8 Best Cat Litters for Long Haired Cats With Our 2024 Budget-Friendly Pick

Amanda Yantos

Amanda Yantos – Pet Expert

with support from the Pawster Research Team


At Pawster, we are committed to presenting the most accurate and up-to-date information to assist you in your pet care journey. When appropriate, we consult licensed and practicing veterinarians to fact-check our professionally written articles.

Cat litter is meant for the box – not for your long haired cat’s beautiful fur!

If you’re the parent of a long haired cat, you probably know the struggle of trying to keep your cat’s coat free of litter and debris. Some litters are better than others for use by kitties with long hair, and in this article we will share why that is.

Using the proper litter for your long haired cat can make a world of difference. It’s important to choose one that won’t adhere to their fur, as that can potentially cause a slew of health issues. In this helpful guide we outline the benefits of using a special litter for long haired cats, as well as give you a list of phenomenal litter recommendations.

5 Benefits of Using a Litter for Long Haired Cats

Long haired cats have specific litter needs. If litter consistently becomes matted in your cat’s fur, it can cause more issues than simple discomfort. Keep your cat healthy and thriving by using a litter for long haired cats. Consider these other benefits, also:

  1. Avoid litter getting matted in their fur: The biggest struggle of a long haired cat is litter becoming matted in their fur. Mats can be painful, and used litter getting caught in your cat’s coat can cause bacterial infection and skin conditions.
  2. Less tracking around your home: Large granule litter or pellets won’t track like fine grain litter will. Large grains are less likely to get stuck in your cat’s paws and hair, so you won’t have to deal with tracking of litter throughout your home. All cat parents can appreciate less mess to clean up!
  3. Reduces stress: You can imagine that getting litter matted in fur can be painful. If your cat is always getting litter stuck in their coat, it can create stress. And if your cat is stressed when using the litter box, it’s likely they will start doing business outside their box. Using an appropriate long haired cat litter will reduce and eliminate stress.
  4. Prevents skin irritation: If your cat often gets litter matted in their fur, it can cause skin irritation and inflammation. Use a high-quality litter for long haired cats to avoid health issues.
  5. Keeps the coat healthy: Your cat’s beautiful coat will remain looking and feeling healthy when you use a litter which won’t cause mats, knots or skin irritation.
Why is it so important to maintain a clean litter box for your long haired cat? Below we discuss what happens when fecal matter and litter adheres to your cat’s fur.

How to Avoid Pseudocoprostasis

If you have a long haired cat, you’re probably familiar with pseudocoprostasis, which is a fancy term for “fecal mats.” This phenomenon occurs when your kitty is doing their business, but their fecal matter and litter gets matted in their long hair. This is actually a dangerous situation, because it can cause colon blockage. When this happens, your cat may be unable to eliminate solid waste.

Pseudocoprostasis can cause a slew of health problems. To avoid it, keep your cat’s perianal area trimmed up and use a litter for long haired cats. Preventing the issue is far less worrisome than having to treat it. Any health issues can be stressful for cats, but something like pseudocoprostasis can be especially painful and life threatening.

5 Components to Look for in a Litter for Long Haired Cats

What makes a cat litter appropriate for kitties with long hair? We discuss five components below:

  1. Granule or pellet size: The bigger the litter granule, the better! Long haired cat litters often consist of large, heavy grains which are much more difficult to track and get tangled up in the fur.
  2. Low dust: Using a low dust or dust-free litter formula will keep your cat’s coat clean and healthy, while also being a good choice for your cat’s allergies or respiratory concerns.
  3. Smooth or soft granules: Cats often prefer smooth and soft granule litters. They are easy on paws and less likely to remain stuck in your cat’s fur.
  4. Clumping litter: While the choice of clumping versus non-clumping cat litter generally comes down to preference, clay litter often creates hard clumps which can easily end up matted in your cat’s fur. If you do use a clumping litter, we suggest one made from a soft material. Trying to remove clay clumps from your cat’s long hair can be stressful and painful.
  5. Mechanical litter boxes: Do you have an automatic litter box for your cat? Large pellet litters won’t sift in mechanical litter box, but finer grain litters will.

