Published Jun 5, 2021
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Ratings
- Price Per Pound – 4/5
- Multi-Cat Formulas – 3.5/5
- Long-Lasting Odor Control – 4.5/5
- Natural/Alternative Options – 5/5
Overall Score: 4.25/5
If you’re looking for a high-performance litter that can give you insights into your cat’s health, Pretty Litter may look like a promising option. But is it worth the money, and does it really work? Based on months of hands-on testing with multiple cats, we’ve concluded that Pretty Litter is worth it for people who like crystal litter and want to see changes in their cat’s health—especially if they have one to two cats—but it’s not the right choice for everyone. Read on to get the details.
How We Tested:
- Two members of our team independently ordered Pretty Litter and used it for several months
- We spent months testing the product with several cats
- We did not receive these products in exchange for a favorable review—they were purchased with our own money (see how we’re funded here)
Pretty Litter YouTube Video Review
Brand Overview
Pretty Litter, or at least the concept of it, goes back to 2015, when entrepreneur Carly Martinetti set out to create a “less depressing” cat litter, saying that the sight of her cat’s gray clay bummed her out. That’s right—the concept of Pretty Litter was originally all about its, well, prettiness.
The health monitoring concept came in later, after the concept brought Carly to the reality show Startup U, where she gathered a team of chemists, marketers, and other business partners. From there, company founder and CEO Daniel Rotman turned this sparkly white litter into the product we know today.
Daniel tells the story of his beloved childhood pet, an orange tabby named Gingi. After accompanying Rotman through high school and into college, Gingi suddenly became ill. He rushed her to the vet but discovered she’d been sick for months.
After the experience of losing Gingi, Daniel set out to create a product to help cat owners be more proactive in protecting their pet’s health, and Pretty Litter was the perfect foundation.
| Products Included in This Review | ||||
| Product Name | Materials | Clumping? | Price | Additional Features |
| Pretty Litter Crystal Cat Litter | Silica Gel | No | $3.67 per lb | Highly absorbent
Health monitoring Odor control |
What Kinds of Litter Does Pretty Litter Offer?
Pretty Litter contains pH-detecting particles that cause the litter to change color when exposed to urine. Changes in the acidity of your cat’s urine may be an indicator of common health problems like kidney tubular acidosis, struvite crystals, or urinary tract infection. Though Pretty Litter isn’t intended to diagnose your cat’s condition, it can help you catch developing issues early while they’re still treatable.
Pretty Litter (right) is a silica gel crystal litter. Its fine, sandy crystals are infused with pH-detecting flecks that make the litter change color in response to your cat’s urine. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
This cat litter was developed by a team of veterinarians and scientists specifically for cats. It is made of highly absorbent silica gel combined with a proprietary formulation of pH-detectors to help cat owners monitor their cat’s urine for acidity and alkalinity levels outside of the normal range.
In addition to its core product, the company also offers cat food called Pretty Please, which you can add on to your litter subscription. If you’d like to learn more about the food, click here to read our in-depth review.
#1 Pretty Litter Crystal Cat Litter
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
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| Category | Rating |
| Price | 8/10 |
| Odor Control | 9/10 |
| Dust/Mess | 8/10 |
| Scent | 10/10 |
| Easy to Scoop | 10/10 |
| Overall Rating | 9/10 |
My Experience Using Pretty Litter
My one-month supply of Pretty Litter arrived within a week of order and came in a surprisingly small cardboard box. It included a printed insert that explained how the product worked and provided tips on how much litter to pour, how to get my cats used to it, and how to maximize odor control.
How Dusty Is Pretty Litter?
A small plume of dust appeared when I poured the litter into the box, and it also created little plumes when scooping. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The first test of Pretty Litter came when I poured it into my litter box. I found the litter a little less dusty than other crystal cat litters I’ve tried, but it still produced a noticeable cloud of dust. I also found it to be a little dusty later on when I was scooping the cat litter, so it definitely isn’t a dust-free litter.
It’s important to note that crystal cat litter doesn’t produce the same type of dust as clay litter. It’s amorphous silica dust, not crystalline silica dust, which doesn’t have the same reputation for causing lung issues. It’s more of a nuisance dust than anything.
How Did The Cats React?
The Pretty Litter has a very fine, sandy texture that many cats will like. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
While my cats were willing to use the Pretty Litter as an alternative to other silica gel litter products, a good clumping clay is their consistent favorite. When I placed it alongside a box full of Dr. Elsey’s clumping clay, they reliably went to the Dr. Elsey’s and left the silica gel untouched.
How Much Does Pretty Litter Scatter And Track?
Pretty Litter’s light weight makes it a good choice for those who hate lugging around boxes and bags of clay litter, but it comes with a downside—it’s incredibly easy for your cat to toss out of the box, and you’re likely to find it everywhere.
How Easy Is It To Maintain?
Silica gel litters are known for easy maintenance and odor control, but that ability comes with a caveat—you need to maintain them just as you would a clay litter, and you’ll usually need to change them sooner than you expect.
Between all of that stirring, scooping, replacing—and of course, sweeping and vacuuming up the scattered litter—I didn’t find Pretty Litter much more convenient than clumping clay.
In my view, the biggest convenience benefit is that the Pretty Litter doesn’t clump and stick to the box. This means no more scraping and prying and also translates to a cleaner litter box long-term.
How Well Does It Control Odor?
Even with daily poop-scooping and pee-stirs, I found that the Pretty Litter only lasted about 10 days with two cats before it started to stink.
Once it passes the saturation point, the Pretty Litter takes on a distinctive, unpleasant urine odor that doesn’t go away until you replace everything in the box.
Overall, I found the odor control disappointing for a multi-cat home.
Testing The Health Monitoring Feature
Fortunately, my cats’ urine seemed to be within the healthy pH range throughout the testing process.
Because I wanted to see how the litter would respond to different pH levels, however, I ran an experiment using three different solutions:
- Water with baking soda
- Plain water
- Water with vinegar
During my controlled(ish) test, I found that the Pretty Litter predictably changed colors in reaction to different liquid pH levels. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
After pouring the solutions into separate containers of Pretty Litter, I noticed the colors changing and deepening over time. They achieved their deepest color a few minutes after pouring.
