter is delivered to your door every month. What’s more, you don’t have to pay for shipping and handling. All you have to do is start your subscription and let the litter experts at Pretty Litter know how many cats you have at home. They’ll take care of the rest for you. The advanced odor-absorbing litter is extremely lightweight, and you don’t have to break your back toting it into the house. If you don’t end up being satisfied for some reason—which we highly doubt—you can cancel your subscription and get your money back.

As you can see, Pretty Litter covers all of your bases, so it’s plain to see why we rated it as our top pick. After all, what more can you ask for from a cat litter?

Pros:

• Clean and effective
• Free monthly delivery
• Risk-free 30-day trial

Cons:

• May not absorb liquid efficiently if the cat uses the same spot every time

Frisco Summer Clean Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

We rated Frisco Summer Clean Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter as the best-value silica cat litter on the market—one eight-pound bag can last up to a month in a household with a single cat.

Key Features:

• Odor control rated 5X better than leading non-clumping litter
• Low dust and litter tracking
• Gentle on paws
• Long-lasting
• Scented for superior litter experience

Best Value – Powered by advanced odor-locking crystals, this product is an excellent choice for your cat baby’s litter box. You will need to replace this long-lasting litter only once a month if you have just one cat at home, twice a month if you have two cats, once every 7-10 days if you have three cats, and so on. The manufacturer advises that you designate a room with the lowest possible humidity levels for your feline’s litter box so that the moisture in the air doesn’t interfere with the process of absorbing what is needed—your cat’s urine. All you need to do is fill the litter box with 2 inches of Frisco Summer Clean Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter and let it do its magic. Once the month is up, and the odor is no longer being masked, dispose of the used litter, thoroughly clean the litter box, and fill it with fresh litter again. Cat lovers adore this litter for being gentle on their companions’ paws, and for many people, the fresh summer scent is a huge plus.

You’ll love that the dust produced by this litter is extremely low or non-existent. You’ll also enjoy not having to constantly clean your cat’s litter tracks, as this crystal cat litter significantly minimizes the chance of them tracking it all over your home.

Pros:

• Cost-effective
• Appealing to cats
• Fresh linen aroma

Cons:

• Bags have limited size options
• May be noisy

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter is the best-selling silica-based cat litter out there.

Key Features:

• Helps control feline respiratory diseases
• Does not contain perfumes, deodorants, or plant proteins
• Contains stress-relieving herbal essences
• Non-toxic
• Traps urine and odor upon contact

Best Selling – Dr. Bruce Elsy, a feline-only veterinarian with over 35 years of experience under his belt, founded his company with his wife, Kathy, in 1987. They made it their mission to help cat parents with litter-box issues and ensure a normal and stress-free relief for cats every time nature calls.  The fact that cat parents dealing with litter-box problems frequently visited Dr. Elsy triggered his passion and commitment to finding the best solution for your beloved feline’s litter-box experience. He also found that issues around using the litter box or its nonuse were the number one reason for cats being mistreated and abandoned. So, he set off on a journey to change the fate of felines with such problems.

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Respiratory Relief Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter is hypoallergenic and dramatically low on dust, which makes it the perfect choice if your kitty is prone to respiratory issues. It doesn’t contain any plant proteins, deodorants, or perfumes, and this immensely strengthens its ability to keep allergies and respiratory problems in check.

Another outstanding essential feature of this silica kitty litter, adding to the respiratory-control benefit of using it, is that it contains natural stress-relieving herbal essences. The unique feature helps keep your feline—and yourself, along with the rest of your household—relaxed, calm, healthy, and happy.

Pros:

• All-natural ingredients
• 99.9% dust-free
• Hypoallergenic formula for respiratory disease control

Cons:

• Not proofed against litter tracking

7 More Top Rated Silica Crystal Cat Litters

Fresh Steps Fresh Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Fresh Steps Fresh Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter is low on dust and very lightweight, so cleaning it is a piece of cake. What’s more, the unused crystals that sift through the scooper when you remove the poop can remain in the litter box for up to a month.

The litter’s fragrance-free formula works to eliminate and control odors naturally. It combines activated carbon and plant extracts. The carbon traps any tough odors, and the plant-based extracts neutralize them. All of this occurs without the help and presence of any additional dyes or perfumes that may be extremely strong, overpowering, or irritating to sensitive noses.

Fresh Steps Fresh Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter is also extremely efficient. Thirty-five pounds of this litter equal to about 50 pounds of non-clumping clay litters that may be similar to this one. Because of this, you are guaranteed to get significantly more out of each bag and love the fresh-step crystals.