Overall Best Cat Litter for Long Haired Cats

PrettyLitter

Key Benefits:

  • 20% off with code BESTLITTER
  • Changes color to alerty you of health issues
  • Non-clumping, so it won’t be stuck in your cat’s long hair
  • Delivery service
  • Silica gel is super absorbent

PrettyLitter is unlike any litter you have used before. With long-haired cats, litter that clump can often get stuck in the cat’s hair and cause uncomfortable issues. PrettyLitter is non-clumping and creates little dust and mess, which is beneficial for long-haired cats. It is lightweight and environmentally friendly, and its most amazing benefit is that it changes color when it detects a pH change in your cat’s urine, alerting you to possible medical issues. PrettyLitter can detect health issues such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, inflammation, kidney issues, and more. With a once-a-month convenient delivery service, PrettyLitter costs less than some other typical cat litters and the amount is tailored to suit the number of cats in your home. The super absorbent silica gel traps odors and eliminates moisture and is made from natural minerals, which means less dust and allergens and less litter in the landfill.

Pros:

  • Made from natural minerals
  • Non-clumping so it will not get stuck in longer cat fur
  • Detects pH changes that could indicate medical issues
  • Convenient delivery service

Cons:

  • Non-clumping can cause tracking
  • Subscription service

Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

  • Biodegradable and comes packaged in a compostable box
  • Dust free
  • Controls odors for up to 7 days
  • Excellent for cats with allergies

Another great cat litter for our long haired feline friends will be comprised of high-quality pellets. Add in the benefits of this litter being eco-friendly, and it takes the top spot on our list! Okocat cat litters are safe for your cat, and they are equally safe the planet. Not only is this paper pellet cat litter biodegradable, but it also comes in a compostable box!

Okocat paper litter is perfect for your long hair cat because the pellets are soft on paws but tough on odor and absorbency. Even if your cat has respiratory sensitivities, this dust free litter will be a healthy choice for them. All Okocat litters are formulated with Odor Shield Technology, which traps and controls odors for up to 7 days. We recommended Okocat natural paper litter for long haired cats because it won’t track or get matted in your cats fur, plus it’s eco-friendly!

Pros:

  • Environmentally-friendly
  • All natural with no additives
  • Large paper pellets won’t track or become matted in fur
  • Highly absorbent
  • Dust free

Cons:

  • Will not likely work in an automatic litter box

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Long Hair Litter

Key Benefits:

  • Veterinarian formulated
  • Made from silica gel
  • Particle size appropriate for long haired cats
  • Biodegradable

Runner-Up Best Cat Litter for Long Haired Cats: This long haired cat litter from Dr. Elsey’s is made from silica gels infused with hydrolyzed herbs. The herbs work to attract your kitty to using their litter box. The size of the gels are designed to be large enough to not get stuck in your cat’s long hair. The color of the gels ensures that your cat’s hair won’t become discolored from using the litter box.

Dr. Elsey’s litter for long haired cat is biodegradable and hypoallergenic, making it safe for the planet and your sensitive kitty. Even allergy-stricken humans will be happy about the switch to Dr. Elsey’s. It’s non-toxic and free of chemicals and perfumes. This litter is not a clumping formula, but it’s easy to scoop in order to to maintain a clean litter box for your special long haired feline friend.

Pros:

  • Biodegradable
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Clumping for easy maintenance
  • Will work in a mechanical or sifting litter box
  • Formulated by Dr. Elsey, a feline veterinarian

Cons:

  • The container of litter only comes in one size.
  • Not a clumping litter.

Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Fresh Scent Cat Litter

Key Benefits:

  • Affordable
  • Larger recycled paper pellets won’t track
  • Eco-friendly
  • Virtually dust free

Best Budget-Friendly Cat Litter for Long Haired Cats: Our favorite budget-friendly cat litter for long haired kitties is this one from Yesterday’s News. We like the softer texture choice because the pellets will be gentler on your cat’s paws. The paper pellets in this litter are made from 100% recycled newspaper. They offer the feeling of using clay with higher absorbency and eco-friendly properties.

