9 Best Flushable Cat Litter Brands-Natural and Biodegradable [2024]
Flushable cat litter is convenient only when it does not clog the plumbing after getting flushed. When choosing flushable litter, it is best to make sure it does not contain bentonite clay which clumps like cement. Ideally, flushable cat litter should clump (for obvious convenience) at first, and then break down completely while getting flushed.
For our best flushable cat litter brands review, we isolated nine environment-friendly brands,all biodegradable, and manufactured sustainably. The comparison chart below takes into account factors like odor control , clumping , solubility in water, dustiness , tracking , and whether or not a particular flushable cat litter brand is septic safe (i.e. least likely to clog your plumbing if yours is not a sewage based system).
But first, there’s an important question – with legal implications – that must be answered:
Is It Okay To Flush Cat Poop?
Cat poop may carry toxoplasma gondii, a parasite responsible for killing marine life. If there’s a septic tank in your home then you can totally flush used cat litter. However, if yours is a sewage based system designed to drain out into the ocean or a river, you could be causing irreparable harm to marine life.
An amendment to the California Fish and Game Code says the following:
- That the parasite toxoplasma gondii (found in cat feces) is linked to unnatural death of sea otters.
- That sea otters would fare better in their natural habitat if flushing of used cat litter were reduced.
- That every cat litter box for sale should warn cat owners against flushing used litter, and encourage them to dispose of such litter in trash, instead.
Also, for some litters you may have to flush one clump at a time which leads to a waste of time and water.
And we have already mentioned the problem of clogged plumbing.
Please check out our post on flushable cat litter FAQ which answers most of the common queries on the topic.
Our Pick of Top 3 Flushable Cat Litter Brands
OR
Regarding the flushable cat litter comparison table:
- Brands are mentioned in alphabetical order. Click on the brand names to go to detailed reviews.
- As far as “Tracking” is concerned, “No” usually means “Relatively less”.
- Information in the table is based primarily on user reviews including comments on this post.
| 9 Best Flushable Cat Litter Brands Updated March 2023 | |||||||
| Better Way / All Natural | Zeolite | Clumping NO; granulated: adsorbent, absorbent | Dust: NO | Odor Control Good | Tracking: Medium | Sometimes out of stock. Bad Packaging | |
| Blue Buffalo / Naturally Fresh | Walnut Shell | Clumping Superior | Dust: NO (Regular) YES (Multicat) | Odor Control Good | Tracking: NO | Septic Safe | Eco-friendly manufacture; Economical |
| Cat’s Pride / Soft Paw | Fuller’s Eath | Clumping Good | Dust: YES | Odor Control Good | Tracking: NO | Flush only one or two clumps at a time | |
| Feline Fresh | Kiln Dried Pine | Clumping Good | Dust: NO !! | Odor Control Superior | Tracking: NO | Septic Safe | Sustainably Grown |
| Garfield / SYLitter | Corn & Cassava | Clumping Good (Instant) | Dust: NO | Odor Control Good | Tracking: NO | Septic Safe | Flush after clumps dissolve. Don’t flush if clumps are more than 12 hours old |
| Only Natural Pet | Grass Seed | Clumping Good | Dust: NO | Odor Control Good | Tracking: NO | Septic Safe | Non GMO |
| ökocat | Reclaimed Wood | Clumping Good | Dust: NO | Odor Control Superior | Tracking: YES | Septic Safe | Soft, good for declawed cats. |
| Weruva | Hinoki Wood + Green Tea | Clumping Poor | Dust: YES! (But removable with colander) | Odor Control Average | Tracking: YES | Septic Safe | |
| World’s Best | Whole kernel Corn + natural wood fibers. | Clumping Good | Dust: YES!! | Odor Control Good | Tracking: YES!! | Septic Safe | GiveLitter™ donates litter to cat shelters. Soft, good for declawed cats. |
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
NOTE:
Some of the brands listed below contain affiliate links.
If you click them and make a purchase, we could receive a small commission – AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.
Not all good products pay for recommendations, but we list them anyway.
We’ve never listed products just because we could get paid to do so.
Our site ranks for keywords related to bentonite and silica litter but we never recommend those.
An exception is Pretty Litter after we revised our silica cat litter article with additional information.
Better Way Flushable Cat Litter ( Septic Safe )
UPDATE:
Better Way seems to be out of supply at the moment. We have retained it in our list because it used to be one of a kind back when we first wrote about it: a Zeolite cat litter. We’ve linked to an alternative below. But please take a minute to go through how Zeolite is an excellent choice when it comes to cat litter.
How is Zeolite Good as Cat Litter?
