Catster does not support declawing. Instead, regularly trim its claws and provide a scratcher to allow your cat to display the natural behaviors of the species.

Whether you’ve recently adopted a declawed cat or had your own feline friend declawed, buying them an appropriate cat litter is one of the steps you can take to make their life a little easier and more comfortable.

Declawing a cat means that they have no claws to protect the rest of their paws, and these can become very sensitive. Their paws will be especially delicate to sharp and harsh materials, which many litters are made from. As well as ensuring that you buy extra-soft litter, you will still need to consider factors that are important when choosing any cat litter.

There is such a wide variety of litters available, including those from experienced manufacturers like Purina and Okocat, that you can still choose a litter to meet your needs as well as the needs of your declawed cat. We have written reviews of five of the best cat litters for declawed cats so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs while being sympathetic to your kitty’s requirements.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

Top 5 Best Cat Litters for Declawed Cats

1. Arm & Hammer Clumping Corn Cat Litter – Best Overall

Arm & Hammer Naturals Clumping Corn Cat Litter is made from corn fibers, which are a natural clumping agent mixed with mineral oil and baking soda. These additional ingredients serve to reduce dust and debris, and the litter is much softer than the standard clay products, and even most of the litters made of wood pellets and other ingredients. We think this is the overall best cat litter for declawed cats this year.

Arm & Hammer specializes in odor elimination, and much of this stems from the level of clumping that is evident in their litter formula. As well as reducing odor, the corn combination is lighter. Lighter litter means that you use less weight when emptying, and because this brand already has a very competitive price per pound, it works out to be one of the cheaper cat litter options available. Because it clumps so well, the Clumping Corn Cat Litter is easy to clean and clear up. It can also be skimmed, reducing the need to completely change the full litter as frequently.

The biggest drawback of Arm & Hammer’s litter is that it is heavily scented to mask the scent of cat urine, and this can leave a somewhat chemical smell behind.

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2. Frisco Non-Clumping Recycled Paper Cat Litter – Best Value

Frisco Non-Clumping Recycled Paper Cat Litter absorbs more liquid than clay. It is also lighter and produces a lot less dust, like most paper litter.

Like most paper-based products, it also does a bad job of retaining liquid because it doesn’t clump, will require regular litter box changes, and is another litter that includes baking soda in a bid to try and eliminate the nasty odor that tends to accompany cat litter. It is soft enough to be considered suitable for declawed cats, too, but is more of a pellet and a lot harder than some of the other sympathetic brands on this list.

However, despite the baking soda, the litter smells of ammonia-soaked newspaper after very little time, and it has a strong smell as soon as it is poured into the tray.

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3. Hartz Multi-Cat Recycled Paper Cat Litter – Premium Choice

Hartz Multi-Cat Recycled Paper Cat Litter is another litter made from recycled paper. Hartz is 80% recycled paper, in fact, and it is soft on your cat’s declawed paws. It is environmentally friendly, proving a beneficial source of old paper and newspaper.

Its use of paper also makes Hartz lighter, so it is easier to pick up when changing the litter tray. Plus, Hartz claims that the formula is 99% dust-free, which makes it suitable for cats with respiratory problems and asthma, as well as for owners that don’t want a cloud of cat litter dust hanging around the litter tray after swapping out its contents. Hartz claims that it boasts the same clumping capability as clay litter and, when your cat does urinate on the litter, the affected pellets will turn blue, which makes it much easier to identify which sections of the tray need skimming and removing.

Unfortunately, the Hartz Multi-Cat Recycled Cat Litter, which lays claim to being the first recycled paper litter to clump, is expensive, and unless you catch the litter as soon as it is soiled, it will dry, clump, and stick to the sides of the litter tray, potentially making it very difficult to remove.

When it comes to premium picks, we think this is the best cat litter for declawed cats.

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4. Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter

Recycled paper is one of the softest cat litter materials, which is why it features regularly among our list of the best litters for declawed cats. Fresh News Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter is another. It is inexpensive and the Fresh News company claims that it retains three times as much moisture as other litters.

They also say that it is low-tracking litter, so you will endure fewer bits of litter spread around the house and near the tray. It is 99% dust free, and although it is scented, it uses baking soda to replace the smell of urine and feces with a neutral and natural smell. The material itself is biodegradable, which means that it is environmentally friendly and won’t cause irreparable damage to the environment by finding its way to a landfill.

However, Fresh News suffers the same problem that a lot of paper-based litters endure: it does not retain liquid well, which means that wee is allowed to gather in the bottom of the tray. This can start to smell, will necessitate more frequent changes, and means that your cat can track it through the house.

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5. Okocat Natural Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter

Okocat Natural Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter is made from recycled paper. The white pellets are low-tracking and soft on your cat’s delicate paws. The pellets are free from dyes, scents, and ink.

Colors won’t run, and because the pellets use a plant-based odor control, they help to eliminate the ammonia odor that is present in cat urine and tends to gather around the litter tray. Okocat claims that the pellets gather and soak up all liquid produced and that the litter is not only suitable for cats with sensitive paws, but those with sensitive respiratory systems, too.