Here is what the different colors indicate:
- Red (Detection of Blood) – May indicate a Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder (FLUTD), kidney stones, bladder stones, bladder inflammation, kidney disease, or clotting disorders. In rare cases, it may also indicate bladder cancer or internal injury.
- Orange (Acidity Outside Normal Range) – May be a sign of metabolic acidosis, kidney tubular acidosis, or calcium oxalate crystal formation.
- Blue or Dark Green (Alkalinity Outside Normal Range) – May indicate certain types of urinary tract infections and an increased risk for crystal/stone formation.
- Dark Yellow/Olive Green – Indicates urine within the typical pH range.
It’s important to note that Pretty Litter is a tool that provides insight into your cat’s health but should not be used as a replacement for medical diagnostics or veterinary care. If the product indicates a potential health problem, take your cat to the vet.
What Do Customers Think Of Pretty Litter Cat Litter?
For the most part, Pretty Litter receives very positive ratings. The litter fulfills its promise of changing colors when a potential health problem is detected, but it is still on the cat owner to take the cat to the vet. There are many comments about the price being high, but that is fairly standard for crystal cat litter.
The most consistent negative comment is that the 6-pound bag doesn’t last quite a month for larger cats or multi-cat households. Some customers also found that Pretty Litter didn’t cover feces odor as well as urine odor. Check out some customer reviews for Pretty Litter below:
Positive Customer Reviews For Pretty Litter Cat Litter
“I love it. It’s light. Easy to use. Gato took to the change very easily. It let me kno in the middle of the month with a slight color change to blue that his urine was becoming more alkaline. Not good. We were able to take action and change his diet accordingly. You’ve made believers out of us.” – Shelley V.
“It’s great, I have a small in-home Sphynx Cattery, with 4 large litter boxes, I transferred two over to pretty litter and the cats are using them instead of old litter, very little tracking and no smell, light weight; so easy to clean boxes instead of heavy clumping.” – Beth C.
Negative Customer Reviews For Pretty Litter Cat Litter
“So, it doesn’t smell like cat urine, but it doesn’t cover up the poop smell. And my cat has managed to get it everywhere just like regular litter. I do like that there’s less scoping and it’s lighter, but I’m not sure I’m going to continue after I’m through with what I bought.” – Becca K.
“I only have 1 cat and clean it out daily and move it around after each visit. I’ve only had the first bag in for 2 weeks and it is really starting to smell. I am going to have to change it. I won’t be able to get a month use out of 1 bag which is disappointing due to the price.” – Vicky G.
How Much Does Pretty Litter Cat Litter Cost?
The cost of Pretty Litter varies depending on where you buy it and how. At Target, a single 8-lb bag costs $25.49, and the cost is similar at Walmart.
If you order through the Pretty Litter site, you’ll only pay $24 per bag but the bags are smaller—6 pounds instead of 8. Keep in mind that you’ll also be opting in to the subscription and will have to cancel it if you don’t want more. Discounts are available if you buy multiple bags at once. For example, two bags cost $44 and three bags cost $66. Expedited shipping is always free.
Pretty Litter frequently offers discounts and promotions, plus you can contact the company via email to ask about bulk discounts. Even so, Pretty Litter is fairly expensive.
It’s also worth noting that one bag may not be enough to fill a large litter box and may not last the full month in a multi-cat home. In my experience using Pretty Litter with two cats and a large litter box, my cost would sit at about $60 per month—compare that to roughly $10 per month for a traditional clumping clay.
Overall, Is Pretty Litter Cat Litter A Good Choice?
Pretty Litter is a standout option for certain people.
Those with a single cat or perhaps two smaller cats won’t run through the litter too quickly, and cats who prefer crystal litter will appreciate the fine granules under their paws. The litter changes colors in response to urine and could give you early insights into changes in your cat’s health.
But if you don’t meet that description, try Pretty Litter with some skepticism. The litter tends to get smelly quickly in a multi-cat home, and the crystal texture doesn’t suit every cat. And when you’re spending $25 or more each month on litter, the health monitoring functionality might not seem impressive enough to justify the price.
Remember that you could spend half that amount on clumping clay and get similar health insights—clumps are easy to measure by eye and won’t get mixed in during the covering process.
With the quantity of your cat’s urine and the frequency of their bathroom trips being the biggest indicators of health issues, a traditional clumping clay, frequent scooping, and a diligent eye should do enough.
Where Is Pretty Litter Cat Litter Sold?
Pretty Litter is currently available by subscription through the company website or in single bags through a couple of retailers, including Target and Walmart.
To get started with your subscription, log on to the website and select the number of cats you have (one, two, or more than two).
I received my order six days after submitting it and found it easy to cancel the subscription once I’d completed testing. Pretty Litter makes it easy to manage your account online.
Also Read: Pretty Please Cat Food Review
Pretty Litter FAQ's
How much is Pretty Litter?
A single 4 lbs. bag of Pretty Litter costs $22 and should last a single cat for 1 month. You can purchase additional bags at a discount of $2 per bag. Two bags of Pretty Litter will cost $40 and three bags will cost $60. All orders come with free shipping and you can customize your delivery schedule.
Is Pretty Litter worth it?
Not only does one bag last an entire month, but the silica litter is super-absorbent and lightweight. What really makes Pretty Litter worth it, however, is the fact that it is designed to alert you to changes in the pH of your cat’s urine as an indication of potential health problems like urinary tract infections.
What is Pretty Litter made of?
Unlike traditional clay litter, Pretty Litter is made from super-absorbent silica gel combined with a proprietary formula if indicators that help you monitor your cat’s health. The litter responds to the alkalinity or acidity of your cat’s urine to alert you to abnormalities.
Where do I buy Pretty Litter?
Pretty Litter is currently only available for purchase online.
Is Pretty Litter available in Canada?
