CatSpot Litter Review: We Tried Coconut Cat Litter

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CatSpot Cat Litter

8.4

Cat Comfort

10.0 /10

Tracking

5.5 /10

Odor Control

8.7 /10

Dust

10.0 /10

Ease of Use

7.9 /10

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Biodegradable and made from renewable resources
  • Dust-free
  • Extremely comfortable on cat paws
  • 100% safe for cats and kittens

Cons

  • Doesn't cover urine and ammonia smells as well as some other products
  • Tends to scatter out of the litter box

The next step in litter evolution? Meet CatSpot coconut cat litter.

That’s right- coconut, known for its multitudinous health benefits and uses, also has a superpower hiding in its husk. The absorbent power of a thousand and fifteen nano-sponges.

I was flipping through the new products section of Pet Product News International when I spotted CatSpot litter. “What’s this? Coconut cat litter? Radical!” As you may remember when there’s something cool and new going on in the cat space, I want to know about it.

If you recently discovered an awesome new product which you and your cat love, or want to learn more about, please contact us! We’d love to write about it!

CatSpot is the leading producer of coconut cat litter, so I called up CatSpot’s director of sales, Vince Schrum, to learn more. From our hello it was obvious I was talking to someone who was passionate about their brand’s mission and product. Vince’s energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and it was great to hear a firsthand account of how this innovative product was born.

If you want to skip straight to our review of CatSpot litter, click here.

The CatSpot Story

Midwest Organics, an organic and all-natural focused company based in Missouri, specializes in finding innovative solutions to use organic byproducts and waste products. Child company, MOIS®, produces and sells a coconut based mulch, often used in agriculture and at golf courses to ensure green grass longevity. Soil containing the sponge-like coconut coir (the absorbent fiber found in the outer husk of the coconut) retains moisture, which allows farmers (and golf courses!) in arid climates to use less water. 

Late one afternoon in 2015, the door was left open at the Midwest Organics shop. And there was a cat. A cat in desperate need of a restroom… you know the feeling. You’ve been road-tripping for too long and need a rest stop now. That cat wandered into the shop from the street and found just what he was searching for. Piles of soft, diggable, scratchable, poopable potty material. The cat found where the coconut coir was stored.  

Lightbulbs go off! Sparks fly! Was this the next step in the evolution of cat litter?! Incredible absorbent properties, all-natural, biodegradable, eco-friendly sourcing… this coconut stuff had potential. Sometimes it just takes a cat to point out the obvious.

One of the guys in the shop had cats at home and packed up some of the coconut to let his cats try it out. By spring of 2016, the driven Midwest Organics team had refined the litter making process, shared and tested the new litter with friends and family, and created a website. Today CatSpot litter is sold online as either a one time purchase or through their subscription service.

On the CatSpot website, you’ll find that one bag lasts for one month for one cat. Over the month of February, we decided to test those claims and see how this innovative new litter stacks up.

CatSpot Litter Review

Disclosure: “Wildernesscat received this product for free in exchange for an honest review. Although the product was gratis, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.”

What is CatSpot litter made of, and is it safe for cats? Coconut

CatSpot litter is made from the super-absorbent husks of 100% organic (organic is always non-GMO) coconuts. That’s it. There are no added fragrances or chemicals. The coconut has almost no natural odor and is fine and fluffy in texture. All of the coconut husks used in CatSpot litter are leftovers from the organic coconut industry. After the meat has been stripped from the coconut, the husks are sent to recycling/repurposing companies such as Midwest Organics. CatSpot sources the majority of their coconuts from India and Sri Lanka and produces the litter in Sikeston, Missouri.

As of this writing, we believe CatSpot litter is 100% safe for cats. Coconut litter is not yet widely used, and every product has the potential to have an unknown downside.  This is what we know:

The litter can be ingested without hurting your cat (kittens often eat litter, and clumping clay litter is very dangerous when it solidifies and expands in their digestive tracts). Clay litter also sends silica dust into the air, which is a carcinogen and can harm both your cat and you.  In an attempt to avoid these issues, some people turn to grain-based litter, such as corn litter. Unfortunately, these litters also have their downside. Warm, wet corn is the ideal growing environment for toxic aflatoxin mold, which can cause serious illness or even death in cats. While manufacturers test the litter to ensure there is no mold present at the point of sale, the risk of future growth takes corn off the table for some concerned cat guardians. There have been no reports of such mold growing in coconut litter.

