Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter uses the powerful scent of Febreeze™ to mask litter box odors, but was it right for The Meow Place cats?

This is a sponsored post. Fresh Step® sent us a free box of Clean Paws cat litter to try out in exchange for our fair and honest review. All thoughts are our own, and are in no way altered or influenced by Fresh Step® or its affiliates. In short, we’re telling you exactly what we think.

If you’ve been around this blog for long, you know how I feel about chemicals and fragrance. However, something needed to be done about the downstairs litter box. Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter has officially made the top three litters of choice list here at The Meow Place.

What Is Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter?

Can you tell I love using the ® and ™ symbols? Well, I do. Anyways, Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter is a relatively new low-tracking litter that is scented with Febreeze™ for extra odor-stopping power. It has bigger granules that are supposed to cling to your cat’s paws less. Below, I will describe each feature and how the litter fared in a house with four cats.

Low-Tracking, Less Mess

Since the granules on Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter are bigger, they don’t get stuck between your cat’s toe beans as easily. Instead, they drop off in the litter box when your cat lifts their paw to get out. Rather than leave a trail of evidence, your carpet/floor is left almost without a trace.

This feature actually did work for us. Very little of the litter got out of the box over a period of 10 days, and I didn’t have to vacuum daily like I did with OkoCat Soft Step Clumping Wood Litter. It was really nice to have less mess!

10 Day Odor Control

It should be noted that Fresh Step® is not claiming that this litter eliminates odors. Odor control is the key word. The smell is still there, but it’s trapped beneath the (overwhelmingly powerful) scent of Febreeze™. Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter runs a tight ship that doesn’t allow the odor of feces or urine to escape.

The litter blocks odors as claimed, but I found the scent to be quite obnoxious. It’s not that it smelled bad; it was simply too strong. The problem came in when my cats exited the litter box smelling like Febreeze™. Cats should smell like biscuits, not fabric refresher.

However, the scent died down a bit after 24 hours, so it wasn’t as strong. Truth be told, if I had to choose the smell of cat poop or Febreeze™…. well, I think you know the answer to that.

Lowest-Dust Formula

Larger granules mean less dust, right? Actually, yes. Once again, please note that Fresh Step® does not claim that there is NO dust or that it’s “dust-free” like some litters do. Many people don’t understand this, so don’t be surprised when a small poof of dust goes up your nostrils while you’re inhaling the fresh scent of Febreeze™.

Clumps Tight With ClumpLock® Technology

Yes, this is a clumping litter. Most times, I like to avoid these types of litters because they can cause intestinal blockages in cats if swallowed. For this reason, I don’t recommend this litter (or other clumping litters) for kittens or cats who like to eat non-food items.

The clumping action on this litter is scary good. When they say it clumps tight, THEY MEAN IT. I almost had to take a hammer and chisel to one corner of the litter box. Joking aside, it is a bit difficult to get out of the litter box for this reason, but it’s not because it gets stuck – it’s because it gets SUPER HEAVY.

I have a rock garden around my house, and removing that stuff is a pain. This is sort of like removing part of a miniature rock garden. The weight of it is far too heavy for my taste.

“Created With Your Cat’s Health And Happiness In Mind”

Fresh Step® is owned by Clorox, specifically the Clorox Pet Products Company. This is the same company that makes 409, one of the worst chemical cocktails that you can bring into your home. Is Fresh Step® as ‘littered’ with harmful ingredients as 409 and other Clorox brands? No, but I have a few concerns.

It is here that I would like to state that a representative of Fresh Step® has been forewarned that I do only completely honest reviews, and I quote:

…I feel it only fair to let you know beforehand that I do 100% honest reviews on products. If I end up not liking it, that will be the review I’ll write, and vice versa.” (me, in my email to Fresh Step®)

Five ingredients are listed on the Fresh Step® website: “…premium scoopable clay (sodium bentonite), limestone, activated charcoal, fragrance and an antimicrobial agent (borates).”

Which Ingredients In Clean Paws Fresh Step® Litter Should You Be Concerned About?

Fragrance has already been mentioned, but another concern is the combination of sodium bentonite and borates. When sodium and borates are added together into a chemical compound, the result is borax. Borax may sound familiar to you; that’s because it’s often used for homemade pesticides.

Although not as dangerous or effective as boric acid (hydrogen borate), borax can be harmful if ingested. The presence of sodium and borates alone is not enough to cause alarm, but I’m not sure what it takes to combine them or if they can become combined if they sit together. I suppose it all depends on what process Fresh Step® uses to make the litter.

I highly doubt that there is borax present in this litter, but it never hurts to be cautious.

What About The Other Ingredients?

As was stated earlier in this review, you should not use this litter if your cat eats non-food items. This includes young kittens that like to bite, chew or eat random things. This is because of the litter’s main component, sodium bentonite. Unlike other litter clays, sodium bentonite clay clumps when it gets wet. If your cat swallows it, it will cause a blockage that can be life-threatening.

Limestone, on the other hand, is there to counteract the acid in your cat’s urine. Have you heard of adding lime to your garden’s soil if it’s too acidic? Same thing with cat litter.

Activated charcoal is commonly used in pet water fountain filters to purify the water. Toxins naturally cling to activated charcoal, which is why it’s also used for cats who have been poisoned. Your vet will make your cat swallow liquid activated charcoal to absorb the toxins in their system.

The reason activated charcoal is in Fresh Step® cat litter is because it helps with odor control. Bacteria and odors are trapped so that they never reach your nostrils.

Is Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter Right For My Cat?

Chemical yuck aside, this litter worked really well for the downstairs litter box. We’re still rockin’ Pretty Litter in the other two, but I’m adding Fresh Step® to the list of litters welcome in my house.

You should use Fresh Step® Cat Litter if you:

• have adult cats
• need extra odor control in your cat’s litter box
• want a budget-friendly cat litter
• need a low-tracking litter (this is the ONLY litter I’ve used that can truly claim this label)

You should NOT use this litter if:

• your cats are highly sensitive to smells
• you have kittens
• you want a lightweight cat litter
• you are environmentally-conscious or are trying to avoid chemicals

I’m not giving this product a rating like I usually do because it really depends on your cat(s) and your circumstances as to whether this litter is right for you. You can purchase Fresh Step® Clean Paws Cat Litter at local retail stores like Target or online at Chewy.

What did you think of this review? Have you used Fresh Step® Clean Paws litter? How did it work for you, or are you willing to try it after reading this review? Let us know in the comments section below.