Zeolite is a volcanic mineral with a porous structure: there are numerous micro-tunnels in it. This means it has a very large surface area.
A solid substance has a visible surface area, on it. In case of zeolite, the extra surface is created all over as well as inside it: the individual micro-tunnels all have their own surfaces and contribute to the total surface area.
Absorption is, for example, when a paper towel soaks up water. One substance enters inside another. The water enters inside the paper.
The extra large surface area of zeolite allows it to have a higher absorption rate compared to its size.
Zeolite also has a natural negative charge. This allows it to attract the positive ions of ammonia through adsorption.
Adsorption is a surface occurrence at a microscopic level. Zeolite’s negative charge attracts ammonia’s positive charge. Ammonia gets stuck to the surface of zeolite. And the extra large surface area means there’s a whole lot of surface area for the adsorption of ammonia.
Incidentally, If the towel mentioned above were made of cloth, we could wring out most of the water. Adsorption being magnetic in nature, there’s no ‘wringing’ anything out. Here’s a basic guide to the difference between the two processes.
What Does It All Mean in the Context of Cat Litter?
Zeolite has a negative charge. Ammonia has a positive charge. Cat urine contains water and ammonia. Ammonia’s positively charged ions accumulate on the surface of zeolite (which has negative ions). This causes ammonia to lose its normal odor.
Water possesses neutral charge. So it is not attracted like ammonia to the surface of zeolite. Instead, it is absorbed into the porous structure of zeolite granules and evaporates normally.
Zeolite has 10x the surface area compared to natural clay and, therefore, a significantly higher absorption capacity. So, under ordinary circumstances, here’s no need to worry about lingering liquid waste – under ordinary circumstances.
The non-liquid waste also sticks to the porous zeolite granules and forms clumps which are not as hard as clay litter clumps.
And we have a cat litter which neutralizes odor, absorbs liquid waste, and forms clumps which break down when they are being flushed.
Happy Cat Flushable Zeolite Cat Litter
This is an alternative zeolite cat litter. 
Unfortunately, Happy Cat may not be as good as odor control as Better Way used to be.
So, here’s a litter aid made of zeolite that can be used (with any cat litter) if odor control becomes a problem.
This Happy Cat All Natural Litter we have linked to above is non-clumping and granulated. But is it suitable for flushing? Honestly, we don’t have too many reviews on this one but zeolite is zeolite and especially when a litter does not clump, it is not likely to choke the plumbing. So maybe this one’s worth a try especially if you have a sewage based septic system.
And here’s our original review about Better Way. (OR skip to the next review)
Better Way Flushable Cat Litter Review
There are mixed reviews, as with any other litter, but one in particular states that the cat suffered from an allergic reaction . However, we noticed the exact same review about sWheat Scoop as well and by the same reviewer. Exact, that is to say, word for word the same review.
Of course, that makes sense if it is the same cat that got the allergic reaction but probably not a good reason to write off this brand altogether.
Instead, you might want to consult your vet before buying.
Is there a real problem with Better Way?
There are two peculiar problems with this litter and none of them have anything to do with the quality of the litter.
- The company seems to run out of stock frequently. This is a problem because cats are agitated when their usual litter is suddenly removed or replaced with something else. They will start peeing anywhere and everywhere.
- Bad packaging. Not resealable, and tends to get torn when you try to open the bag.
If you can get over these problems, this is a pretty good flushable cat litter.
BETTER WAY ALTERNATIVE (HAPPY CAT)
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
NATURALLY FRESH QUICK CLUMPING WALNUT SHELL CAT LITTER
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Formerly marketed as Blue Buffalo, Naturally Fresh is still made from walnut shells. This litter has a huge fan following because it is both useful and completely eco-friendly.
Unlike strip mining for clay litter, the company grows its own walnut trees and use 100% of the walnut shells for producing litter. The trees ‘absorb at least 3,744 lbs. of CO2 annually per acre, releasing earth-sustaining oxygen in exchange’.
About 1.8 million bags of walnut shell litter is produced every year which is equivalent to ‘taking 15,591 passenger vehicles off the road , driving 178,459,709 fewer miles, and burning 8,193,024 fewer gallons of gas each year’. [Read more on their official website.]
It can be flushed and is septic safe. It is completely biodegradable, clumps really well, and controls odor effectively.
Additionally, the company claims that one bag of Naturally Fresh clumping litter equals three bags of the leading clay clumping litter in efficacy and economy.
However, the multi cat version may be dusty . And we seem to remember at least one report some years back of a minor brown bug infestation – not specifically in Naturally Fresh but in walnut litter in general.
