Declawed cats can have difficulty using cat litter because they no longer have claws to dig in the litter. What that means for the cat, is that the litter needs to be soft but not too soft.
The best litter for declawed cats is litter in which they can still dig and get some traction, despite the fact they no longer have claws.
The cat litters reviewed below have been chosen because they are all suitable for cats that have been declawed.
Some Of The Best Litters For Declawed Cats Are…
| 1.Fresh News Cat Litter – Recommended By Veterinarians |
| 2.Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Cat Litter – Trusted And Reliable Product |
| 3.Okocat Natural Cat Litter Paper & Dust Free – Odor Control/Dust Free |
| 4.Okocat Super Soft Clumping Wood Litter – Good For After Surgery |
| 5. So Phresh Odor Control Paper Litter – Works Well And Good Price |
| 6. Harz Clumping Paper Litter – Unscented |
| Our Top Choice For Newly Declawed Cats Plus Already Declawed Cats |
| Buying Guide For Declawed Litter |
| Tips To Coax Declawed Cats To The Litter Box |
Reviews – Best Litter For Declawed Cats
1. Fresh News Cat Litter
Fresh News is a paper cat litter made from 100% recycled, biodegradable paper. It is low tracking because the pellets retain their form. This means they are less likely to stick to the cat’s fur or paws as they remain pellet like.
This is great for less tracking but also essential for cats that have been declawed or had any other type of surgery.
The wound site needs to be kept clean to prevent infection. Paper pelleted litter has no fine particles which ultimately makes it the best cat litter for declawed cats. Fine particles found in other litters may work their way into a wound which may result in infection.
The pellets do not form hard clumps like a clumping litter, which could be painful on the paws of a newly declawed cat. Removing the soiled pellets daily will also help with preventing infection.
The paper turns a darker color when wet so you can see when it is time to change the pellets.
This is an ideal cat litter for cats and cat owners who may have respiratory problems because there is no dust. It is 99% dust free and 100% non allergenic. Baking soda is used for odor control, otherwise it is fragrance free.
Pros
Often Vet recommended post surgery.
Low Tracking.
Non allergenic – good for cats and cat owners with respiratory issues.
Environmentally, this litter, being recycled paper is heading in the right direction.
Cons
This litter does not clump so it is more maintenance intensive than a clumping litter. Move the scoop slowly and gently to locate the darker pellets which indicate wetness and remove those pellets with the scoop. Dispose of those pellets and add fresh pellets.
Specifications
This litter is available in a 4lb, 12lb or 25lb bag. The pellets are made from 100% recycled paper.
2. Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Cat Litter
This is an unscented cat litter made from soft, recycled paper pellets that are perfect for sensitive paws.
Update: Yesterday’s News now have four products. You can make a choice to suit your preferences, scented or unscented, clumping or non clumping.
The four litters are
1 Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter
2 Yesterday’s News Softer Texture Fresh Scented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter
3 Yesterday’s News Original Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter – This is the original!
4 Yesterday’s News Unscented Clumping Paper Cat Litter
This is often the recommended cat litter by veterinarians post surgery because there is no clay in this litter or fine particles that may enter the wound and cause infection.
Yesterday’s News paper pellet cat litter will assist with keeping the area free of contamination while the paws are healing. Having to deal with a contaminated wound is something we all want to avoid, so all steps should be taken to ensure basic safe health practices even if it means temporarily changing the normal litter used.
One question about this cat litter refers to the ink used in the paper and whether it is safe.
The product website says that most publishers print these days using safe inks, which are often soy based. Any inks are neutralized in the processing of this product so that there is no residue left on your cat’s fur or paws.
There are also no chemicals in this litter, so environmentally it’s eco friendly, a natural cat litter and a responsible choice for your cat and for the environment.
You might think that paper is not going to soak up urine but it does and there is minimal tracking. And… this cat litter is dust free. Many people like it for that reason alone, even if they do not have cats that have been declawed. No dust is a big plus if you are looking for a non allergenic litter.
Pros
Often recommended by vets post surgery in addition to cats that have been declawed.
Three times more absorbent than clay litters.
99.7% dust free.