CatSpot litter is also safe for the environment! In addition to its eco-friendly sourcing, CatSpot can be composted or mixed into the garden soil, keeping it out of landfills. It is also flushable in small quantities.

What did the cats think?

In our experience, cats like fine, soft litter which isn’t hard on paws. Our two critics, Wessie and Forest, accepted the litter quickly and seemed to like the texture. The litter’s light weight makes for easy transport and pouring. A month’s worth of litter weighs a whopping five pounds.

Does it track?

Yes. While I love how light and easy to carry CatSpot litter is, this same quality makes it super easy for the litter to stick to kitty paws and make its way out of the litter box for a couple of feet. I recommend a litter mat to catch the stray litter. The lightweight coconut litter is also prone to scattering, so if your cat is a vigorous digger or thrower, you’ll definitely find what looks like brown coffee grounds around the litter box.  The company recommends only filling the box with 1 1/2″ of litter rather than the normal 3″, since the litter swells. This low depth will also help to reduce litter scatter.

Does it have good odor control?

The odor control was not spectacular. It performed alright with solid waste, but the litter didn’t do a great job of covering up urine/ammonia odors. On the CatSpot website, they recommend dumping out the entire box after a period of up to 15 days. They mention that the number of cats using the litter, bathroom habits, and health issues can affect that time period. We have two cats, and in order to keep odors down, we dumped out the box approximately once every five days. There is enough litter in the bag to do this and make it through the month if you use the recommended 1″-2″.

Is it dust-free?

Litter dust is annoying, not to mention dangerous and sometimes carcinogenic. I doubt many people or cats enjoy inhaling the dusty fumes which seem to go hand in hand with even so-called “dust-free” clay litters. *cough cough*

CatSpot lives up to its dust-free claim. I noticed zero dust while pouring the litter or while the cats were digging in it. If you have respiratory sensitivities or are affected by the dust your usual litter puts off, certainly try coconut litter.

How easy is it to maintain?

If you’ve ever tried silica gel cat litter, the maintenance process will be familiar to you. CatSpot litter does not clump. Instead of scooping out both liquid and solid waste, you’ll scoop out and dispose of the solids daily, and thoroughly stir/agitate the rest of the litter so that the liquid waste is absorbed by the coconut. It’s important to distribute the liquids so that one area doesn’t become oversaturated!

As is necessary, dump out the entire contents of the litter box and replace the litter. This entire process only takes a few minutes every day.

In a nutshell.

CatSpot litter might be the perfect litter for the ecologically-minded cat guardian. It’s organic, kindly sourced, biodegradable and compostable, and the company behind the litter is on a mission to make the world a better place and reduce waste.  The litter is 100% safe for cats and kittens and has a texture that most cats will like. It’s dust-free and lightweight. The litter is easy to maintain, but if you’re used to clumping clay, it may take a little time to get used to the frequency of change. Especially if you’re tired of the risks and waste associated with other litters, CatSpot coconut litter is definitely worth trying in your home.

Where can I buy CatSpot litter?

If you make your purchase of CatSpot litter through our links, Wildernesscat will receive a percentage of the sale. It doesn’t cost any extra but helps us to continue sharing the radical cat parenting message. Thank you for your support!

CatSpot litter offers two purchasing options on their website. You can make a one-time purchase of a bag for $18, or join a monthly subscription service for $15 a bag. If you’ve fallen in love with CatSpot litter and want to switch over full-time, that $3/bag savings will add up quickly. 

CatSpot is also available on Amazon.com

5 thoughts on “CatSpot Litter Review: We Tried Coconut Cat Litter

  • To help eliminate odors in the litter box, I have always sprinkled a little baking soda litter deodorizer in the box when needed. Will that conflict with the coconut litter? I only have one cat, so I am assuming I will only have to change the litter once a month, as I do now.

    Reply
    • Hi Connie,

      Sorry for taking a few days to get back to you! I see no reason why a baking soda litter deodorizer should conflict with the coconut litter whatsoever. If you decide to give it a try, please let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  • “Stir in the urine” instead of removing it — FOR FIFTEEN DAYS! Sounds pretty poor.

    Reply
  • So it doesn’t do anything for urine and ammonia smell. So use this if you want your home to smell like a litter box. Understood.

    Reply
    • Did you read the review?

      Reply

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