COMPARE PRICE & SHIPPING OPTIONS:
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
Cat’s Pride Natural Unscented 20lb Jug
UPDATE
Regrettably, even though Cat’s Pride litter and the parent company, Oil Dri, seem to be thriving, reviews indicate that much to the users’ distress, this particular variety was discontinued. We have retained the review because the customers loved it.
And we did find an alternative:
Soft Paw Flushable Cat Litter
Soft Paw is made of the same material as Cat’s Pride: Fuller’s Earth. It holds 120% its own weight in moisture which makes it about 30% more absorbent than most leading brands of litter. It is soft on cat’s paws because the clay is crushed before it is dried. The rounded particles do not hold on well to cat’s paws and so, tracking is relatively less.
You can check the manufacturer’s site here.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW (OR skip to the next review)
Cat’s Pride flushable cat litter ingredients include Fuller’s Earth – as Ed Lowe’s Kitty litter (the first marketed brand of cat litter in human history ) did. In that respect, we could call it Cat’s Pride flushable Kitty Litter. Don’t expect it to clump like Sodium Bentonite, however, and it doesn’t come cheap, either, but does the job pretty well.
Also, the company oversees the litter making from start to finish and makes sure the soil strata are replenished. They call themselves the ‘All American Brand’ if that appeals to you.
As for flushability, no, it is not safe for septic tanks. However, if you flush one or two clumps at a time you should have no problem with normal sewer based toilet systems. Again, you must schedule a time for cleaning /flushing litter because this could take a while.
Overall, a good choice even though it costs a pretty penny.
CHECK CURRENT PRICE & SHIPPING OPTIONS
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
FELINE FRESH INSTANT ODOR CONTROL PINE CAT LITTER
This litter is made completely of recycled southern yellow pine. The kiln dried litter-ready pine is sterile and does not stick to cat’s paws.
Clay litter clumps from the top and forms scoopable (and sometimes brittle) chunks. This one absorbs and clumps from the bottom up and traps odor more effectively. Apparently, natural pine neutralizes ammonia odor, and this litter is about four times more absorbent than most bentonite clay litters. It is a completely biodegradable and flushable cat litter.
So, here we have a litter that is not only flushable, but clumps well, has superior odor control, almost no dust, tracks minimally, and is a natural alternative to clay litter. Worth a try, especially if your cats are used to clay litter and you want to transition them to something more eco-friendly.
SY (formerly Garfield) Litter
UPDATE
In 2018, the manufacturer (7Pets) of Garfield litter launched a rebranding campaign: PetFive is the new name that serves as an umbrella brand for all their products. You will find the same litter (or maybe even an improved version of it) at SYLitter.Com. The S and Y stand for ‘Sustainably Yours’. We have retained our original review because it still holds true except for the new packaging and rebranded names. Please visit their store locator to buy.
Original Review
This one’s completely plant based (corn and cassava ), biodegradable, and relatively small-grained. There are three grades of graininess, actually. All three are flushable cat litters but you must allow them to dissolve first before flushing.
While that makes sense for a lightweight litter, it may not always be feasible to wait around while the litter does the dissolving act. If you have a time set aside after work for cleaning the litter box, this could work for you. Again, remember to let it dissolve first or you could end up with backed up pipes.
The ‘instant clumping’ is a fact. However, the clumping is not rock hard: Scoop carefully or the clumps may get pulverized.
Visit the Store Locator to Buy
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
Non GMO Fast Clumping Grass Seed Organic Cat Litter
This video shows you better than any word could how well this non GMO US grown grass seed litter clumps and flushes:
It is currently our first choice. This is what we wrote in October 2016 when this article was first published:
It made us very happy to read the reviews today (and it had a 4.6 rating at the time of revising this article).
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Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
ökocat Natural Wood Cat Litter – 100% reclaimed wood
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öko is German for ‘eco’ – implying that ökocat is eco-friendly. It should be, since it is made from 100% reclaimed wood. A lot of people swear by this brand’s odor control (that lasts for up to 7 days) properties. It is flushable, anti-bacterial, and can absorb a whopping 500% its own weight.
It has minimal dust, but does track.
ökocat is not really a new brand. It has been a leading natural litter brand in Europe since the ’90s under the label ‘Cat’s Best’. It is now manufactured in the US as well.
Apart from reclaimed wood, ökocat also uses paper which is made by processing the same reclaimed wood.
The company does not use recycled paper on purpose since newspaper and other printed paper would invariably contain ink and dyes. They aim to make a completely safe and natural litter for cats and if you can get over the tracking issues, this could be The Flushable Litter you’ve been looking for.