Yes, Pretty Litter is available for international shipping, including Canada. Canadian customers will not have to pay customs duties and some provinces may qualify for free shipping.
Is Pretty Litter dust-free?
Pretty Litter does produce a fairly significant amount of dust when poured into the box. Note that it is made from super-absorbent silica gel, which means that it produces amorphous, rather than crystalline, silica dust. While still irritating, amorphous silica dust dust does not appear to be carcinogenic and doesn't have the worrying reputation that crystalline silica dust does.
Is Pretty Litter environmentally friendly?
As a silica gel litter, Pretty Litter is less harmful for the environment than bentonite clay litter, but not as environmentally friendly as natural litters made from wheat, corn, or recycled paper.
Is Pretty Litter compostable?
No, Pretty Litter is made from silica gel, so it doesn’t biodegrade as well as natural cat litters. It is not recommended for composting.
Pretty Litter safe?
Yes, Pretty Litter was specially developed by a team of veterinarians and scientists to be safe for cats. It is made from silica gel which is super-absorbent but does not swell in the presence of humidity and won’t be absorbed by the bowel if accidentally ingested.
Can you flush Pretty Litter?
Pretty Litter is a non-clumping litter that absorbs urine and dries over time so it can be reused. Solid waste should be scooped daily and can be flushed but the litter itself should be disposed of in the trash when you empty the litter box.
I bought pretty litter at Walmart
Location of Walmart? I checked 4 Walmart stores here in Scarborough but there is no Pretty Litter. They only have the Special Kitty Silica Crystals.
Shipping is supposed to be free in Canada but at checkout a shipping of $8 was added.
I would prefer to buy the item at the store.
Hi Federico! Sorry you’re having trouble finding Pretty Litter. Target also sells Pretty Litter, so maybe try there?
Hi Kate. We don’t have Target in Canada. Do you know of any other locations?
YES! What you said is the truth. This stuff is not safe Silica dust is in MY LUNGS! The worst cough I’ve ever had. And I wanted to love this. It works, as far as keeping litter box fresh. But the clouds of dust is unbelievable and SO DANGEROUS! I hope your baby can get better.
I looked after my neighbors cats for a week and pretty litter was very dusty and made me cough right away, I had to use a very well sealed dust mask.
I felt the same way. I have an air purifier and every time I clean it the reader on it goes from 5 which is good to above 300 for unclean air. Even when the kitten uses it in the COVERED litter box it goes up over 100. This is bad
I tried this litter, Pretty litter for a couple of months, two cats. I is only good for 7 days, that equals 4 to 5 bags a month. Not one bag a month, not even close. The litter tracks, the shipments are slow at best. It is no better than all the other silica based liters.
I is only good for 7 days: Agree!!! I’ve been trying to cancel my automatic monthly subscription for days, and I haven’t been able to do it!
I have been using Pretty Litter for over a year. I like its convenience and easy of keeping it clean. However i stopped using it because of the white dust that accumulates on everything in the area of the litter box. I keep the litter box in my cellar and only recently noticed the problem. The dust has coated everything and the only source of this dust has to be the Pretty Litter. I would never recommend using this because of the very annoying dust that it causes to accumulate on every surface near the litter box!
I’ve used Pretty litter for a year and really like everything about it. But, myself and my cat have had 2 eye infections during this time. I’ve never had one before and my doctor doesn’t know the cause. Since my cat has one also it occurred to me it might be something we have in common. Cleaning the litter box and noting the superfine dust, I’m curious if any other users have experienced an eye infection of unknown origin.
My cat suffered from a respiratory infection , he sneezed and his eyes watered, he had to see the vet. I have had my cat for 13 yrs and he has never had an infection. He was given medication an the sneezing had decreased , but he is starting to sneeze again. The only new thing in our home is the cat litter. I have loved the litter but I am concerned that the dust from the litter maybe causing his infection.
Thanks for sharing, Rebecca.
I use Pretty Litter for our big cat and it does not last a month. Also, one bag doesn’t fill up the litter box. It gets everywhere and makes a bad crunching sound when you step on it. I like how light the bags are and how easy they are to open. I’m skeptical about the health information because the box eventually turns blue or bluish green if you don’t change the litter soon enough, My biggest concern about the litter is makes my cat smell like chemicals. It’s weird, I think I might need to change the litter.
My biggest complaint is if you try to have it last longer then 2 weeks the litter changes color to a bluish green to blue. Then you change the litter and magically the urine is no longer bluish green but now is yellow meaning normal. You cant trust the color results. For this I cancelled my Subscription.
You need to rethink your declaration that this stuff is safe. I don’t think it is and there are other experts that at least question it’s safety.
Hi Ben, thanks. I appreciate the nudge to reconsider—I’m never 100% confident about these things and will certainly re-frame the product if we see enough information that it’s unsafe.
I was wondering about this. Both my cats started sneezing after 2 weeks of using the product. They have never sneezed before. I am going to go back to my other litter and see if the sneezing stops. Both cats went to the vet and are fine other than the sneezing.
can this be combines with clumping litter?
Hi Sharyn! Pretty Litter is formulated with special materials that change color based on the pH of your cat’s litter. I’d be concerned that the product’s function would be compromised if you mixed it with another litter. If you’re concerned about being able to scoop the the litter, silica litter actually makes that pretty easy. It is highly absorbent, so you only need to stir it once a day to redistribute the urine-saturated crystals and it dehydrates solid waste to make it easy to scoop.
This product is TERRIBLE!!
They scream dust free and after my cat uses it a couple times it creates so much fine dust it’s like being in a Nevada dust storm!! Now my cat is having breathing and swallowing problems. Brought her to the vet, took an X-ray and compared to a previous one SHE HAS CLOUDY LUNGS !!!
