In my larger tested review of the best cat litters, Boxiecat Scent-Free Premium Clumping Clay Cat Litter stood out for its superior clumping properties. Ahead, learn more about just how easy it was to clean.
Most cat owners—myself included—prefer clumping litter, as it’s significantly easier to clean than non-clumping varieties. These litters, which are generally made from clay, form solid balls when they come in contact with liquid. Thanks to these properties, you can easily remove the hard clumps using a perforated litter scoop, allowing unused litter to fall back into the box. However, some formulas clump better than others—like, for example, Boxiecat Scent-Free Premium Clumping Clay Cat Litter. After extensively testing eight popular litters with the help of my cat, Piper, Boxiecat’s formula stood out in this department. This litter forms clumps faster than other products, which means that residue doesn’t end up sticking to the sides or bottom of your litter box.
With Boxiecat Premium, better clumping makes for easy cleaning.
In addition to its superior clumping abilities, Boxiecat Premium excelled in several other testing areas. For one, it kept my cat’s litter box smelling fresh over the course of a week, and it also had minimal dust compared to other clay litters. Read on to learn more about the benefits of this clumping clay litter and how it compares to others I tested.
Boxiecat Premium Cat Litter Features
Solid Clumps That Form Quickly
Boxiecat has a proprietary formula that it calls “Flat Top” litter, which is supposed to form clumps at the top of the litter, instead of allowing liquids to sink down to the bottom of the box. At first I thought it was just a marketing gimmick, as the clumps I scooped out of the litter box weren’t directly on top. After a few days, I realized this was because Piper was burying the clumps after she went to the bathroom.
To see if the litter really did clump immediately, I decided to run a little experiment. I poured a small amount of water into the box, and it instantly clumped right on the surface of the litter. None of the liquid sank to the bottom of the box, just as the brand claimed. (By comparison, several of the other clay litters formed masses at the bottom of the pan, which meant I had to scrape the pieces off the plastic when I was scooping.)
Over the course of the testing period, I also found that Boxiecat forms nice solid clumps that are a breeze to scoop out. They generally stayed in one piece, making it quick to remove waste on a daily basis, leaving only clean litter behind.
With Boxiecat, my cat's pee clumps didn't sink to the bottom of the box, making them a breeze to ... [+]
Easy Litter Box Changes
Boxiecat’s quick-clumping formula comes with another major benefit: easy monthly litter changes. When it came time to empty out the litter and replace it—something you should do on a monthly basis, at least—the entire litter box was extremely clean, and the whole process only took a few minutes.
Because the Boxiecat clumps didn’t stick to the sides or bottom of the pan, there was no gunky residue to wash out of the box. All I had to do was pour the old litter into a trash bag and rinse out the pan—no litter scoop or scrub brush necessary. Other litters I tested, such as Tidy Cats Free and Clean, left behind a significant amount of residue in the box, making them more time-consuming to clean out.
While effortless cleaning is beneficial for any cat owner, I can see this feature being especially handy for multi-cat households, as you’ll likely need to switch out litter on a more frequent basis.
Convenient Resealable Packaging
Of the eight different cat litters I tested, Boxiecat was one of only two products with a fully resealable package. (The other one is Tidy Cats Free and Clean, which comes in a plastic jug or pail.) Boxiecat comes in a few different sizes, including a 28-pound plastic bag, and unlike many other litters, the packaging is thoughtfully designed. It has a handle on the side that makes it easy to carry and pour into the litter box, and there’s a large sticker on the back of the bag that you can use to seal it shut for quick storage.
While it may not seem like a major feature, I found that these small details made the package much more intuitive to handle and store—and prevented Piper from trying to climb into the open bag.
How Does Boxiecat Premium Cat Litter Compare?
Of all the products I tested, Boxiecat had the best clumping abilities and was one of the easiest to clean up. The litter also created minimal dust and kept my bathroom smelling fresh over the course of a week. However, if you’re looking for another option, the other top-performing clumping litter was Dr. Elsey’s Ultra cat litter. This litter has a low-dust and low-tracking formula, and it formed hard clumps that were easy to scoop out of the litter box. Dr. Elsey’s also did a good job neutralizing any waste odors, keeping my bathroom smelling fresh over the course of several days of testing.
There are a few notable differences between Boxiecat Premium and Dr. Elsey’s Ultra. Dr. Elsey’s doesn’t clump as quickly as Boxiecat litter, and clumps can stick to the bottom of the litter box, requiring a bit more effort when it’s time for a monthly cleaning. Between the two, Boxiecat is more expensive, costing around $1 per pound, while Dr. Elsey’s litter typically retails for around $0.55 per pound.
How I Tested Boxiecat Premium Cat Litter
To test the best cat litters, I relied heavily on my 1-year-old cat, Piper, who was happy to help out in exchange for lots of treats and daily cuddle sessions. She used each litter for 5 or 6 days, and I evaluated the products on their ease of use, clumping abilities, odor control, dust level, tracking and ease of cleaning. In total, we tested eight different products, including six popular clumping clay litters and two “natural” litters, and Boxiecat proved to be the easiest option to clean, thanks to its superior clumping.
My Expertise
I’ve been a professional product tester for more than 6 years, reviewing all sorts of pet products, like automatic litter boxes and smart dog collars, and I’ve also owned several cats throughout my life. I’ve gone through my fair share of litter box problems with different pets—from unpleasant odors to house soiling—so I fully understand the importance of finding cat litter that’s effective and affordable.
Where Is Boxiecat Made?
Boxiecat litters are sourced and manufactured in the U.S. The litter is made from 100% premium clay, and it’s free of virtually everything you don’t want in litter: chemical scents, fragrances, masking agents, dyes, clumping agents and other fillers.
Does Boxiecat Work In Automatic Litter Boxes?
Boxiecat can be used in an automatic litter box such as the Litter-Robot—in fact, I’d be willing to say it will work better than many other litters. I own (and love) the Litter-Robot 4, but I’ve found that certain litters stick to the machine’s rubber lining when they clump. I think Boxiecat would work better in the machine thanks to its fast clumping; since the litter clumps right on top, the liquids won’t get the chance to stick to the lining of the litter box.
Does Boxiecat Litter Track?
While Boxiecat impressed me with its solid clumps and low-dust formula, I did find that the litter tracks quite a bit. The pieces seemed to stick to Piper’s paws more than other products, and she also seemed to enjoy digging around in the Boxiecat litter, flinging it everywhere. Between these two factors, it resulted in a lot of litter scattered all around my bathroom that I needed to vacuum up every few days.
You can minimize the amount of litter that your cat kicks onto the floor by choosing a litter box with high walls or a cover, but keep in mind that this litter may track more than other options.
Does Boxiecat Litter Eliminate Ammonia Odors?
Over the course of testing, Boxiecat did a great job eliminating litter box odors, including ammonia smells that can build up from cat urine. It smelled just as fresh on the last day of testing as it did on the day I put it into the box. Plus, because Boxiecat forms solid clumps that stay together while scooping, it’s easy to ensure you’re getting all the waste, which keeps the litter smelling fresher. However, it’s worth noting that I only tested each litter for around 6 days, so I can’t testify to how long Boxiecat will keep odors at bay before it needs to be changed.