Best Vacuums For Cat Litter That Get The Job Done With No Hassle

If you have multiple cats, an upright vacuum or stick vacuum is best to cope with the quantity of cat litter that will need vacuuming. If you have one cat who is not much of a digger and flinger, a small handheld vacuum may do the job very nicely for you.

A carpet sweeper is good for a quick run over the carpet that just takes a minute or two.

We have looked at upright vacuums, handheld vacuums and carpet sweepers for their effectiveness in picking up cat litter.

Check the Table Of Contents, click on the heading and go straight to the section that interests you.

Vacuums For Cat Litter

Table Of Contents

1. Bissell CleanView Swivel

The reason I have put this above the Dyson V8 is the price point. The Bissell is budget friendly. Now because the Dyson V8 is not the latest model it certainly has a lower price point than the latest Dysons, so that is also something to consider.

The triple action brush roll, works to loosen, lift and remove embedded dirt and pet hair and cat litter.

This vacuum is bag-less, upright and has swivel steering, enabling easy movement around corners.

It is electric, the cord is 27′ and wraps at the push of a button. The cord wrapping, is a small but important point when the vacuum is used frequently. Winding a cord is a chore, plus it looks much neater when it wraps automatically.

It works equally well on carpet and on hardwood floors, so no having to change vacuum heads when moving from carpet to tiles or carpet to a hardwood floor.

It has scatter proof technology which is a bonus for picking up cat litter and cat hair. It has specialized pet tools like the pet hair corner tool and the pet turbo eraser tool to really remove embedded dirt, litter and hair.

This is a very descriptive review, not exactly for litter or cat hair but how well the machine worked in a messy situation.

The vacuums reviewed below are all pet friendly as part of their function is to pick up animal hair.

2. Dyson V8 Cordless Stick Vacuum

I have to say that I am a Dyson devotee. When I first opened the box containing my Dyson, I did think it looked a bit plasticky, especially for the price.

However, I soon came to realize that it is a tough machine. I use it daily with no special treatment and nothing has broken. I have now had my V8 since it came out so quite a few years.

In addition to picking up cat litter and cat hair and everything else in normal household life, it is handy to use to vacuum the cats bedding or where the cat mostly hangs out.

I can even vacuum around my ageing cat and he doesn’t budge, so it’s obviously not scaring him. However we both know our boundaries, so I try to keep out of his way.

The price can be a sticking point and I totally understand that as I was the same. I now realize I will have my Dyson for many years and vacuuming is no longer a chore and I do mean that. Am I crazy? Ive already had it for years, so it has not been expensive in the long run.

A bonus with the frequent vacuuming when living with cats or any pets is that it is easy to vacuum smaller areas more frequently. Far more convenient than having to get out the old vacuum cleaner, pull out the cord, plug it in and them move to another plug, untangle the cord and so on.

This machine can change from a stick to a small handheld in seconds and I continually swap between the two with no problems at all.

I hardly need to say, that it works exceptionally well. I am always amazed at the dust and debris in the container even when I think the floor is clean. It is interesting to see via the clear barrel exactly how much dust and debris has accumulated. It is simple to empty once you have done it a couple of times.

This product does have a HEPA filter. I can’t recommend this machine highly enough.

The docking station makes your Dyson easy to access from its wall mount while keeping it out of the way at the same time.

Note: I haven’t ever used the wall mount as I have convenient cupboard access with a power point.

3. Shark Rocket Corded Ultra Light

This stick vacuum converts to a handheld vac with a click of a button.

It has advanced swivel which is excellent with pets in the house as litter and hair tends to collect in corners. It works well for all length pet hair.

There is a hook on the bottom front of the wand that can be used when storing as it doesn’t stand up on its own.

It is electric so will still need to be plugged in, however the cord is long and the wand can be wound around the vacuum as instructed.

It is ultra lightweight. It has a self cleaning brush roll which means that hair is removed and does not tangle and get caught up tightly around the brush.

No more trying to wrestle the cats hair from the brush, it happens automatically.

Two Carpet Sweepers For Cat Litter

A carpet sweeper for picking up cat litter, definitely has the convenience factor.

