All Fresh Step Cat Litter Reviews
Updated by Brandon F. on May 18, 2020
This is a listing of all Fresh Step cat litters that have been reviewed and we also list what we think are the best Fresh Step cat litters with our internal ranking system. Fresh Step is one of the most popular brands of cat litter on the market. They have a wide selection of litter options ranging from scoopable litters, clay litters, and even more exotic crystal litters.
Many of these also are available in both scented and unscented forms. In our reviews of these many examples, we found some fantastic products that are towards the best available on the market as well as some that we found to struggle with issues such as clumping and odor control. However, we welcome you to browse around and try out a few options and see what works best for you and your cat.
Our Top Rated Fresh Step Cat Litters
| Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control Unscented | Fresh Step Multi-Cat Unscented Scoopable | Fresh Step Odor Shield Scented | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
| Our Rating |  |  | |
| Price per Pound (Amazon) | $$$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Our Full Review | Link | Link | Link |
Huge Selection of Products
Fresh Step can proudly say that they have one of the largest and most diverse ranges of products in the industry. A majority of their litters are clay-based, but even within the clay categories, they include unique features to make them stand out such as activated carbon and plant extracts.
Also, they have put their hand into the crystal game, attempting to incorporate clay and crystals together so that you get the best of both worlds. They also have a range of both clumping and non-clumping litters, both fragrance and fragrance-free litters, and products that are designed for both single and multi-cat households.
With this nice variety of products to choose from, there is likely something that will align with your wants and needs. It also shows that Fresh Step is willing to get out of their comfort zone and try new types of material or approaches if they think there is potential.
Nice Range of Sizes
Fresh Step also has a rather large range of product sizes to choose from. Specifically, they have sizes as small as 4 pounds up to large 42-pound boxes. This is great for those that don’t want or need to lug a huge container of litter around for their single cat and it is also nice for those who might have multiple cats and go through litter much quicker. The small sizes are also much easier to carry and transport for those who may struggle with dealing with the heavy weight of clay-based cat litters.
Odor Control Activation on Touch
This company’s unique approach is that its products are activated when they are moved around by your cat’s paws. This is something that few other litter companies advertise, so it makes Fresh Step stand out from the pack. It also means that you are getting the targeted odor control feature when you need it and not “wasting” it when your cats aren’t even using their litter box. This is thanks to the paw-activated carbon that is injected into many of their products.
Furthermore, this feature allows for “fast-acting” performance, which means that there is only a minimal amount of time that cat waste odors will be exposed to open air before they are smothered by the clay and activated carbon in these products. This can be particularly handy in busier litter boxes or litter boxes that are in small apartments or areas with poor ventilation.
Extra Long Odor Protection
Fresh Step also advertises that they have up to 10-day odor control. This guarantee is one of the longest in the industry, and the fact that they will stand behind this even in potentially high-traffic multi-cat litter boxes shows us that they believe they have the winning combination.
It also proves that they have a good understanding of the clay materials that they typically use, and feel that their product can stick out from what can be a pretty competitive clay cat litter market.
General Product Information
Manufacturer’s Website: https://www.freshstep.com/
Cat Litters Reviewed: Extreme Odor Control Unscented, Multi-Cat Unscented Scoopable, Odor Shield Scented, Lasting Power Scoopable, Multi-Cat Scented Scoopable, Triple Action Scented, Fast Acting Scoopable, Extreme Clay, Plus Dual Action Crystals, Crystals, Odor Shield Unscented, Extreme Odor Control Scented, Extreme Lightweight Scented
Range of Sizes Available: 4 to 42 pounds
Types of Material Used: Clay, Antimicrobial agents, Activated carbon, Plant extracts, Crystals
Price Range: Mid to Premium Price
Fresh Step Clean Paws
Our Rating: 
Both the Multi-Cat and the Triple Action formulas are some of our favorite Fresh Step products that we have tested. They offer solid clumping and good odor control while minimizing the amount of tracking and dust (which are common complaints of Fresh Step products). The asking price, while not on par with ultra budget clay litters, is fair enough to warrant these being a good buy.
Pros: Good clumping, Solid odor control, Very little tracking
Cons: Clumps are quite large, Price isn’t the cheapest
Fresh Step Extreme Mountain Spring Scent
Our Rating:
If you are after a refreshing mountain spring scent but also value good clumping and odor control, then this is a cat litter that you should be considering. The only minor negatives are the occasional messy clump. But other than that, the performance and price are good.
Pros: Great clumping, Lovely scent, Good odor fighting
Cons: Perfume scent may not be for everybody, Occasionally sticks to scoop
Read Review of Fresh Step Extreme Mountain Spring Scent Cat Litter
Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control Unscented
Our Rating: 
We can really see the odor-fighting ability from the CarbonPLUS feature at work here, and it has great clumping to go along with it. While this product is a bit expensive, it meets all the requirements of a good litter and you and your cat should enjoy it. It is available in 20 and 25-pound boxes, is comprised of clay, carbon, and antimicrobial agents, and is available in the mid to premium-priced tier.
Pros: Great small clumps, excellent at sealing in cat odors
Cons: Somewhat dusty, a little pricey
Fresh Step Multi-Cat Unscented Scoopable
Our Rating: 
This product has fantastic clumping, even in busy litter boxes. However, for being “unscented” it does have a rather overwhelming artificial smell and the dust levels could be lower. But for this price range, there are worse options. It is available in 20 and 25-pound boxes , is comprised of clay and plant extracts and is available in the mid-priced tier.