While on the subject of dust, if you are looking specifically for a dust free flushable cat litter, there is a Dust Free formula (which still tracks) made from paper. However, it is not as good as the clumping varieties. Only in odor control do all the different types of ökocat litter perform equally and admirably.
Warning Against Flushing Cat Litter?
Do not be alarmed by the PROP 65 warning on the packaging. California State laws are pretty stringent (and we totally support that). There are a lot of substances that we take for granted could cause harm to human beings. Wood dust is among them. Even though ökocat is practically dust free, it isn’t (and cannot possibly be) 100% so – and 99.99%, in our opinion, is just a fancy number.
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Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
Weruva Weruva Cat Litter (hint: you’ll need a colander)
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As far as flushable cat litters go, this one also has a claim to being unique: it is made of Hinoki wood and green tea. Hinoki is Japanese Cypress.
Cutting down Hinoki trees so that cats can pee and poop would be a bad idea, and that is not how this litter is made. Only recycled wood from other industries (like packaging, for example) goes into the making of this natural flushable cat litter.
There is a downside which the manufacturers don’t mention (but of course!), and that is DUST. Thankfully, there is a viable solution.
All you need is to make a little effort to remove the dust with a colander. We found this solution thanks to an excellent user review. This is a good litter and worth the trouble.
Weruva masks the pee-poop odor with its own strong, woody fragrance and clumps as well as any non-clay litter. These flushable cat litter pellets are a good choice if you are looking for any kind of natural cat litter and not just ones that can safely go down the toilet.
Note: Weruva insists that you flush in small clumps only.
CHECK CURRENT PRICE & SHIPPING OPTIONS
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
World’s Best Cat Litter – super useful and charitable
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World’s Best is made from whole kernel corn and 100% natural plant / wood fibers. It is safe for both septic and sewer based toilet systems. It has good odor control and clumping properties. The pine blend was created for people who might prefer that scent but the odor can be too strong for some users and their cats.
Some users mix it with other, non-scented brands of litter to lessen the scent. Wheat based litters like sWheat Scoop seem to be a popular choice. Please note, however, that the resulting mix may not be flushable.
If you have a cat suffering from kidney disease, you will need something else as superior fluid absorption is not one of World’s Best’s strong points (cats suffering from kidney diseases will invariably pee much more than usual).
World’s Best has several varieties and all of them, reportedly, show minimum dust and tracking. Bear in mind, however, ‘minimum’ is a relative term and certainly not equal to zero.
At the time of editing this text, there are comments from FIVE different people who have found this litter too dusty! Please look in the comments section and decide for yourself.
More Reasons To Buy World’s Best Litter
In addition to using renewable methods to manufacture biodegradable and safe litter, World’s Best also donates litter to shelters all over the US through their GiveLitter™ program. You can be instrumental in additional donations if you post a photo of yourself with your cat on social media with the hashtag ‘giveacrap’. For every photo, World’s Best will donate five pounds of litter.
AND, they have a money back guarantee just in case you don’t like their litter:
If you are not completely satisfied with our product, return the bag and/or the original UPC code (proof of purchase) from the bag along with your store receipt to the point of purchase for a full refund in accordance with any applicable store policies. Or, you may receive your refund by mailing the original UPC code from the bag and your store receipt (please include your name and full mailing address) to the following address within 90 days of purchase
Overall, sounds like an awesome company to purchase from, right?
CHECK CURRENT PRICE & SHIPPING OPTIONS
Better Way | Blue Buffalo | Cat’s Pride |
Feline Fresh Yellow Pine | Garfield |
ökocat | Weruva Weruva | World’s Best
Hopefully, at least one of these top 9 brands of flushable cat litter will serve your purpose. Please bear in mind what we have mentioned earlier:
If you live near the coast and use a sewer based toilet system, you would be endangering marine life by flushing used cat litter down the toilet.
We’d really appreciate it if you left us a comment and let us know if our recommendations were up to the mark. Thank you for reading.
World’s Best would not answer me if they check specifically for glyphosate or mold in their corn, nor if they use corn approved for human consumption (ie, organic)
Why on earth are you implying it’s ok to flush ANY used cat litter !?!?! It’s completely beside the point that certain litters can be flushed without trashing the plumbing. The real issue is that cat waste includes a parasite [among other things] that human waste reclamation processes aren’t designed to eliminate. Flushing cat litter is a recipe for spreading Toxoplasmosis gondii to general population: water we drink, water we use to water our veggie garden, water we use to rinse that apple or carrot for a snack … And it’s potentially fatal or complicating to unborn babies when pregnant women are exposed! Yeesh!