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Long Hair Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Another one of Dr. Elsey’s miraculous cat litters is Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Long Hair Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter.

The manufacturer specifically formulated it for long-haired cats. It traps the urine and odor on contact, and it has the particle-size preferred by cats with long hair. The litter doesn’t adhere to your kitty’s coat, and there are no possibilities of their fur’s color to be affected.

The product draws your feline to the litter box because Dr. Elsey infused its amorphous silica gel crystals with hydrolyzed herbs. You and your cat will love this hypoallergenic, non-toxic litter, and you’ll enjoy its low-tracking formula and the ease of scooping poop and cleaning your feline’s litter box.

Ultra Pearls Micro Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Ultra Pearls Micro Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter comes with the superior moisture and odor-trapping qualities we love and is also gentle on your feline’s paws.

As with other silica cat litter choices, its unused crystals can last for up to a month, and the thousands of mini channels on their absorptive surface provide excellent liquid absorption.

An overwhelming 81% of cat parents who have tried this product are impressed and highly recommend it to others, just as we do.

ScoopFree Premium Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

The long-lasting formula of ScoopFree Premium Scented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter guarantees one 4.5-pound bag to last up to a month if you only have one kitty at home.

There is a lot of positive feedback from cat parents who have tried this litter. The light, fresh scent of the crystals for maximum tough-odor control is a huge plus.

The manufacturer ships this product proportioned for you to use in a special litter tray made by the same company. Still, you can also use it in any regular litter pan.

Litter Pearls Trackless Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

A 3.5-pound bag of Litter Pearls Trackless Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter can last for up to 30 days in a single-kitty household.

Its maker designed it so that the amount of litter sticking to your cat’s paws when they visit the litter box is minimal. The crystals may appear a little big but are soft and gentle on your kitty’s paws.

Making it easy to maintain, the low-dust and low-tracking guarantees are also very appealing features of this litter.

Snappy Tom Natural Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Snappy Tom Natural Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter also has superb odor control and guarantees minimal tracking.

Its bacteria-resistant formula contains no sodium bentonite and is excellent for all the sensitive sniffers at home—both kitties and humans.

Snappy Tom Natural Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter may be the perfect choice for you and your feline companion. It comes with the promise of less sweeping, cleaning, and sifting, so you can spend as much quality time together as possible.

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter

Helping the prevention of kidney failure and the development of urinary tract infections, Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter may be last on our list but is far from being the one we recommend the least.

Of course, as can be expected from a litter manufactured by Dr. Elsey’s company, this product is also hypoallergenic. It’s cleaner and doesn’t contain any corn, paper, pine, or wheat.

Dr. Elsey’s special formulas designed to entice felines to go inside their litter boxes are a big hit. Eighty-one percent of reviewers recommend his Precious Cat Unscented Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter, especially for senior cats who are more prone to health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are silica-based cat litters flushable? No. Just as you wouldn’t flush any other cat litter, you should never flush crystal cat litter either. If flushed down the toilet, it may cause even bigger issues and clogs compared to other litters because its moisture absorbency will make it expand and create major plumbing problems.
2. Can I mix crystal cat litter with traditional clumping clay litters? We don’t recommend mixing these different products regularly. You may mix the kind of litter your feline is used to with the new kind you are introducing to help them adjust faster when you first introduce the transition to using silica cat litter. Leave the old kind at the bottom of the litter box and cover with the new one. It would be best if you didn’t do this for a long time, though. Cats will usually be fine with the new litter after the first use of a mixed litter box. Many cats take to the silica cat litter immediately.
3. Can bacteria grow in my cat’s litter box if I use silica cat litter? No. Because of its crystals that absorb urine and dehydrate feces, silicon cat litter renders your feline’s litter box not only free of bacteria but also makes it impossible for bacteria to grow inside it.

Conclusion

Choosing the best silica cat litter for your feline doesn’t have to be stressful. There are excellent crystal cat litter options on the market, and your kitty will thank you for taking the time to explore them.

Of course, you should always take the necessary precautions when handling kitty litter—silica-based litter or any other kind—and thoroughly wash your hands after. If you are pregnant or have a weaker immune system, hand off the task to another member of your household.

We hope now that you’ve read this article, you can see the numerous advantages silica cat litter has over any traditional clay cat litters out there. We urge you to consider transitioning your cat baby to this outstanding product that has revolutionized the litter-box experience for cat lovers and their felines worldwide.