We like paper pellet litters for long haired cats because they won’t become stuck or matted in fur like small grain litters will. This one from Yesterday’s News will be reliable in terms of odor control and absorbing up to 3X more moisture than traditional litters. Your long haired cat will breathe easy with this 99% dust free litter, and they will appreciate not having to worry about dragging litter behind them via their paws or long coat.

Pros:

  • Cost-effective for all budgets
  • Made from recycled newspaper
  • Dust free
  • Softer on paws than the original formula
  • Has a fresh scent to assist in odor control

Cons:

  • The pellets are too large for an automatic litter box

More Top Long Haired Cat Litter Picks

Simply Pine Cat Litter

Another pellet litter that we recommend for your long haired cat is this one from Simply Pine. The pellets are generally the same size as typical paper litters, but they are made from 100% Northeastern White Pine. The blend is low tracking, dust free, and doesn’t contain any chemicals or additives. Simply Pine cat litter has a natural pine scent and a nice texture so your long haired cat will enjoy using their box. We like that Simply Pine is formulated to be antibacterial and biodegradable.

Okocat Natural Wood Long Haired Breeds Cat Litter

This Okocat litter is similar to our top pick, but the pellets are made from renewable wood as opposed to paper. These pellets will absorb up to 500% their weight in moisture to ensure effective odor control. The natural plant fibers in Okocat wood pellets will continue to trap odors for up to 7 days with Odor Shield Technology. This litter is virtually dust free like other pellet litters, but this one is also biodegradable and comes in a compostable package.

Nature’s Logic 100% All-Natural Pine Non-Clumping Cat Litter

This pellet litter from Nature’s Logic is formulated from 100% Ponderosa pine with absolutely no other ingredients. The pellets are ideal for your long haired cat, and even other small animals in your home like ferrets or rabbits. Nature’s Logic pine litter is biodegradable and dust free, so it’s safe for your planet and your entire household. We like that this litter is all-natural and cost-effective!

Green Tea Fresh Cat Litter

Although Green Tea Fresh cat litter consists of pellets, the pellet size is smaller than other litters on our list. The pellets are large and heavy enough so they won’t become stuck in your cat’s fur, but they offer a different litter box experience. Green Tea Fresh pellets are naturally effective for odor control, and the green tea is an anti-bacterial agent. We like that this litter is lightweight, flushable, compostable and sure to be a great choice for any cat!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the best litter type for long haired cats? – The best litters for your long haired cat will be pellets or large granules. Softer litters made from wood, corn and silica gel are also nice because they are fine and will be less likely to remain stuck in fur. Pellets are typically made from paper or wood, and these litters are beneficial because they won’t track like traditional litter will.
  • Is silica gel litter good for long haired cats? – Yes! Silica get litters, like the one we recommend from Dr. Elsey’s, are an excellent choice for long haired cats. The softness and texture of the litter will generally fall off paws and slip out of fur instead of adhering to it.
  • What is the best biodegradable cat litter for long haired cats? – All three of our top recommended long haired cat litters are biodegradable and eco-friendly! Okocat, Dr. Elsey’s and Yesterday’s News are all fantastic options for reducing your ecological footprint. Plus, environmentally-friendly litters are healthier for your cat, too!
  • How much litter should I use for my long haired cat? – Long haired cats prefer having less litter than cats with standard length fur. While a general rule of thumb for cats is 2-3 inches of litter per box, your long haired cat may do better with 1-2 inches. It comes down to preference and your cat’s litter box habits.

Conclusion

Long haired cats have different needs when it comes to doing their business. The type of litter you use will often determine how comfortable your cat is. Using the correct litter can help avoid stress, anxiety and health problems. Remember to always seek veterinary attention for your cat if you have specific questions about their litter box usage.

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