Cons
The scooping practice does put some cat owners off as it is not the same as a traditional litter. Rake the scoop slowly through the litter. The wet pellets are darker in color. Place the scoop under those pellets and lift. With practice it becomes easier to locate the soiled part of the litter. Top up with more pellets.
Specifications
Two size bags are available, 13.2lb and 26.4lb.Made from recycled paper.
3. Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Litter
An eco friendly, non-clumping, pelleted paper cat litter made from recycled paper. The pellets are lightweight and soft and are a clean white paper fiber.
A dust free litter so a good litter to use post operatively for cats that have been declawed.
This is an unscented cat litter, there are no chemicals or artificial fragrances. The absorbent natural plant fibers trap waste odors however if you are used to a fragranced product you may notice some odor.
Whilst recovering from surgery it is important to be more diligent than usual to ensure the litter box is sparking clean to prevent infection.
Pros
It absorbs 200% of its weight in liquid
oko means eco or ecological in German. All okocat products are eco friendly.
Cons
This is an unscented cat litter. You may notice odors.
Specifications
The sizes available are 5.1lb, 8.2lb or 12.3 box. The box has a handy pouring spout and is easy to carry with a handle at the top of the box. Made with no artificial fragrances, synthetical chemicals, toxic dyes or GMOs.
4. Okocat Super Soft Clumping Wood Litter
This litter is eco-friendly, made from reclaimed wood that is 100% renewable organic fiber and chemically untreated. Even the carboard box can be recycled.
It can track a little, so definitely use a cat litter mat and also read here for tips on the best way to cope with taming the spread of litter.
This natural cat litter is not recommended post operatively but a definite recommendation for your declawed cat as this cat owner discovers.
Great product for kitty’s with tender paws. My foster kitty went right in the box and used the new litter with no problems! He had been surrendered because of not using the litter box and had been declawed.
Pros
Okocat is light in weight, 7 pounds of okocat wood litter would be the equivalent of 20 lbs clay litter.
It clumps well and is easy to clean up.
Cons
It does track a little and some cat owners find it dusty.
Specifications
The sizes available are: 8.4lb, 11.2lb, 16.7lb or 16.7lb bundle of 2 boxes. Tree fiber has a natural capillary system within it that helps to absorb moisture. The moisture is held within the fiber wall. This action gives Okocat cat litter a fast rate of absorption. A fast rate of absorption is good for the cat, no standing in wet litter. Also a fast absorption rate means that the litter is efficient, thus less being used and therefore scooped.
5. So phresh odor Control paper Litter
This litter is recycled paper litter. It also neutralizes odors with the use of baking soda and zeolite. For more information about zeolite click here.
The positives of this litter are the softest and absorbency of using paper pellets and also the fact that this litter also has odor control properties.
There are no dust issues with this litter. It doesn’t get stuck on paws like clumping litter can. This means there is no concerns that the cat will be licking litter from his paws or tracking litter through the house.
If there is a downside it is that it can be difficult to distinguish between the soiled and clean litter when scooping.
This is a terrific litter for not only declawed cats and cats that have had surgery but also for people who have allergies or insensitivities to chemical fragrances.
6. Hartz Clumping Paper Litter
This is a paper pelleted product that is also a clumping litter. The clumps turn blue when soiled which is useful when scooping.
It is dust free and light and easy on sensitive paws so another excellent cat litter recommendation for cats that have been declawed. It is suitable for newly declawed cats and cats that have not been declawed.
A positive feature is that this litter does not stick to the litter box which is a bonus. It is an unscented litter. Being unscented tends to give differing opinions, some people like unscented litter and others do not.
One suggestion is to add some litter deodorizer to the litter box for controlling odors. Everyone has a different tolerance to odor so sprinkle onto the litter as needed.
There may be some spread of paper pellets from the litter box, however this seems a minor irritation compared to the grittiness of ordinary litter that is unpleasant underfoot.
Pros
99% dust free which makes it easy to dump into the litter box and refill as necessary.
Cons
Paper litter is not like ordinary clumping litter. Problems may lie with the ability to scoop and possibly the odor. I would suggest that if this is your first purchase of paper litter, a small bag like this 4.3lb bag would be a good way to start. You can monitor its effectiveness for the cat and for you.
