When you are looking for the right type of cat litter, it becomes easy to realize how expensive it is. This is a cost that will add up and it’s something that isn’t easy to afford for a lot of people. Due to this, you may ask, why is cat litter so expensive?
Cat litter is expensive because there’s a considerable amount of time and resources deployed into the research phase by companies. This is done to ensure the cat litter uses the right ingredients and is safe for all cat breeds.
Unlike other products, cat litter has to be perfect or it can end up harming a cat.
This is why a lot of testing is done before any type of cat litter product is released onto the open market. As a result, companies have to recoup their costs somewhere and that comes in the form of hiking the prices.
Key factors include:
- Research Phase
- Quality of the Formulation
- Amount
When asking “Why is cat litter so expensive?” your goal should be to find a company that makes the best cat litter on the market.
This is not an item to take a chance with. You will want to ensure ample research has gone into the product before it is sold to you.
This article will explain “Why is cat litter so expensive?” along with helping you understand what the main reasons are for the increasing prices of cat litter.
Table of Contents
Best Cat Litter for Cats (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- PREMIUM QUALITY: A combination of premium texture and granule size made with 100% bentonite clay for maximum clumping creates...
- LOW DUST: Ideal for cats and owners who suffer from allergies with a 99.9% dust-free and hypoallergenic litter formulation.
- HARD CLUMPING: Hard clumping medium grain clay helps prevent moisture from reaching the bottom of the tray and forms hard...
Last update on 2023-09-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Reasons For Cat Litter Being Expensive
1. Research and Testing
The main expense has to do with research and testing.
A lot of research goes into testing cat litter formulations. Since this is going to be used by cats, it needs to be tested for a wide array of breeds along with different environmental conditions.
Each test costs a pretty penny and that has to be added to their risk as a company. Over time, these expenses are going to be recuperated through the revenue coming in from cat litter sales.
When asking “Why is cat litter so expensive?” you have to focus on the business side of things.
To make sure they are giving you a high-quality product, they will have to test each aspect of the cat litter to ensure safety.

2. Premium Raw Ingredients
The ingredients that are used during the process are fully tested and are always the best.
This is done on purpose to ensure the cat litter doesn’t let you or the cat down. There are safety expectations in place for something like this and it has to be taken into account every step of the way.
This alone is why cat litter is costly.
When the best ingredients are used in cat litter, this is going to end up increasing the price.
This is something that happens with most premium products and the same applies to cat litter. While companies try to compete in this regard, most are going to have high prices for something like this.

3. Quality Assurannce
For those asking “Why is cat litter so expensive?”, you will have to realize there is a quality assurance angle that has to be taken into account.
This quality assurance is something that ensures the cat litter being used is consistent.
A lot of companies do this as a way to demonstrate the premium nature of their cat litter.
To do this, they will have to back their claims and that requires ample research and continuous progress on the formulation.
Over time, this will end up showing through the hiked prices especially when you ask “Why is cat litter so expensive?”
It is simply due to these variables.
Related Questions
1. What is a Good Price For Cat Litter?
A good price for cat litter is approximately $.30 per pound. This can vary from place to place but most high-grade cat litter brands set their rate at this price point.
2. How Do You Save Money For Cat Litter?
The best way to save money for cat litter is to shop at feed stores, compare different products, and look to buy in bulk. This can lead to substantial savings especially when cat litter is put on sale.
Final Thoughts
“Why is cat litter so expensive?”
Cat litter is an expensive investment because it is made with ample research and requires continued testing before being released onto the market. These expenses are then passed onto the customer when it’s time to sell cat litter on the open market.
It is these reasons that start to add up and increase the price of cat litter.
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