$1000 for two visits to my vet. Now I am sitting in Bulger Animal Hospital ER waiting for the doctors and I have to bring her to an internist to have an endoscopy/scope test. Today another $800 at the ER. It’s not about the money it’s about this NON-BIODEGRADABLE CAT LITTER “DUST” BUILDING UP IN MY CATS LUNGS! Nothing “living “ can eliminate this from her body hence the NON-BIODEGRADABLE. Stay with natural litter and products! Signed, MY POOR CAT
YES! What you said is the truth. This stuff is not safe Silica dust is in MY LUNGS! The worst cough I’ve ever had. And I wanted to love this. It works, as far as keeping litter box fresh. But the clouds of dust is unbelievable and SO DANGEROUS! I hope your baby can get better.
I agree that it’s a dangerous product for the lungs, but it’s non biodegradable because it’s made of basically rocks. Silica is a mineral, hence it won’t degrade. But it’s not comparable to plastic as it’s inert and basically will be like sand in the landfills, not harmful to the environment.
THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS! I had severe eye irritation. What good is it, screening for health issues, if it is DESTROYING YOUR CATS LUNGS! All of these good reviews, and I KNOW they see the dust? Not a normal dust either… a light, powdery, lingering, swirling thick cloud of SILICA DUST!
That happened to me and my cat to, badly eye infection….
Shipping is not free. I just paid 15+ for shipping if 9 bags (3 cats for 3 months.)
Hi Diane, it’s odd that you had to pay shipping. Do you live in the contiguous U.S.? Pretty Litter does note that customers in Canada, Hawaii, or Alaska have to pay shipping. The website still says that shipping is free and when I submitted a test order it didn’t include a shipping cost. You could try reaching out to customer support to see what happened.
I had 3 bags mailed to me with the cat food, but he isn’t eating the cat food very well, so I switched to Walmart, but had problems discontinuing the delivery >:( Tracking is still an issue, but I have fibromyalgia and live in a small town, so I appreciate the light weight and delivery. I’m not sure about the pinkeye comment as we have both had problems, but not sure if it is bad enough to stop or if it could be natural allergies. Fewer hairballs… Not sure why, but BIG plus. I know it doesn’t recommend scooping the urine, but he’s not good at drinking water (he’s afraid of fountains), so I scoop most of the slush and then there’s less confusion about what shade of green I am dealing with and odor control is excellent (one cat). The vet is only in town 2 times a month (I know… Crazy) , so staying on top of things is important.
Good observations, Jean. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I was just wondering if I pee in the pretty litter will it tell me if I have a UTI or kidney infection……
Yes, a human with these health issues will have a different urine pH than a healthy one, and you would be able to get a vague picture of what’s going on in the litter. It’s not a diagnostic tool, though. You’d be better off doing a nitrite test, because bacteria in the urine (associated with infection) will convert nitrates to nitrites, making the presence of the latter a clear sign of infection.
I use Pretty Liter and love it but my cat sometimes loses some of her fur around her eye and it is pink. Could this be the liter?
Hi Melody! Have you asked your vet about this? It’s certainly possible that your cat might be sensitive to certain types of litter but it’s worth exploring other possibilities as well. For example, I have a cat with white fur who has food allergies. If she eats something other than her normal diet for a few days the skin around her eyes gets pink and it must get itchy because she scratches at it a lot.
I’d recommend keeping an eye on your cat to see if you can identify any other symptoms and maybe link them to potential triggers so you can bring that information to your vet. Good luck figuring out the problem!
Thank you.
Overhyped and overrated litter. Super dusty (my allergies went up because of urine-soaked particles in the air, messy (litter all over the apartment), expensive.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jim.
It is impossible to cancel their service so such awful customer service.
Sorry you’re having trouble! You should be able to make changes to your order (including canceling your subscription) by logging into your customer account.
I love this litter, no problem with dust or tracking litter around the room. I probably have a neater cat than average. There is no sneezing or eye problems. The delivery service changed to 3 bags every 3 months but I’m in my 80’s & the box is too heavy for me. I cancelled my subscription on the web site without problems & I buy at Target.
This is my 2nd month using Pretty Litter and so far I do like it. I have the clay litter box as an option too. I have 2 cats and (1) seems to really like the Pretty litter. I keep checking for smell and have not had any issue. It is more like sand and the sweeping is consistent with a clay litter. I scoop, sweep and move the litter daily. Having multi boxes is key for my cats.
Thanks for sharing, Nichole!
I actually liked their litter but their customer service is the WORST!
Seriously disappointed with the customer service and non-disclosure of return policy.
I joined on 6/23 and signed up for the 3-months supply of litter and the 1 bag per/month of cat food.
Jun 26 I received our 1st delivery of litter and food but my cat refused to eat the food. I attempted to log on to my account but it was not found. I tried calling the # on the website but was on hold for 45 mins and still did not speak to anyone.
July 27 I received the 2nd order of cat food; since I was unable to access account online or get thru to anyone on the phone to cancel I sent a message on their website.
Aug 18 I received an email saying that another cat food was being delivered but never received a response or call back to my message.
Aug 19, I called and spoke with Yuri who informed me that he saw that I never received the account activation email. He also told me that I am unable to return the 7/27 order since they only accepts returns within 14 days. I told him that I signed up for this service via email and the return policy was never disclosed. He said there was nothing he can do.
I went on their FAQ and Terms & Conditions sections of their website and can find no reference to their 14-day return policy. All I found was info on a 30-day risk free offer.
It seems like they haven’t updated their website to make their food return policy clear. It does say that the 30-day money-back guarantee only applies to their litter, but it doesn’t clearly specify that food is under the 14-day return policy. https://www.prettylitter.com/pretty-litter-refund-policy
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hi, I had the same experience with the company….very poor customer service.
Just tried Pretty litter for the first time! it has now been 2 weeks and my biggest concern is it is everywhere. even on the window sills, but the biggest concern I have is the tracking of the urine all over the house ?? so the urine is absorbed and with stirring it up each day, that litter absorbed with urine is being tracked all over the house with your cat’s paws – Yuk!
Yes, PrettyLitter does tend to track quite a bit, and it’s not the most hygienic product in that respect. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t know what they mean about “clumping”. It doesn’t clump. If your cat tends to urinate on the same end of the litter box, the urine just forms a soft mound of colored litter there. And it sticks to the litter box. The cats track it all over the place.
