Our Review Process
Our reviews are based on extensive research and, when possible, hands-on testing. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Read more about how we’re supported here.
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 Per Pound | Additional Features |
| Pretty Litter Crystal Cat Litter | Silica Gel | No | $3.67 | 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.
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
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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.
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.
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.
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, one bag costs $22, but you’ll 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 $40 and three bags costs $60. 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.
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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?
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’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 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
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.
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.
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.