Published Nov 8, 2017
If you’re a cat owner you know very well that while having a cat can be very rewarding and fun most of the time, there are also the downsides of litter and hair which can get out of hand. Even if you aren’t allergic to cat hair, it can still be unhealthy if not cleaned for long amounts of time, so you’re constantly facing the task of cleaning the entire home.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Vacuum Cleaners for Cat Litter
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
BISSELL Cleanview Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, 2486
- This model is easy to assemble
- Affordable product
- Save time, money
BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum
- Long battery life
- Very affordable price
EUREKA NEH100
- The vacuum works great even after years of use
- Easy to clean
Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum
- Automatic adjustment for height
- Comfortable
Obviously, this can take a large amount of time and become quite tiresome to say the least. That is why it is highly recommended you acquire a professional vacuum for cleaning animal hair and litter from your home, as these are tailor made to specifically address these issues.
You’ll also notice that you’ll save a lot of precious time by completing the cleaning process much faster when you use a quality tool designed to solve this specific issue.
Let us now take a closer look at some of the best vacuums for cat hair and litter on the market and decide which is best for your needs:
Best Rated Vacuum Cleaners for Cat Litter
#1 Overall Best: Dyson Ball Animal Upright Vacuum
This upright vacuum from Dyson truly is a thing of beauty! They advertise it as the vacuum with the best suction on the market that can clean any surface a lot faster than your regular vacuum, saving you precious time. It comes with a self adjusting cleaner head, turbine tool, stair and combination tool and you can also hygienically dispose of the filled bin with a simple push of a button.
Those are high promises indeed, but the Dyson Ball Animal 2 Vacuum delivers big time. Customers who have purchased this product were simply amazed with the suction and cleaning power, stating that they’ve never seen anything like it before. Even tough rugs that required professional cleaners to come in can now be cleaned with this vacuum, so you can actually save money on cleaning services as well!
How great is that? It comes with a 5 year warranty and is very easy to use. It’s hard to beat that 270aW motor, so the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a safe bet if you want a strong device that will clean all the cat litter, hair, mud and anything else your pets and children might bring into the house.
NOTE: Dyson does not recommend using this vacuum to clean cat litter, and doing so will void the warranty.
#2 Runner Up: BISSELL Cleanview Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, 2486
A more lightweight solution for your cat litter and hair problems, but still an effective product that will get the job done. Don’t let the size of this vacuum fool you, the suction is great and it comes with a cool and innovative brush design, cyclonic system for strong suction over a large period of time and a nice crevice tool that will allow you to reach tough places you might not reach with your regular vacuum cleaner.
This model is easy to assemble, so you can unpack it and be ready to go in a matter of seconds. You can also adjust height and suction power, and remove the dirt bag with ease once its filled. One small downside might be the noise, as the powerful motor will cause a decent amount of sound, but that is to be expected when you want quality suction capabilities.
With this model you’ll save time, money and get the desired results in thoroughly cleaning your space. A more affordable product as well, so it has that going for it too!
#3 Best Cordless Stick Vacuum For Cat Litter: BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Cordless Handheld Vacuum
This handy Hand Vacuum runs on Lithium Ion batteries for long battery life and great performance. Being a small sized vacuum this will take considerably less space in your closet than a regular vacuum, so if saving space is important to you, then this might be the perfect vacuum for your needs.
If you have pets and kids, you’ll require a strong yet handy vacuum to quickly clean around the house – as you’re probably doing a lot of cleaning on a regular basis. The Black Decker CHV1410L comes with Smart Charge Technology to save energy and last longer, cyclonic action to enable the filter to be kept clean, rotating slim nozzle and multi surface cleaning attachments.
Customers who have used this vacuum were surprised to find out they don’t necessarily need a big vacuum to enjoy powerful suction and cleaning ability. This small yet efficient vacuum will get the job done at a very affordable price, without having to drag a cord wherever you go. Great for cat litter and cat hair as it will suck everything right up and be done with in minutes, even if you have large areas to cover. Don’t underestimate the power of this little vacuum!
