petsupplies.co

Rubric v1 · 16 products scored

Cat litter rubric

Every product in this category is scored against the same rubric. Weights sum to 100. A hit on any disqualifier forces a "skip" verdict regardless of the point total.

Criteria & weights

  1. 1. Clumping performance

    Weight 20/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Tight clumps with published breakage/scoop-strength data
    2. 5Clumping, breakage acknowledged
    3. 0Non-clumping (unless marketed as such)

  2. 2. Dust level

    Weight 15/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Quantified dust reduction (e.g. 99% dust-free)
    2. 5Low-dust claim, no percentage
    3. 0No dust claim

  3. 3. Odor control

    Weight 15/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Named active with disclosed inclusion mechanism
    2. 5Named active (baking soda or activated carbon)
    3. 0Fragrance masking only

  4. 4. Ingredient transparency

    Weight 15/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Full composition and additive list declared
    2. 5Primary base declared (bentonite / silica / plant)
    3. 0Composition undisclosed

  5. 5. Fragrance-free option

    Weight 10/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Unscented / fragrance-free variant available
    2. 5Lightly scented
    3. 0Only scented variant

  6. 6. Absorbency

    Weight 10/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Absorbency ratio disclosed (e.g. grams absorbed per gram of litter)
    2. 5Marketing claim without number
    3. 0No absorbency data

  7. 7. Biodegradable or flushable

    Weight 15/100

    Signal: product description

    1. 10Plant-based and safe-to-flush per instructions (or explicitly marked non-flushable with septic caution)
    2. 5Plant-based, not flushable
    3. 0Non-biodegradable, landfill-only

Disqualifiers

Any of the following forces a "skip" verdict, no matter how well the product scores on other criteria. Non-negotiable.

  • Contains crystalline silica dust without warning label
  • Recalled in the last 24 months
  • Contains sodium bentonite marketed as safe if ingested (unsupported claim)

Verdict thresholds

Total score cutoffs for each public verdict tier. Sum of weighted criterion scores maps directly onto these bands.

Editors' pick
≥ 80
Solid buy
≥ 65
Situational
≥ 50

Below 50, or any disqualifier hit → verdict: skip.

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