# Cat litter for odor control

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/pets/cat-litter/odor-control/
Category: Pets > Cat litter. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 356 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Mar 2018 to Oct 2026.

**Question:** Which cat litter keeps the litter box from smelling?

**Short answer:** Fresh Step Odor Shield Multi-Cat Litter has the best record for odor: 30 of 32 owners said the box stopped smelling. Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter (31 of 36) and Arm & Hammer Slide Easy Clean-Up Litter (29 of 34) are close behind. World's Best Clumping Formula has the weakest record here, with owners split almost down the middle (16 of 31).

**What stands out:** When a litter falls short, owners describe the smell coming back: 44% of World's Best Clumping Formula reviews, 29% of Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Litter reviews and 22% of World's Best Multiple Cat Formula reviews say odor came through.

## Ranking (pet owners who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Kept smell down | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh Step Odor Shield Multi-Cat Litter | 30 of 32 | 94% | yes |
| 2 | Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter | 31 of 36 | 86% | yes |
| 3 | Arm & Hammer Slide Easy Clean-Up Litter | 29 of 34 | 85% | yes |
| 4 | World's Best Multiple Cat Formula | 22 of 31 | 71% | yes |
| 5 | PrettyLitter Cat Litter | 26 of 38 | 68% | yes |
| 6 | Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Litter | 39 of 61 | 64% | yes |
| 7 | World's Best Clumping Formula | 16 of 31 | 52% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Fresh Step Odor Shield Multi-Cat Litter

Owners were close to unanimous on smell, and 40% of reviews also praise the clumps. Reviews copied from Fresh Step's own site are far less happy (1 of 5), which we show but don't count.

- Praised for: Clumps well (40%), Low dust (8%), Cat uses it happily (8%)
- Complaints: Dusty (13%), Tracks everywhere (8%), Clumps fall apart or stick (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 2. Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter

Owners like how long a bag of these crystals lasts (28% of reviews), and 20% say it tracks little. The catch is price, which 18% call too high.

- Praised for: Lasts a long time (28%), Tracks little (20%), Low dust (18%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (18%), Tracks everywhere (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 3. Arm & Hammer Slide Easy Clean-Up Litter

Smell control comes with a clean pour: 40% of reviews call it low dust and 45% praise the clumps. 8% find the scent too strong.

- Praised for: Clumps well (45%), Low dust (40%), Tracks little (10%)
- Complaints: Perfume too strong (8%), Tracks everywhere (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 4. World's Best Multiple Cat Formula

20% of reviews say a bag goes a long way, but 20% complain about tracking. The brand's own site is warmer at 8 of 9, shown on the page but not counted.

- Praised for: Lasts a long time (20%), Clumps well (18%), Low dust (15%)
- Complaints: Tracks everywhere (20%), Clumps fall apart or stick (8%), Dusty (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 5. PrettyLitter Cat Litter

Every review copied from PrettyLitter's own site is positive (10 of 10), and we show those without counting them. Target reviewers are more mixed, and 15% call it too expensive.

- Praised for: Lasts a long time (15%), Cat uses it happily (13%), Lightweight (13%)
- Complaints: Tracks everywhere (18%), Too expensive (15%), Dusty (8%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 6. Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Litter

More owners weighed in on this litter than on any other here, and 39 of 61 said it kept the smell down. After smell, tracking is the common gripe, at 22% of reviews.

- Praised for: Clumps well (35%), Lightweight (23%), Cat uses it happily (10%)
- Complaints: Tracks everywhere (22%), Clumps fall apart or stick (12%), Dusty (9%)
- Reports counted: 77

### 7. World's Best Clumping Formula

18% of reviews say their cat used it happily and 21% call it low dust, but smell control is hit or miss.

- Praised for: Clumps well (23%), Low dust (21%), Cat uses it happily (18%)
- Complaints: Tracks everywhere (21%), Dusty (10%), Clumps fall apart or stick (8%)
- Reports counted: 39

## Questions

**Which cat litter keeps the smell down?**

Fresh Step Odor Shield Multi-Cat Litter has the best record (30 of 32), followed by Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter (31 of 36) and Arm & Hammer Slide Easy Clean-Up Litter (29 of 34).

**Does crystal litter control odor?**

On this page the crystal choice is Fresh Step Crystals Premium Cat Litter, and 31 of 36 owners said it kept the smell down. 12% of its reviews say odor still came through.

**Is PrettyLitter good at odor control?**

It works for a lot of owners, at 26 of 38, but it sits in the middle of this list. 30% of its reviews say the smell came through and 18% mention tracking.

**Does Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance control odor?**

For 39 of 61 owners it did, which puts it in the lower half of this list. 35% of its reviews praise the clumps and 23% like how light it is to carry.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/