You have to constantly vacuum it up, plus mop up the dried “mud like” marks left behind too. I am going back to the “Breeze” system. It really worked, but my wife wanted to try Pretty Litter, but now she agrees the Breeze system is neater, cleaner, doesn’t track, and easier to deal with. Sorry, not impressed.
Yes, PrettyLitter is absolutely not a clumping cat litter, and your description is true to my experience with this product.
Hey Pretty LItter moderator. I cancelled my subscription. If I receive an unwanted order, I will dispute the charge with my credit card company.
Hi Marie, we don’t represent PrettyLitter—if you’d like to contact them, please use this link to reach their customer support. Hope you’re able to cancel successfully.
Just wanted you to know that I appreciate seeing you being so respectful to commenters 🙂 There’s a few that definitely think this is the Kitty Litter site.
Aww, thank you for appreciating that!
Hate it! I have one small cat that I just got in July and the litter box stinks after just over a week. But most importantly, it is e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e!! After seeing some of the other reviews about eye issues, I will not be using this anymore. I may use the other 2 bags I have left underneath the other litter I am switching back to that came with my automatic litter box. It was a bit of an ordeal to get my subscription cancelled. Had to threaten to spread my issues all over my social media. (Not that I have any followers, but it worked.) Cancelled it over chat.
Thanks for sharing, Tonya.
In order to minimize the cost, would it be possible to mix it with another less expensive brand and still be able to get results of any abnormalities in the urine?
The color would be obscured a bit, and it would be harder to get a reading. I would lean towards using something like the KIT4CAT CheckUp kit, which allows you to gather a sample and test your cat for indicators of various health issues within 60 seconds. You can do 8 tests with one $19.95 packet, so it’s much cheaper than using PrettyLitter long-term.
The only problem I’ve had with Pretty Litter is the Customer Service. I signed up for the subscription of getting a delivery every three months. When my cat got sick, I cancelled the subscription (called many times to complain about the deliveries and charges to my credit card) but continued to receive two more deliveries – one being the day after my cat passed away from cancer. This was very upsetiing having to deal with this while grieving the loss of my cat. This was in July and I am still fighting for my refund. Great product but too pricey and HORRIBLE customer service. I will never order from Pretty Litter again.
That’s terrible, Tara. We’ve heard a number of similar complaints about Pretty Litter, and it is concerning. Thank you for sharing.
I received two boxes of pretty litter several weeks ago.
I will cancel any more deliveries of pretty litter to my house, till further notice.
Thank you very much for your service
Prettylitter stinks. Not happy with it.
Thanks for the feedback, Tom.
I was curious about this litter as I’ve seen it advertise many times, so I looked up the website and to be honest I just cannot justify paying $30 a month plus $8 shipping plus taxes for cat litter. So I decided to look up reviews before making a decision, and I came across your site. Your review on it and the customer’s reviews has helped me to make the decision not to purchase it, because it seems the only benefit to it is the monitor illness in my cats urine but with really knowing your cat you should be aware of any behavioral changes. A cat parent would know if there’s a problem if they know there cat. But yes there are exception that’s why regular vet visits and blood work are important. That being said I just can’t realistically justify purchasing this product.
You considered it thoroughly, and I think you made a wise choice. Good for you.
I always research everything that involves my fur babies. I want what’s best for them, but I also want realistic products that are not only healthy and safe but also cost efficient. I don’t mind spending a little bit more money for a product that is amazing, but not something that’s questionable. Your website has been the most honest with reviews I’ve seen, not just from your eyes but from other customers who have tried it as well your time, researching and testing which is greatly appreciated.
I tried this for my two cats and it was way too smelly before it was supposed to be. I find it too expensive for what it is. The worse part is that it is really hard to cancel. There is very little customer service and it can take days of back and forth for them to agree to cancel your subscription. After they had stated that they’d cancelled my subscription, they charged my credit card again and shipped another box of kitty litter. They refuse to refund the money until they get the litter back but are not responding to emails to follow up about the shipping tags they were supposed to have sent. I ended up canceling my card and getting a new one so that they don’t charge me again next month. I would avoid this company and their horrible service.
Does this litter turn a greenish blue on standing? My cats box has a greenish blue, not bright blue, after sitting overnight.
Yes, it does sometimes. If the litter gets saturated (with lots of urine), this tends to happen. If you can get some clean litter, try letting your cat use the fresh litter tomorrow and see if there’s any difference.
Company is a rip off. Starts out at a price that they then raise and rais and raise just like cable TV. Stay away, they are greedy.
Avoid this company
I tried Pretty Litter in 2 litter boxes with 3 cats in the household. When I had only tried one, they did not use the Pretty Litter box often, but now they all use it. I’ve been scooping through each every day. But yesterday, a few days in, I noticed how much dust was raised while I scooped through it. I hadn’t noticed that before. But then I sneezed powerfully and heavily for about an hour and needed a lot of cough drops to make it through the night.
I had also noticed a change to a shade of yellow that I hadn’t noticed before. After reading through the comments here and on Reddit, it unfortunately all makes sense and I am very disappointed. I’m sure all that sneezing wasn’t good for me, but my wife was getting over a cold from a few days ago, so I can’t rule out that it was just a coincidence with possibly getting a cold.
Thanks for sharing.
I love pretty litter! Mind you I only have one cat and his litter box is enclosed one. I hated using clumping clay litter! I tried various brands and recommendations from friends who have several cats and the clumping never lasted a week. Smelly, heavy and dusty. I am a senior with MS who lives alone, and I don’t drive, so for me it has made having my cat Henry a joy! I scoop and stir it every day, ensuring that I scape the bottom of the litter box. A bag lasts me a month. A new bag arrives when it’s time to change it. It is worth the cost for me.
Just my experience
I would like to be a distributor for pretty litter. Is that possible?
Hi Katherine! We are a publication that reviews cat products, including Pretty Litter, so this isn’t the place to ask about becoming a distributor.
We decided to try out Pretty Litter and concluded that it is not for us and our cats.
