How to compare what cat litter really costs
Use the price per pound and the number of days a package lasts to compare what you spend on cat litter.
Start with the package and the receipt
A lower price per pound can still leave you spending more on litter each month if you go through the package faster. Keep two numbers side by side: what you pay per pound and how many days the package lasts in your home.
Write down the price you paid and the net weight printed on the package. Include any tax or delivery charge you want counted, and use the same rule for both purchases. Purina’s US listing for Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance, for example, shows both a 20-pound jug and a 35-pound pail. Check the weight on the package you actually bought.
Track what goes into the box
Put the date on a fresh package when you first open it. Note when you add litter and when you use some for a full refill. Count both. If you want more detail, weigh the package before and after you pour and record the difference. When it runs out, note how many days it lasted.
Use one package at a time for the simplest tally. If you switch between two open packages, keep a separate note for each. Mark weeks when you set up an extra box or did an extra full refill so you can spot what made a package run out sooner.
Compare the same 30-day period
Divide the package price by its net weight to get the price per pound. For a 30-day estimate, divide the price by the days the package lasted and multiply by 30. Here are two hypothetical purchases, with prices in US dollars:
- A 20-pound package costs $14 and lasts 28 days. That is $0.70 per pound and $15 per 30 days.
- A 30-pound package costs $18 and lasts 32 days. That is $0.60 per pound and about $16.88 per 30 days.
Use your own numbers
Enter the package price, net weight in whole pounds and days it lasted in our cost calculator. If the label lists a fraction of a pound, use the formulas above for an exact comparison. For this comparison, one unit is one pound. The calculator estimates monthly spending from a 365-day year divided into 12 months, so its monthly figure differs slightly from the 30-day examples above.
If the first package ran out during an unusual week, track another one before using the estimate for your budget.