Kate Barrington / Cats.com
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Special Kitty Cat Litter on What Matters
We’ve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Click Here To Shop For Special Kitty Litter on Walmart
Ratings
- Variety of Products – 4/5
- Price Per Pound – 5/5
- Multi-Cat Formulas – 4/5
- Clumping Ability – 5/5
- Long-Lasting Odor Control – 4/5
- Natural/Alternative Options – 1/5
Overall Score: 3.83/5
How We Tested:
- We purchased 3 of the best cat litters Special Kitty has to offer
- We spent a few weeks testing the cat litters on several cats
- We did not receive these products in exchange for a favorable review, they were purchased with our own money
Brand Overview
The Special Kitty brand is exclusive to Walmart. Originally founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Bentonville, AR, the Walmart company has grown to include over 10,500 stores and clubs in 24 countries. It is the world’s largest company by revenue, according to the 2020 Fortune Global 500 list.
Like many of Walmart’s in-house brands, Special Kitty is designed primarily for affordability which, particularly in regard to their pet food products, is telling in terms of the level of quality you can expect. Fortunately, there is less to worry about regarding quality with cat litter than cat food.
Products Included in This Review | ||||
| Product Name | Materials | Clumping? | Life Stage | Additional Features |
| Special Kitty Scoopable Tight Clumping Cat Litter, Fragrance Free | Clay | Yes | All | Clumping, Fragrance-Free, Multi-Cat Formula |
| Special Kitty Lightweight & Scoopable Clumping Cat Litter, Fresh Scent | Clay | Yes | All | Clumping, Fresh Scent, Multi-Cat Formula |
| Special Kitty Natural Clay Cat Litter, Unscented | Clay | No | All | Non-Clumping, Natural Clay, Fragrance-Free |
What Kinds of Litter Does The Brand Offer?
The Special Kitty brand currently offers five different types of cat litter. They offer both clumping and non-clumping cat litters as well as scented and fragrance—free formulas.
Here’s a list of Special Kitty’s cat litter formulas:
- Scoopable Tight-Clumping Litter, Fresh Scent
- Scoopable Tight-Clumping Litter, Fragrance-Free
- Lightweight & Scoopable Clumping Litter, Fresh Scent
- Fragrance Free Natural Clay Non-Clumping Litter
- Premium Clay Non-Clumping Cat Litter, Fragrance-Free
Special Kitty clumping cat litter is sold in tubs while their non-clumping formulas come in bags (25 or 50 pounds).
Top 3 Special Kitty Cat Litters Reviewed
| Product Name | Type | Price | Overall Rating |
| Special Kitty Scoopable Tight Clumping Cat Litter, Fragrance Free | Clumping | $0.5 per Ib | 4.25/5 |
| Special Kitty Lightweight & Scoopable Clumping Cat Litter, Fresh Scent | Clumping | $1.15 per lb | 4.25/5 |
| Special Kitty Natural Clay Cat Litter, Unscented | Non-Clumping | $0.25 per lb | 3/5 |
#1 Special Kitty Scoopable Tight Clumping Cat Litter, Fragrance Free
$7.12 At Walmart
This clay cat litter is described as a tight-clumping, 99% dust-free formula free from fragrance. While I did find the litter to be fragrance-free and it did clump well, it was anything but dust-free.
In testing this clumping clay litter, I noticed that it had a very fine texture which probably contributes to its dustiness. The fineness of the granules also led to some tracking outside the litter box. It may be worth noting that Walmart’s product description doesn’t make any promises about this litter being non-tracking, though they do say it’s dust-free.
Though this litter was pretty dusty, it has a few things going for it. Not only is it incredibly affordable (priced around $0.35/pound) but this litter works well, forming hard, tight clumps that are easy to scoop. It performed fairly well in odor control as well, making it a good choice for multi-cat households.
This litter comes in a 14-pound jug.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 5/5 |
| Clumping Action | 5/5 |
| Odor Control | 4/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 2/5 |
| Scent | 4/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 5/5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.25/5 |
Pros
- Forms tight, hard clumps for easy scooping
- Very affordably priced (about $0.35/pound)
- Comes in an easy-to-carry jug
Cons
- Produces a significant amount of dust
- Fine granules tend to track to some degree
#2 Special Kitty Lightweight & Scoopable Clumping Cat Litter, Fresh Scent
$9.68 At Walmart
Though Special Kitty’s clumping clay formulas are sold in 14-pound jugs that are fairly easy to carry, some may still find them a bit too heavy. This lightweight formula weighs just 8.5 pounds but contains about the same amount of litter as the 14-pound jug.
Unfortunately, when I opened the package, I found the jug had somehow been punctured or the lid had come loose during shipping. A significant amount of litter was spilled in the box. Based on numerous customer reviews, this seems to be a common problem with Walmart’s shipping of cat litter.
In regard to the product in particular, I was impressed by its clumping ability and found it to be a little less dusty than the original formulas. This clay litter is mixed with plant-based material to cut some of the weight, so that may account for it being less dusty as well. The granules for this lightweight cat litter were finer than the original clay as well, so there was some tracking.