We have two 16-year-old cats that are litter mates (litter of kittens not kitty litter!). We have been using Arm & Hammer Multicat Scented Litter for years with two litter boxes. In checking out Pretty Litter, we used it (the full bag) in the upstairs litter box and kept using the A&H in the basement litter box. After about half a week, we found that the one in the basement with the A&H had been hardly used and the one with the Pretty Litter seemed to be primarily used. We had to pull out our COVID masks due to the intense urine smell in order to clean the litter box.
To be fair though, one of our cats had been diagnosed with late-stage two or early-stage three kidney failure about a year ago and the other was diagnosed about a month ago with early-stage two kidney failure which causes them to urinate more frequently.
It was interesting to see all the psychedelic colours in the used Pretty Litter but given their diagnosis, we were curious just to see what it would look like.
As for the litter all over the place… I had the impression going into this that there would be less litter tracking. Our experience is that it tracked more in the room and the hallway outside the room where the litter box is kept upstairs than the A&H tracked but beyond that, the A&H tracked further away.
As I said at the beginning, it is not for us and our cats. But it might be worth revisiting with our next cats when all options are on the table.
I tried my first cat box full today and found my 5 month old kitten eating it! He was acting a little odd today and when I went to clean the box he was in there eating the flipping litter! Why in the workd would a cat want to eat this littler? I tossed it immediate;y and refilled with their old littler. So bizarre!
Good question. This behavior is known as pica and could be caused by a number of issues. Learn about it here.
I tried Pretty Litter for 2 weeks and I found it totally gross. There was a smell after several days and it never looked clean after my cats used it. I found that I would use way more litter than the label claimed. My 2 cats were healthy until I used the litter and both cats developed UTi’s that have cost me a mint. I do not recommend this litter to anyone!!!!
iI just read another comment about an unhealthy reaction to Pretty litter. My cat also had an eye infection but as soon as I changed back to my other litter the infection cleared up. Please keep your cat/s healthy and don’t change to Pretty Litter. My husband said ” if it ain’t broke , don’t change it!, I totally agree. My vet bill is around $5,000,00 due to the Pretty Litter.
I also had a vet bill and realized it was the litter. He kept eating his feet, literally I thought he was chewing them off, chewed off some pads! I finally saw his spitting out the little balls from his feet! Bad bad stuff!
iI just read another comment about an unhealthy reaction to Pretty litter. My cat also had an eye infection but as soon as I changed back to my other litter the infection cleared up. Please keep your cat/s healthy and don’t change to Pretty Litter. My husband said ” if it ain’t broke , don’t change it!, I totally agree. My vet bill is around $5,000,00 due to the Pretty Litter.
I’m wondering of the crystals are safe because my cat has been blocked twice with crystals but yet every time he uses the pretty litter his pee pee gets full of crystals that I thing are causing this. Crazy though. He licks the crystals off but they get inside his penis.
I very seriously doubt that the Pretty Litter silica gel crystals are getting in your cat’s urethra—it’s much more likely that he has the predisposition to develop urinary tract crystals, most likely struvite or calcium oxalate, due to numerous factors, including diet and hydration. A complete blockage may also be unrelated to crystals; this kind of idiopathic urinary tract disease leading to blockage is particularly common in male cats. I would recommend focusing more on diet and reducing stress than the litter your cat is using. You can learn more about the best food for urinary tract disease here.
Nov 13th, I got a referral link to try it and get a free bag. I bought 4 bags. Turns out you only get the free bag if you buy ONE bag. I called and even tried to cancel the order that same hour and just make it be for one bag. That didn’t happen. Supposedly they will send the free bag Dec 9th…but only with the next order. That’s misleading. I did get the 4 bags within 4 days. The offer also included a free cat toy…that never was included either. I signed up for it about 2 years ago and NEVER got it after a month and ended up canceling and disputing it on the credit card. But, thought to give it another chance and I blamed it on COVID and suppliers etc. After reading all these reviews, I think I am not going to continue using it. I have 8 indoor only cats ranging from age 2 up to age 14 yrs. I also still kept available 2 boxes of scoopable Tidy Cat and most of them prefer that. But I do see some use of the Pretty Litter. I love that it is lightweight!! But, my 13 yr old has suddenly gotten pus eye discharge and a rattly breathing. It could be a coincidence. I don’t know. Yes, it tracks. I noticed that my next autoship the price went up! This was at the Pretty Litter site itself. By they way, their bags are 6 lb bags. Chewy.com, Walmart and everywhere else are 8lb bags. The Pretty Litter rep I spoke to says it’s for shipping purposes. Hmmm. That makes no sense, but OK. Remember, there is a 30 day ‘refund’ period if the cats don’t like it. The reason I found this site was a google search to see how good for the environment this product is…but I never expected to see so many ill effects to the cats themselves. It’s just not a risk I’m willing to take. I have used The clumping litter and the scoopable wheat litter, Feline Pine and recycled paper litter in the past with no safety issues. And yes, they ALL smell after awhile. I don’t think that will ever change no matter what we use. HUGE shout-out to Chewy..their customer service is incredible. So, if you do plan to use this product or ANY pet product, I’d get it from them. Now, to see about that 30 day refund as promised at the Pretty Litter site.
Yikes. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who has, or has a cat with, sensitive skin. I only used it for a month, but few days after getting pretty litter I started noticing what I thought might be insect bites on my skin. Over time there continued to accumulate and I was paranoid it was bugs but it got way beyond, into a full blown itchy rash. Then, I started to notice that my bed felt sandy. When I looked, I found that the cats (or possibly the dog because he was in the litter getting “treats” -yuck) were tracking the pretty litter crystals into the bed. I believe this is what’s causing my itchy reaction. I’ve been away from home for a few days and no new itchy spots or rash so I’m pretty sure it’s the pretty litter.
Hey Alisa, that’s a good observation, and it’s helpful to know that you seem to have had this reaction to Pretty Litter. Thanks for sharing.