Specifications
The paper used in this clumping paper litter is 100% recycled paper, so once again an eco friendly litter. The product consists of 80% of recycled paper. The exact ingredients are pulp, super absorbent polymer and starch. This litter is not flushable. The pellets will not fall through the holes in a litter scoop.
Our Top Choice – best Litter For Declawed Cats
Best Litter For Newly Declawed cats
best litter For Cats that have already been Declawed
litter for declawed cats.
Not to use post operatively as it doesn’t offer the same dust free qualities of paper litter
but as a regular litter as it is soft on paws.
Good for litter box refusers.
Buying Guide For Declawed Litter
My Cat Is Already Declawed – What Litter is Best?
If your cat has been already declawed and there are no wounds to heal, it is quite safe to use any litter. However, as declawed cats notoriously have problems digging in litter, a softer clumping litter is always recommended.
The Okocat Soft Clumping Wood Litter reviewed is a good choice and one of the best cat litter options for declawed cats.
Do Declawed Cats Need Special Cat Litter?
Declawed cats need a litter that will make it easy for them to dig in the litter. As they don’t have claws it can be difficult and frustrating for them to get traction in the litter. It can also be painful.
Litter box rejection is a common problem with declawed cats. For this reason softer but not too soft, cat litters are recommended. Paper litter is often recommended. The softer litters in the Okocat range are also a very good choice.
Once the wounds are healed, a regular cat litter can be used.
To make the adjustment to the regular litter easier, some of the new or regular litter can be gradually added to the paper litter before changing to the regular cat litter completely.
This will give the cat a chance to adapt to the regular litter. Bookmark this page just in case the cat does not adjust and you can re read the pros and cons of other litters suggested.
What Kind Of Litter Do You Use After Declawing?
Immediately after the declawing operation paper litter is veterinarian recommended to avoid infection. Clay litters or dusty litters are not recommended after declawing as the risk of infection is greatly increased.
Can Declawed Cats Use A Cat Litter Box?
One reason why declawed cats may reject the litter box is because of pain. There are some suggestions below if your cat is rejecting the litter box and tips to enourage your cat to use the litter box.
Choosing an appropriate cat litter will help to solve this problem.
Our cat did scratch the leather couch. We did solve the problem. No declawing considered. We just took the extremely, almost distorted, long way round. When I read this article, now it seems quite ridiculous that we just didn’t buy couch covers sooner. Oh well, live and learn.
Tips To Coax Declawed Cats To The Litter Box
- If your declawed cat is sharing a litter box with other cats, try giving the cat its own litter box.
If practical, try changing the location of the litter box where there are no obstructions.
Obstruction to the cat, may mean that the cat has to pass by somewhere he doesn’t really want to. It may be the dog’s bowl or something that is scary to the cat.
Put yourself in your cat’s shoes (please no meowing) and check out the navigation to the litter box. Does it seem okay? - Use a soft cat litter. A declawed cat doesn’t have claws to dig in the litter, so it stands to reason that the litter needs to be nice and soft. Try to avoid the cat associating the litter box with pain.
Your cat may have sensitive paws, so ideally provide a soft litter that still has enough substance for your cat to get some traction when digging. - Consider using a litter attractant if rejection of the litter box continues and you have tried other methods. The attractant has a scent that attracts cats and can be used with any sort of litter. It is easy to apply by just sprinkling over existing litter.
- One way to help determine if it is the actual litter that is causing a problem is to use an absorbent pee pad by itself (no litter) in the litter box. If this is successful and your cat uses the litter box, it may indicate that the litter you were using was the problem. Start by trying a soft litter that will be gentle on the paws.
All of the points mentioned can be implemented easily at home. However there is no substitute for paying a visit to the vet to identify if there is a medical issue contributing to litter box avoidance.
There are alternatives to declawing. Cat nail caps are a popular alternative to declawing. The nail caps fit over the nail and fall off as the nail grows. Do you feel a it unsure about cat nail caps? I did too in the beginning. There are lots of questions around cat nail caps. The pros and cons of cat nail caps are discussed in this article and a review of the best nail caps is found here.
Cat’s claws do need trimming from time to time.
Follow these instructions from The Humane Society which explains exactly how to trim the claws of a cat. If you do not feel comfortable with this and most people don’t, take your cat to the vet for a claw trim.
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