What We Actually Do
- 1. Manufacturer data and certification review We read product specifications, ingredient disclosures, and environmental claims, and we check them against third-party certifications (USDA Organic, FSC, biodegradability standards) rather than taking the marketing at its word.
- 2. Patterns across owner reviews We read verified purchase reviews in volume and look for complaints and praise that repeat across many households. One person's experience proves nothing; the same complaint appearing a hundred times is a signal worth reporting.
- 3. Published research and veterinary guidance Where a health or behaviour question comes up, we go to veterinary and environmental sources and to organizations like the Cornell Feline Health Center, and we link to them so you can read them yourself.
What Our Ratings Mean
The dust, tracking, odour and clumping ratings on our comparison pages are our own editorial assessment of the published information above. They are our read of the evidence, not measurements we took. Specifically:
- We did not measure dust in a laboratory. Nobody here owns the equipment.
- We did not run timed odour trials or drop-test clumps.
- We do not accept payment for a rating, and we say so when a link earns a commission.
Where We Get It Wrong
An assessment built on published specs and owner reports can be wrong in ways a lab test would catch. If you have used a litter and our read of it does not match your experience, tell us and we will look again.