#4 Most Popular: EUREKA NEH100 RapidClean Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Handheld Vacuum Cleaner
The EUREKA NEH100 is a corded hand-held vacuum that might be more on the classic side of vacuum cleaners, but that will also do a good job at cleaning your house of pet hair and litter. The vacuum consists of a riser visor that will allow for easy cleaning of stairs and upholstery, a 23 foot reach system, 5.5 amps of power and a 20 foot cord. You will enjoy powerful suction ability, an onboard crevice tool, 2 motors yet pretty lightweight at only 4.8 pounds.
Customers have underlined the EUREKA NEH100’s size and portability while being surprised by its great suction ability. The vacuum works great even after years of use and it is perfect for cleaning cat litter and your pet’s pillow/sofa/bed. You can vacuum with or without brush rolling and the filter is washable.
Also, it’s really not that heavy and not that loud either. Take all that into consideration plus the affordable price and the EUREKA NEH100 is a strong contender for best vacuum for cat litter and hair available around this price range.
#5 Best For Customers With Multiple Pets: Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum
Corded If you’re looking for a highly customizable vacuum that you yourself can tailor to your needs and your household needs, then you might want to take a closer look at the New Miele Complete C3 Cat and Dog Upright Vacuum. What makes this product stand out is its swivel neck technology, automatic adjustment for height, speed control and active AirClean filter that will provide a comfortable and easy going experience.
With its unique electrobrush, you can use the Complete C3 to effortlessly clean around tight spaces and sharp edges without leaving any inch untouched. The vacuum can also be adjusted for whatever surface you are cleaning and also for depth as well, so in case you are cleaning a tough rug, you can auto-adjust depth and clean it just like you would clean a simple deck. What this vacuum does very well is allow you to go over a tough spot once and have it 100% clean without having to go over it multiple times.
This is the result of the auto adjusting depth and speed that are definitely some of the strongest features of this product. Customers with multiple pets and kids have praised this vacuum for improving their quality of life and saving them time by cleaning the house much faster than before. It’s easy to store as well because of it’s lean design, so this might be a great choice for you if you don’t have that much storage room left.
Upright vs Hand-Held Vacuum Cleaners
When trying to decide between using an upright vacuum or a hand-held one, there are certain pros and cons to both that need to be taken into consideration.
The decision is ultimately up to the customer and their specific needs, but let’s explore all the advantages and disadvantages together, to help you make a more informed decision!
The upright vacuum is the one unit that consists of the motor and suction head, which you use in an upright position. So when you hear the word vacuum being used without specifics, people usually mean the classic upright vacuum.
Many models have self propelled features that allows you to easily glide across the floor without putting in much effort. Another big advantage of this style of vacuum is that it typically comes with several attachments that will allow you to reach tough places you may not reach with a hand-held vacuum.
Why Size matters
A small downsize would be their size however, as they usually require a bit more storage space, while also being tougher to use on stairs than smaller, hand-held vacuums. If storage isn’t an issue, then you usually can’t go wrong with an upright vacuum with great suction ability.
The hand-held vacuum on the other hand is great at maneuverability around the house. It’s lighter and more portable, so you’ll need less storage space for it and not as much effort to move it around the house when you clean.
You can reach under low furniture with it, and the stairs can be a lot easier to clean than with an upright vacuum. One big downside might be the ability to clean rugs which is going to be harder with hand-held vacuums.
They are mostly aimed at being portable and light, so they usually lack on the level of power a typical upright vacuum brings. Another big advantage in favor of hand-held vacuums is price, as they are usually considerably more affordable than their upright counterparts.
So if what you’re looking for is a nice portable vacuum without spending too much money, then a hand-held device might be just perfect for you!
What Should You Look for When Buying the Best Vacuum Cleaner for Cat Hair and Litter?
This is a problem many pet owners have nowadays, and especially if you also have kids, it’s a problem that you need to deal with. To keep your home clean at all times, you’ll require a quality vacuum that allows you to clean quickly and effectively, without leaving hair and litter behind.