Hi, Nancy,
I’m curious as to why you didn’t consider sWheat Scoop to be a flushable litter? They claim it is. We’ve been using it for years & like it, but have been disposing in the trash. I was researching flush-ability when I came across this page.
thank you for such an extensive list of possibilities, and for responding so quickly to the questions above! I wasn’t sure I would find anything, and this page (my first page read!) gave me everything I needed to make a well-informed (and user-verified!) decision. AWESOME!
Thank you for the kind words 🙂 Glad you found my efforts useful !
corn based litter in litter boxes in contact with feces and urine can kill the cat due mycotxins I have read. So the world best litter is it safe??????
I’m afraid I don’t have a definite answer for you. Didn’t find much on the web. Best to ask your vet, I suppose. But this must be a relatively rare occurrence and probably shouldn’t occur at all if you clean up the litter box before things get soggy …
Thank you for that information. I had been using World’s Best, yet it occurred to me recently that corn is one of the most heavily roundup (Glyphosate) sprayed crops and is also a GMO crop. So, I decided to save both me and my cats from this killer toxin now by switching to something a tad safer…whatever that looks like?
I can’t believe World’s Best Cat litter claims no dust and no tracking and yet no one has refuted it. I like it because I can flush it. Other than that it’s horrible. I have 2 solid black cats. When they leave the litter box they have so much litter on their feet and up their legs, it looks like they have socks on! Every surface in the bathroom is covered with dust within a day after I have cleaned it.
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for the input. Is it possible that some varieties of World’s Best are less dusty? My write-ups are based on user reviews. Which variety have you been using?
We use it too. It’s very dusty. I think we may use it for too long, as it seems relatively dust free for the first week of a new batch of litter; we have two cats. As for varieties, I don’t think there are many. Just scented and one non-scented as far as I know.
I’ve tried several varieties of “World’s Best,” too, and they all track like mad, and after the first week there will be a fine orange dust everywhere as the litter granules break down. There may be “no dust” when you pour it from the bag, but look out in a few days!
Thanks for the input jsph and Dan – looks like I’ll have to update my write-up and the chart!!
i have tried used the mult-cat and the zero mess (blue bag) from World’s best and the only but major complaint is the dust, especially for my medium haired cat. it stays on him and when i wipe him down with baby wipes, it’s all orange. traces of litter is throughout the house too. I’m actually on here trying to find an alternative to them.
This was the last straw! The image of a poor kitty being wiped down with baby wipes was too adorable to ignore – I have edited the write-up! Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Jeanie Kay – and hope you found what you were looking for …
Also been using World’s Best for a couple years now and it leaves dust everywhere. I’ll often come into the bedroom and see the dark blue bedspread covered in dusty cat prints. To top it all off we have been trying to get a handle on a horrible cough that my son has. It started a couple years ago and has progressively gotten worse. We took him to an allergist and found that he is allergic to corn pollen. So now we are in search of a good cat litter.
Hi Dennis,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us – and sorry about your son – hope he recovers soon. If you are looking for a dust free cat litter, take a look at this – it is supposed to be good for cats with respiratory troubles (and should be good for your son as well).
I have recently read that 40% of corn becomes moldy before reaching it’s destination. The growers sell this to the pet industry!!! Where it is used for filler in canned food and for litter. My black cats also are covered with white powder. Never again,!!!
I use rabbit pellets for cat litter. I think it’s compressed alfalfa. Is it safe to flush into a septic tank? Thanks.
Hi sempersuccess,
Alfalfa pellets are supposed to be nontoxic, flushable, and good for deodorizing as well. I don’t know what brand you’re using but I’ve seen cat forum users say THIS brand is flushable. Hope that helps 🙂
Hi there, How about the possibility of mycotoxins in corn litter? That’s my biggest reason for switching from World’s Best after using for years. I’m concerned. That mold is usually deadly.
Earlier, I did not find enough details upon a cursory search to write about that issue (assuming it is an issue). But now that you mention it, I should probably either include that info here or write a separate article on it. Thank you for raising this most valid point.
I believe you are incorrect in stating that World’s Best is “made from wheat kernel”. The Original Series litters use whole kernel corn compressed into concentrated granules. The newer, Advanced Natural formula, promises improved odor control by adding other “all-natural” ingredients.
Hi Robert, thank you for pointing out the error – will make the necessary corrections. As for other ingredients – they use an undisclosed process to create small clumps out of plant and wood fibers. The pine blend is for people who prefer that scent. Thanks again.
Is it old used litter from the litter box when cleaning it out, or the actual clumps themselves that is toxic to marine life?
Hi Nancy,
It is a kind of organism found in cat poop that harms marine life. So, any used litter flushed down in a coastal area would be harmful, clumped or not.