However, the litter isn’t the cheapest. It requires frequent changes to eliminate odor and mess, and although the litter is quite soft, it seems to stick to cat paws so it is easily spread around and tracked into the carpet and other surfaces. Also, it turns to mush and then dries once it has been used, and that makes cleaning it from the tray very challenging.

Buyer’s Guide: Find the Best Litter for Declawed Cats

Cat declawing can be a stressful experience for a cat, and you should have everything you need in preparation for your cat having the procedure done. This means that you will need bedding, food, and, possibly above all else, decent litter that is suitable for their use.

Do Declawed Cats Need Special Litter?

Immediately following the operation, your cat will have incredibly sensitive paws. They will need to avoid liquid and moisture, dust, and they should avoid sharp and hard objects. They should especially avoid trying to claw, scratch, or bury in hard litter pellets.

Even after your cat has had the chance to recuperate from their operation, they will have no claws to protect their paws and they will be much more sensitive to harsh environments and harsh materials. Clay may clump and be painful to stand on, while wood pellets will certainly be too sharp for your cat to scratch at.

Clumping Or Non-Clumping

The big decision when buying cat litter is whether you want clumping or non-clumping litter. Clumping litter clumps into a ball when it gets wet. It makes it easier to skim soiled litter from the tray without having to replace all of its contents, but it can be uncomfortable for your declawed cat.

What’s more, some clumping litter sticks to the tray, and unless the clumping nature of the litter does a good job of eliminating odor, it can quickly start to smell. With that said, it is usually preferred over non-clumping varieties because it is easier to clean and tends to fare better at odor control.

Odor Control

Odor control is an important consideration of litter choice. Cat urine has a very strong ammonia smell, and not only does it smell unpleasant and acrid, but it can be an irritant for home residents. Feces obviously also smells.

Some litters naturally help to combat odor by clumping and retaining the smell inside the fiber of the litter itself. Other litters use scents and include ingredients that emit a smell to replace the smell of cat urine and feces.

Dust-Free

This is especially a problem with the clay litter that pervades the market, but litter dust is also fairly common with wood pellets. It is rarely a problem with recycled paper because the texture of the paper simply negates dust from forming.

The dust-free formula is especially beneficial if your cat suffers from asthma, allergies, or respiratory problems, but is also important for a cat that is wearing bandages and other dressings. Most litters that claim to be nearly dust-free offer 99% or more dust reduction.

No-Tracking

Most litter comes in the form of pellets. These are made from any of several primary ingredients, and they can expand when they get wet. Whether the pellet expands or not, it can get caught in the claws or between the paw pads of your cat.

When they walk on carpet or jump on furniture, the action of moving and knocking their paws against other surfaces leads to the litter pellets being left behind on other surfaces. This is referred to as tracking and it can leave a real mess behind. If you want to avoid cleaning it all the time, look for litter that claims to be non-tracking.

Material

Common cat litter materials include clay and wood pellets. However, these are hard materials and are not recommended for use with declawed cats.

Additional Ingredients

Although most litter for declawed cats is made from recycled paper, it tends to incorporate additional ingredients.

Baking soda helps to reduce odor and replace ammonia with a more neutral smell. Olive and other vegetable oil may be used to further reduce the dust that a particular litter creates. You may even find some ingredients that change color when they get wet, making it easier to identify the areas of litter that need urgent changing.

Weight

Some cat litter is described as being lightweight. If you have picked up a 20-pound bag of cat litter, you will know that whatever material it is made from, the litter can prove heavy. A more lightweight material can be transferred to a smaller container, is easier to move around in the litter tray, and tends to be softer and less painful on declawed paws.

Conclusion

Getting the right cat litter is always a challenge. You need something that does a good job of controlling the smell of ammonia, which is a strong odor and difficult to control. You also want something that doesn’t track through the house, although this is usually less of a problem with a declawed cat, and you will want something that is relatively dust-free, especially if your cat suffers asthma or a respiratory problem.

If you have a declawed cat, you will also want something sympathetic to his specific requirements. The clay and wood pellet litter products that most owners buy are too hard and too sharp for a declawed cat. The sharp edges can cause cuts, and if your cat doesn’t feel comfortable using the litter in their tray, there is a good chance they will an alternative location to the toilet.

Above, we have included reviews of some of the best cat litter for declawed cats, including Arm & Hammer Clumping Corn Cat Litter, which is inexpensive, soft, and still does a good job at handling the basic requirements of cat litter and the Frisco Non-Clumping Recycled Paper Cat Litter which absorbs more liquid than other materials.

Hopefully, our list has helped you decide on the best litter for declawed cats for all your requirements and the sensitive needs of your cat’s paws.

See also:

• How Often Should I Change Cat Litter? 3 Things to Consider
• Why Is My Cat Leaking Poop? 5 Vet-Reviewed Reasons & Treatment

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Featured Image: Lightspruch, Shutterstock