Key Considerations
When shopping for a vacuum to address this very issue, you’ll need to look for vacuums with several features and certain capabilities that will enable you to control your environment and keep it safe for your children, your family and your pets.
Suction Power
This is by far the most important feature you should look for in your vacuum. You need powerful suction because pets not only shed hair but can also bring in mud, dirt and dust from outside.
They can mess up your carpet and you’ll want to be able to properly clean that in case you have small children around. A vacuum with powerful suction will take care of this problem, as you’ll be able to thoroughly clean even tough rugs that could otherwise store hair and germs for long amounts of time.
Portability
When you have pets, you are expected to clean the house a lot more often. so having a vacuum that is easy to maneuver is also a must. Imagine having to drag a big heavy thing all around the house on a daily basis, that is a sure way to get exhausted quickly and not finish the job.
Make sure your vacuum is easy to use and maneuver will allow you to quickly clean your home on a daily basis without spending all your energy in the process.
Durability
We’ve already established that you need to clean the house on a daily basis if you have pets, so obviously you’ll want your vacuum cleaner to not only have great suction power and portability, but also last you a good amount of years.
You don’t want to have to buy a new vacuum cleaner every few months, so look for models that are durable and come with multi year warranties. You’ll save yourself some money and headaches from not having to constantly look for new models all the time, in what would naturally be a very frustrating situation to have to handle.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what you should be looking for in a best vacuum for cat litter and hair. Now go get that perfect vacuum cleaner!
Comparison Summary
| Feature | Dyson Ball Animal | BISSELL Cleanview | BLACK+DECKER dustbuster | EUREKA NEH100 RapidClean | Miele Complete C3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Upright | Upright | Handheld | Handheld | Upright |
| Bagless | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cordless | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| HEPA filtration | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Pet hair attachment | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Crevice tool | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Upholstery brush | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| LED headlights | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Price | $$ | $ | $ | $$ | $$$ |
hi,
you have shared a plenty of information regarding vacuum cleaners for pet hairs. i think these vacuum cleaners have good reviews on other sites as well. would you please recommend the best one, so that i can use that one. moreover thank you for sharing this information with your users. you can visit a website for further details.
I was interested in the Dyson vacuum. But I read somewhere that you’re not supposed to vacuum up carpet deodorizer dust. This caused me to be suspicious about cat litter dust.
So I chatted with Dyson and told him what I wanted to use the vacuum for. They said absolutely not as a cat litter could possibly ruin the vacuum and that damage is NOT covered under the warranty.
Interesting! Thank you for sharing this.
How do the Robot vacuums work on tile, cat Litter and fur?
Hi Terri,
Great question!
Robot vacuums aren’t as powerful as uprights or canister vacuums, but they make up for their lack of brute strength in intelligence and diligence. By cleaning when you wouldn’t, a robot vacuum can help to keep your floors cleaner than a more powerful vacuum would. A good one will clean up both litter and fur on any surface, including tile floors.
If you want to learn more, you might like our guide to the five best robot vacuums for pet hair:
https://cats.com/reviews/best-robot-vacuum-for-pet-hair
Hope this answers your question!
Best,
Mallory
I was interested in the Dyson vacuum. But I read somewhere that you’re not supposed to vacuum up carpet deodorizer dust. This caused me to be suspicious about cat litter dust.
So I chatted with Dyson and told him what I wanted to use the vacuum for. They said absolutely not as a cat litter could possibly ruin the vacuum and that damage is NOT covered under the warranty.
Given that the title of this article is “Best Vacuum Cleaners For Cat Litter” and given that you number # 1 recommendation is for a vacuum cleaner where the manufacturer will VOID the warranty if you use it to vacuum cat litter, how can we take anything you say seriously?
So sad.
Vacuum manufacturers will warn against vacuuming cat litter in general, so this is just something you need to bear in mind if you’re going to use a vacuum to clean cat litter in general. I agree that the article should be revised to give more information about the risks of vacuuming litter.