I ordered a 3 month supply as this product was advertised oerfectly. I was excited that it was shipped immediately and I recieved it 3 or 4 days after I ordered it. Once I used it, I noticed my cat didn’t like it at all, he started pooping outside yet still around the litter box. I tried alot of tricks to retrain him but till now I’m struggling to retrain him to poop on the litter box. Even after reverting back to his old litter. Put in mind I never had this problem before he always used his litter box.
I understand the product won’t be perfect for every cat so I did proceed with the refund process. I sent an email and I had no reply for around 2 weeks. I sent a direct message on their insta account were they told me ways to retrain my cat ( as if I wouldn’t try that myself)
I sent another email while I’m very frustrated and I just wanted to make sure atleast my money is refunded. They finally replied. I found it very odd that their customer service team not even once apologized for my experience. I continuously got late replies and felt the attitude through the emails.
Not only have this situation inconvenienced me as it’s very frustrating to keep cleaning behind my cat. But the customer service representation was even more frustrating to deal with
Yikes. I’m sorry to hear that you had such a difficult experience with Pretty Litter and their customer support. Thanks for sharing so others will be aware of what can happen.
Shipping is not free (in Canada) and the baseline cost is prohibitive. My wife went with a subscription service from the Ottawa, ON reseller and it came to $42/bag, including shipping. One bag lasted approx 2 weeks before it stunk like 1000 wolves had pissed in our laundry room.
Waste of time, money and effort. Went back to clumping clay litter from Walmart at $10/month, sprinkled with some of this, https://www.amazon.ca/Ultra-10718-Monthly-Monitor-16-Ounce/dp/B00AYT9ZXK. Sorry that I ever tried Pretty Litter but hopefully I can save others from the trouble of being scammed.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it will help to spare others from experiencing what you did.
Thought we’d try this litter for our cat. Well we can honestly say this is the worst litter we have ever used. I bought a three month subscription and after a week of using it our house is starting to smell like piss. When our cat goes poop we know right away cause the whole main floor will stink. It doesn’t help with odour one bit and doesn’t make much sense for it to be healthy for a cat to keep walking into his urine all the time does it? Wishing I would have never wasted my money and just kept using litter I buy from a local store.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I ordered a very long time ago. NEVER RECEIVED MY ORDER. I contacted Pretty Litter and explained I had not received my order. They were very nice going to refund my money – I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED MY REFUND. I’m tired of contacting them and asking for my refund. I feel like they stole my money. Will never do business with them and never never refer them to any of my friends.
Yikes, that’s a terrible experience. Thank you for sharing.
I used it for a short time to see if a couple of my cats had UTIs…….. One did have blood and sediment, but the color was not enough to be able to tell……he was going to the vet regardless, but I thought I would test it since I had a bag I hadn’t used. The lung issues mentioned are frightening and YES silica dust is dangerous for anyone! I will keep using my pine pellets!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Allyson.
Hello Pretty Litter people,
I love the product because it makes cleaning much easier, as I only have to scoop the poop.
I don’t know if you are aware of this about the free blue plastic litter box, but as the urine seeps down to the bottom of the box, blue is leeched out and the bottom of the box is covered with blue crystals.
I see no harm except for false alarm reading may occur as did to me until I figured out it was the box! I tried using Pretty Litter with other boxes and this does not happen.
So my husband decided to get a subscription for the pretty litter. I was, as was he, pretty excited to try it. The first week it was a pretty alright get down. Now that we’re into the 3rd week of using it I basically have to wear a mask just to clean the litter box because of all the dust! It wasn’t that bad at first but now it’s horrible. It does a decent job of absorbing the odor. It’s not a bad cat pee or ammonia smell like regular litter can get, it’s just an unusual and weird smell. One of our cats is super cuddly and likes to sleep on our bed with us. I noticed the bed felt grainy and upon further inspection it was the ‘crystals’ from the litter. It also leaves a huge mess in the area where their box is. We have a mat that covers the floor but it still gets everywhere. Everywhere. I doubt we’ll even make it to week 4 using this stuff. Needless to say our subscription for pretty litter has been cancelled and we’re going back to the Feline Pine. It takes a heck of a lot longer to clean but it is SO much better than anything we’ve ever used! Should have never wasted our money on this litter. Although, the metal scooper the give you when you sign up is pretty dang nice!
Hey there. I’ve had a very similar experience with Pretty Litter—the smell is hard to describe, and it is quite messy. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’ve been using for 3 days, switching back to my paper pellets. No dust no mess the pellets don’t get tracked everywhere. This has got to be the messiest litter yet! He never played in his litter. He thinks this pretty litter is a sand box for playing in!🤦🏻♀️
Reading some of these comments about the dust is scaring me. I couldn’t see it before, and i pulled out the litter from the enclosed area and saw a bit of it. I’m going to finish th3 bags i have and change to something eco-friendly. I love my furbaby too much and and now terrified his lungs are getting damaged as well as mine.
Was considering trying the Prettylitter for my two mainecoonies cats but reading the comments about the air born particles scare me plus the lack of customer service- life is hard enough. I’ll stick with my featherweight tidy cat. Amazon and chewy. Both great customer service.
You can also consider a biodegradable litter like Sustainably Yours—it’s very lightweight and has a similar texture to Pretty Litter without all of the downsides.
I started using Pretty Litter about a month ago. After two weeks the litter wreaked of ammonia. I wrote to cancel on line and they sent me a free bag of the stuff. Then a regular shipment came and I was charged for it. Surprise, surprise a shipment of the food came that I did not order. I have told them to reimburse me for it but haven’t seen that happen yet.
My two cats are old and one had to go to the vets today. I am going to try one more time with the customer service (?) department and if that doesn’t work I will dispute the charge on my credit card.
I will also switch back to clay as I want an easier way to clean 3 litter boxes.
This company had a great idea —– however it doesn’t work for all cats and their owners. We are all sneezing and we sure didn’t before.
Isn’t breathing silica really bad for mammals?
Key Facts
Approximately 2.3 million U.S. workers are exposed to silica in the workplace, including 2 million in construction and 300,000 in other industries.