Vacuuming an entire house can be tiring so using a carpet sweeper as an in between clean, is an attractive idea and it can be used daily to pick up cat litter.

There are two models reviewed below.

The first model is human powered, meaning that it does not have a battery and second model is battery powered.

1.Bissell Sweep-Up Sweeper Pets Carpets Floors

This carpet sweeper is fine for any floor surface, hard floors or carpets.

It is lightweight and super effective at picking up cat litter on tiles and carpets. There are two dirt pans .

There is no power either electric or from a battery, just muscle power.

It won’t get into small crevices because it doesn’t have attachments like vacuum cleaners however if you want something portable, lightweight and does the job quickly to pick up excess cat litter, this is a good choice.

2. Shark Cordless Floor And Carpet Sweeper

For easy everyday cleaning at a good price and most importantly, it does handle kitty litter.

Depending on your needs it is a good accompaniment to the regular vacuum cleaner used for a whole house.

Be aware that this is a sweeper it does not have suction. It is rechargeable.

A Hand Held Vacuum For Cat Litter

A handheld vacuum is a great idea if the vacuum cleaner you already have is doing a good job but a quick fix is needed.

A quick whizz around and excess cat litter and cat hair is gone.

And of course, how handy is a handheld vacuum for everywhere around the house. I even use it to vacuum the crumbs from the cutlery drawer – how crumbs get there I don’t know.

Now, you will think I’m a crazy person. Sometimes I set the oven timer for 10 minutes and I charge around the house with the handheld and get into all sorts of forgotten about nooks and crannies. It makes a real difference and satisfies my need for clean without going overboard.

The handheld below will also do a good job of stray cat litter and the job will be done in a jiffy.

I actually use the handheld part of my Dyson. I didn’t know I needed a handheld until I bought the Dyson and I couldn’t live without it now.

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum – Cordless

The Bissell handheld vacuum works really well for dry kitty litter and dry cat food. It is super useful around the home, great for upholstery and cleaning the car and even the kids soft toys which can collect all sorts of stuff.

It is easy to store and is bag-less, so no purchasing new bags.

Purchasing new bags can be such a nuisance as new models come along and the bags change. Then you have to spend ages finding bags that will fit the cleaner. No more bags for me.

Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Up Cat Litter

Won’t the vacuum cleaner end up smelling like cat litter? This is a common question.

This could be the case if very large amounts of litter are being vacuumed, however we are talking about the overflow from the cat litter tray or mat, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

1. Avoid vacuuming wet litter. Wet litter is a sweep and pick up job, no getting around that.

2. Use a cat litter mat under the litter tray. This will hugely help minimize the hassle of any litter cleaning job.

A vacuum is faster, easier and more efficient than sweeping when dealing with cat litter.

Find a good quality cat litter that fits the budget.

Even if you don’t want to vacuum daily, the litter can still be swept into a corner with a broom and then vacuumed when you are ready.

Two Awesome Hints For Making Vacuuming Cat Litter Easier

1.Mostly, cat litter is on a tiled or hard floor because of the location of the litter box, yet it is actually easier to vacuum litter from the carpet.

For that reason some people find it is easier to sweep the cat litter onto the carpet and then vacuum the carpet. This works well if the carpeted area is nearby.

2.This method applies to carpet or a hard floor.

As you approach the litter with the vacuum, lift the vacuum head slightly so that the suction will suck the litter into the vacuum cleaner before the brushes scatter the litter.

What Is A HEPA Filter?

A HEPA filter traps pollens, allergens, dander, dust mites, tobacco smoke, mold, bacteria and other allergens by using a mechanical filter.

Vacuum cleaners can suck up these allergens, however, not ALL vacuum cleansers have a HEPA filter. A Dyson has a HEPA filter.

Just in case you were wondering what HEPA stands for – it is High-Efficiency Particulate Air.

There’s more information here about HEPA filters.

Less litter mess using elastic litter box liners!
Litter box liners with elastic make the job of cleaning the litter box easier. Less mess!

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More Vacuums For Cat Litter And Pet Hair

Last update on 2026-01-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API