I’d also like to note that while this is a scented formula, the fresh scent was incredibly subtle. Scented cat litters can sometimes be overwhelming but I found this scented formula quite pleasant.
This litter comes in an 8.5-pound jug that contains about as much litter as a 14-pound jug.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 4/5 |
| Clumping Action | 5/5 |
| Odor Control | 4/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 3/5 |
| Scent | 4/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 5/5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.25 |
Pros
- About 50% lighter than regular clay litter
- Has a subtle fresh scent to reduce litter box odor
- Forms tight, hard clumps for easy scooping
Cons
- Packaging was damaged, leaked in the box
- Still somewhat dusty and tracks a little
#3 Special Kitty Natural Clay Cat Litter, Unscented
$9.68 At Walmart
I found this non-clumping clay litter to be highly absorbent, but I did have some trouble when it came time to scoop the box. Like many customers have commented, the litter turns a bit gooey when it becomes saturated with liquid, and it has a tendency to stick to the litter box.
In addition to being a little difficult to scoop, this cat litter comes in fairly large granules and the particles are a little rough. Tracking was still an issue and the litter it produced a lot of dust, both during pouring and scooping. Though unscented, it also took on a slightly unpleasant odor when it got wet.
This litter comes in a 25-pound or 50-pound bag.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 5/5 |
| Clumping Action | 0/5 |
| Odor Control | 3/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 3/5 |
| Scent | 4/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 3/5 |
| Overall Rating | 3/5 |
Pros
- Very affordably priced (about $0.19/pound)
- Highly absorbent
- Doesn’t contain artificial fragrance
Cons
- Very dusty, not low tracking
- Granules are fairly large and rough
- Not a clumping formula
What Do Customers Think Of Special Kitty Cat Litter?
Given the massive size of the Walmart name, it comes as no surprise that Special Kitty cat litters have hundreds (even thousands) of reviews on Walmart.com. While some brands seem to highlight only their positive reviews on the company website, Walmart doesn’t appear to censor their customer ratings.
For the most part, customers seem pleased with the Special Kitty brand – especially the affordable price.
Many customers like the availability of scented and unscented formulas, though there are a number of comments that the brand isn’t anything special. There are numerous comments about the litter being dusty, but most customers seem pleased with the odor control.
Positive Customer Reviews
“This litter has amazing odor control. I do live in a lower humidity environment. I have discovered that it works better if the litter is just a little deeper than using regular clumping cat litter. It gets a little “sticky” on the bottom of the litter box when the depth is shallower.” –LaurafromReno reviewing Special Kitty Lightweight & Scoopable Clumping Clay Litter
“With fostering 13 cats. Buying litter was expensive. Especially have to change 3 boxes every other day. Great value for the buck. We just add a little baking soda to the mix and good to go. Nothing special here. Just a great inexpensive way to get by.” –Alan reviewing Special Kitty Fragrance-Free Natural Clay Non-Clumping Litter
Negative Customer Reviews
“This litter is horrible. Does absolutely nothing about odor and the amount of dust is astronomical. Anyone with asthma or breathing problems definitely should avoid this product.” –AMC08 reviewing Special Kitty Scoopable Tight Clumping Litter, Fragrance Free
“The product is great. We use it all the time. The packaging is the issue. The bag of litter was split down the middle and litter is everywhere. The delivery driver even complained because there is litter all over his truck. So disappointing.” –Tanya reviewing Special Kitty Premium Clay Non-Clumping Litter, Fresh Scent
How Much Does Special Kitty Cat Litter Cost?
As a Walmart-exclusive brand, Special Kitty is designed for affordability. This brand only offers clay litter which is generally pretty affordable anyway, but their prices are extremely competitive.
Their most expensive product is their lightweight clumping clay litter, priced at $0.82 per pound. Otherwise, Special Kitty’s clumping litters cost about $0.35 per pound and their non-clumping formulas are priced around $0.19 per pound.
Overall, Is Special Kitty Cat Litter a Good Choice?
Special Kitty is a brand designed for affordability, so it’s important to keep that in mind when evaluating their products. I appreciated that the brand offers both clumping and non-clumping formulas as well as scented and fragrance-free options, but it would be nice to see a little more variety.
In terms of the cat litter itself, I was impressed with its clumping ability, and it did a decent job controlling odor. None of the formulas were anywhere close to being low-dust like promised, however, and there was a fair amount of tracking.
If you’re looking for an affordable brand of cat litter, Special Kitty is a great choice. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to put up with some dust, a little bit of tracking, and, with the non-clumping formula, cat owners may need to empty the litter box every few days to keep the litter from sticking.
Where Is Special Kitty Cat Litter Sold?
Special Kitty is a Walmart-exclusive brand, sold only in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.
Also Read:
- The 11 Best Non-Clumping Cat Litters
- The 12 Best Clumping Cat Litters