Pros: Very effective at clumping, holds in cat smells for several days without concern
Cons: Clumps can sometime cake, quite dusty
Fresh Step Odor Shield Scented
Our Rating:
Another example of a Fresh Step product that really nails it with clumping. But, like other products, it does have a powerful artificial smell and the dust levels aren’t very well controlled. It is a decent price, however, so if you can deal with these issues it is a soft buy. It is available in 7, 12, 14, 20, 25, and 38-pound boxes and 42-pound bags, is comprised of clay and is available in the mid-priced area.
Pros: Super effective clumping
Cons: Pungent artificial litter smell, way too dusty
Fresh Step Lasting Power Scoopable
Our Rating:
This product handles odors quite well, and the clumping ability is above average. The dust and tracking can be a bit of a nuisance, and for the high price, we would hope that this would be kept in better check. If you happen to find this product on sale it is a good buy. It is available in38-pound38 pound boxes, is comprised of clay and antimicrobial agents and is available in the premium-priced tier.
Pros: Very effective clumping that stays hard for a long time, great job of locking in odors
Cons: Hit or miss in actual litter smell, extremely dusty, very expensive
Fresh Step Multi-Cat Scented Scoopable
Our Rating: 
We are a bit underwhelmed with the performance of this product, given the price. The only bright spot is the clumping but everything else is average at best, with certain issues actually being below average. It is available in 14, 20, 25, 34, and 38-pound boxes and 42-pound bags, is comprised of clay, activated carbon, and plant extracts and is available in the premium-priced tier.
Pros: Pretty good odor blocking, above average clumping
Cons: Very dusty, strong chemical smell, pretty expensive for what you are getting
Fresh Step Triple Action Scented
Our Rating:
The dust associated with this litter is simply too much. This is unfortunate because the clumping and overall odor control is acceptable, but the maintenance and general cleanup with this litter can be a nightmare. Because of this, we can only give it an average rating. It is available in 25-pound boxes, is comprised of activated carbon, plant extracts, and clay and is available in the mid-priced area.
Pros: Clumps stay relatively hard, combats cat odors for several days
Cons: Clumps are rather large and use a lot of product, extremely dusty
Fresh Step Fast Acting Scoopable
Our Rating:
For the high price, this product doesn’t do anything to wow us. The dust levels are too high and its general “average at best” stance across the board doesn’t warrant this as being a great buy in our book. It is available in 25-pound boxes, is comprised of clay and plant extracts, and is available in the premium-price tier.
Pros: Captures fluids before they can make it to the bottom, odor eliminated for long periods
Cons: Clumps can fall apart over time, very dusty, pretty pricey
Fresh Step Extreme Clay
Our Rating:
We are used to non-clumping litters shining in the price and low-maintenance categories. This makes us question why this litter is so expensive. None of its attributes are particularly good, and it actually struggles in several. The current online price is too high, and we would only say this is a soft buy if you can find it on sale. It is available in 7, 14, 21, 40 45-poundound bags, is comprised of clay and antimicrobial agents, and is available in the mid-priced tier.
Pros: Low maintenance
Cons: Struggles with cat urine smells, quite a bit of tracking, rather expensive for a non-clumping litter
Fresh Step Plus Dual Action Crystals
Our Rating:
We are used to crystal-based cat litters fetching a premium over its non-crystal competition. However, we would expect some sort of noticeable bump in performance, and we really don’t see it here. It doesn’t do anything terrible, but for the super premium price we want something that really wows us. It is available in 14 and 25-pound boxes, is comprised of clay and crystals, and is available in the premium-priced tier.
Pros: Locks in nearly all cat smells for a long time, decent at clumping
Cons: Very expensive, not as strong at clumping as conventional clay, tracking and dust can be an issue
Fresh Step Crystals
Our Rating:
This product actually does perform pretty well in the areas that crystal-based cat litters typically shine. Easy maintenance and good odor absorption are definitely present here. But for the high price? We get that if you want a crystal litter you are going to pay the premium but even within that category there are better options on the market. It is available in 4, 8, and 10-pound bags, is comprised of crystals, and is available in the premium-price tier.
Pros: Excellent job of masking odors for multiple days, no dust
Cons: Extremely expensive, requires a bit of maintenance
Fresh Step Odor Shield Unscented
Our Rating: 
Nothing about this litter really stands out to us. In fact it struggles in just about all areas. If it were an extremely cheap litter we might be able to overlook them but for the current online price, it is simply too much. It is available in 14 and 20-pound boxes, is comprised of clay and is available in the mid-price area.
Pros: Initially does acceptable job of capturing odors
Cons: Clumps fall apart and are sticky, strong artificial litter odor, difficult to clean up
Fresh Step Extreme Odor Control Scented
Our Rating: 
For the high premium associated with this litter, you would expect something that performs well across the board. Instead, you get a product that struggles in most. We recommend shopping for other options. It is available in 12, 20, 25, 28, 34 and 38-pound boxes and 42-pound bags, is comprised of clay, carbon, and antimicrobial agents, and is available in the premium-priced tier.
Pros: Clumps harden easily
Cons: Goes through product very quickly, overwhelming artificial scent, very messy
Fresh Step Extreme Lightweight Scented
Our Rating:
There is simply nothing here to get excited over for the high relative price. Your cat, your patience, and your pocketbook will thank you if you go with one of the many better options that can be had for this price. It is available in 15.4, 20.8, 23.4 and 25.8-pound boxes , is comprised of clay and carbon, and is available in the premium-price tier.
Pros: Relatively lightweight
Cons: Extremely weak clumps that fall apart, powerful artificial perfume scent, struggles to retain cat odors, extremely mess, very expensive