When silica dust enters the lungs, it causes inflammation which over time leads to the development of scar tissue that makes breathing difficult.
Cigarette smoking adds to the lung damage caused by silicosis. Quitting smoking is an important part of managing the disease.
Complications from silicosis can include tuberculosis, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, autoimmune disorders and kidney disease
There is no cure for silicosis, but treatment is available, and employers and workers can take steps to prevent it.
How It Affects Your Body?
When people breathe silica dust, they inhale tiny particles of the mineral silica. Over time, the silica dust particles can cause lung inflammation that leads to the formation of lung nodules and scarring in the lungs called pulmonary fibrosis. This is a progressive disease that normally takes 10–30 years after first exposure to develop. Over time, lung capacity decreases, and people with silicosis particularly those with Progressive Massive Fibrosis may need support with oxygen and other devices to help them breathe.
In some silicosis cases, this scarring can be so severe that it leads to a form of severe fibrosis, known as Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). For these patients, extreme scarring and stiffening of the lung can make it difficult to breathe. Having silicosis also increases the risk of other health problems, including tuberculosis, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.
We tried pretty litter for 3 months. After the first month my two cats were sneezing a bit, but i didnt think it would be the litter. Then they started overgrooming their back, tails, and bellies till they were bald. The vet checked them out and found that the dust from the litter was causing skin irritation and respiratory irritation. There was also a fine layer of dust on everything within immediate proximity as well as the horrible odor much more quickly than advertised. This is definitely not the litter for us. For any others, some cats are allergic to silica dust topically, and its unhealthy for them to breathe….
I’ve used Pretty Litter for a few years now. I have it in a senior cat litter box and my cat will use it, but it is disappointing as after the first week, in spite of stirring frequently, it gets saturated and starts turning blue and staining the bottom of the litter box which is a pain to wash off. I’ve had my cat’s urine tested by the vet frequently but it is fine, so the blue color was not due to any infection. When I first change out the litter (and have to use about 1 and 1/2 bags to properly fill the littler box) the color after she urinates is just the normal yellow. It’s after about a week when it starts to get saturated and the color easily changes to blue which is a false positive for urinary problems at that point, as I found out after paying for various vet urine lab tests to confirm.
I bought my litter direct from Pretty Litter in multiples to save money. I like that it’s lightweight. I’m very disappointed in the litter getting saturated, blue, and gross by 2 weeks and having to be thrown out. I find it hard to believe this would last a month for one cat as they advertise. It sure isn’t the case for my elderly cat who is just 8 lb. I’m going to go back to Dr Elsey’s litter which my cat likes better.
It should be rebranded as “pretty scam litter” – charging 5 times more than a similar product will only be paid by very stupid people, like the typical republican psychopath.
Really good review seems spot-on to me thanks!
I have been using this product now for the last 6 months . I have 2 tuxedo cats. It does turn the gels blue. I enjoyed the product at first, but now one of my cats is sneezing. and doesn’t eat as much. Also, the dust is all over the basement (where I keep the cat litter boxes). Also, I have to hold my breath to clean them out… and now for the last few times I cleaned the litter boxes; I now have encountered a breathing issue during and after cleaning. I will be discontinuing the use of this product. Prior to using this product, I have never had any respiratory issues nor my cats. For the safety and respiratory of my cats and myself.
Sorry to hear you’ve had issues with PrettyLitter, Tasha. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Have been using Pretty Litter for a couple of weeks. Both litter boxes smell so bad that I want to hurl. It tracks WAY more than standard litter. Definitely not pretty in any way.
Please help my understanding …
(a) does Pretty Litter actually kill all bacteria? if so, how?
(b) I believe not all bacteria (e.g. E.Coli) do NOT change ph levels, and will therefore NOT change the color of the litter.
If (a) and (b) are true, then a cat with an E.Coli infection who urinates in Pretty Litter will not indicate the presence of the bacteria and will leave the bacteria in the litter, causing a risk of cross infection in multi-cat households.
Hi David, PrettyLitter does not promise to kill bacteria.
Yes and this is my point (which I now realize was clumsily stated). Since Pretty Litter DOESNT kill bacteria, if a cat has Ecoli (which doesn’t change ph) there will be no indication in the litter box, and the bacteria will remain in the box.
Ah, gotcha! Thanks for clarifying, and that is an interesting point. It does appear that e. Coli infection allows for a relatively low (acidic/normal) urine pH and may not show up in the litter the same way that another type of infection would. Thank you for sharing this—very much worth considering.
It would be nice to know the size of the bags, purchasing kitty litter company vs. Buying at Target or Walmart.
Hi Betty! It looks like PrettyLitter is only sold in 8-pound bags, no matter what retailer you purchase from.
The Pretty Litter subscription comes in 6-pound bags, which at the current price of $22/bag is slightly more expensive than the 8-pound bag at $27.50 at a retail store.
Thanks for that info, Jeff! I didn’t realize they’d reduced the size of the subscription bags. I’ll update the info in the review to reflect that 🙂
I have 2 cats raised on Pretty Litter. I never really had an issue with odor, and cleaning was simpler than other litters, but my biggest complaint, hands down, without a doubt, is how much this litter gets tracked around the house.
We like to walk around barefoot in my house, and it was a CONSTANT struggle to keep the floors free of the sand-like crystals. We would sweep our floors as often as every 2 days, and we would STILL be able to feel the litter throughout the house.
Carpet doesn’t even save you. In the few spots we had carpet, the litter would collect along the border between hardwood and carpet, and there was a noticeable feeling from the litter in the carpets.
Despite all of the good things about the litter (honestly, it’s almost perfect in every way otherwise) my wife and I HATE HATE HATE how much it tracks around the house.
You’re not alone in this experience! It seems to be a common theme in customer reviews.
Why would I buy anything endorsed by a multiple convicted felon that cheated people. Pretty litter sure picked a winner.
The bags at Target, Walmart and Chewy are 8 pound bags. The bags on subscription are 6 pound bags, so there is no cost saving in the subscription services with Prettylitter.com.