Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight Clumping Cat Litter Review

We purchased Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight Clumping Cat Litter so our reviewer could test it with her cat. Keep reading for our full product review.

Unless you have the time and patience to train your cat to use the toilet, a litter box is a necessary evil. Of course, the type of litter you use can make the whole experience a bit more bearable. Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight Clumping Cat Litter is—as the name suggests—a lightly scented clumping litter with a whole lot of promise. We tested the litter out with the help of our 4-year-old cat Mila. Read on to see if Purina’s litter lives up to its claims.

Odor Elimination: No bad smells, but a strong Glade scent

We usually avoid scented litters, but we actually found ourselves liking the smell of this one. It's scented with Glade, and the result is a fresh fragrance that doesn't overpower the room your cat’s litter box is in—rather it just subtly hides unpleasant odors. That’s what it was like at first, anyways. 

After a few weeks of testing, we came to associate the Glade scent with the litter box (and all that comes with it). While guests in our home didn’t think anything of it, we grew weary of the scent. It was especially off-putting when we would catch a whiff of it on our cat, as we were constantly reminded that she’d probably just been kicking around in the litter box. 

Besides the scent of Glade, we were happy that after a week of use, there were still no bad odors emanating from the litter box. Even when we got close, we didn’t detect the familiar stench of cat urine. And that’s not by chance. Purina notes that their clumping cat litter utilizes an “Ammonia Blocker” which guarantees no ammonia odors for two weeks.  

Clumping Ability: Easy to scoop

The Purina Tidy Cats litter clumped together nicely and made scooping easy. We’ve found that some litters tend to clump cat urine together in one large clump—especially since our cat prefers one corner of her box. But with the Purina litter, clumps were small, solid, and didn’t fall apart when we scooped them. This made the litter box look much cleaner and fresher than it typically does, as we didn’t have to scoop the same area multiple times to pick up errant pieces. We also only had to top the box off with a bit of fresh litter each time we cleaned as we weren’t wasting any litter with over-scooping. 

Ease of Use: Very lightweight

Purina Tidy Cats is available in multiple weights, but we tested out the 17-pound pail. Cat litter pails can be bulky and heavy, but Purina’s substantial handle makes it much easier to carry lug around. Purina claims that their 17-pound pail is equivalent 35-pound pails from other brands due to its lightweight formula and superior performance. And based on the many cat litters we’ve tried, they’re not bluffing.

Managing the pail while we poured out the litter was awkward at first, but we found one major plus. We’re used to litter kicking up a dust cloud when we pour, but Tidy Cats did no such thing.  

On the flipside, one of the major cons we noticed was that Mila tracked the Purina litter more than usual. For some reason, when using the Purina—as opposed to other brands—we found way more litter in front of her box. 

Price: Fair for the quality and quantity

As we mentioned earlier, Purina Tidy Cats is available in a variety of sizes and prices. The 17-pound pail will run you roughly $20, but we’ve also seen larger sizes available for less.

Overall, we think the quality and quantity of litter you receive is worth the price. 

Purina Tidy Cats Lightweight Clumping Cat Litter vs. Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Platinum Litter

Those looking for a less-scented cat litter might consider Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Platinum Cat Litter. While the litter has a slight fragrance, it’s not nearly as strong as the Purina Tidy Cats litter. While we do admittedly prefer the clumping ability of Purina, the Arm & Hammer litter doesn’t track nearly as much. Whichever you go for, you’ll be left with a clean smelling home and for a similar price.