Fresh Step Litter smells strongly like detergent

Kat0121

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
15,036
Purraise
20,362
Location
Sunny Florida
The scented ones often do. Try the unscented if you like the brand. A lot of people use and swear by the pine pellets. My cats wouldn't use it. They refused to walk on the pellets even when I mixed it with their usual litter.
 

DreamerRose

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
8,744
Purraise
11,085
Location
Naperville, IL
It's Febreeze you smell in Fresh Step. It will tone down after a while. My cats don't object to it, and it is the best odor-control litter available. I wouldn't use anything else.

It can't be toxic because I've been using it for at least five years, and my two cats are healthy.
 

Kat0121

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
15,036
Purraise
20,362
Location
Sunny Florida
It's Febreeze you smell in Fresh Step. It will tone down after a while. My cats don't object to it, and it is the best odor-control litter available. I wouldn't use anything else.

It can't be toxic because I've been using it for at least five years, and my two cats are healthy.
I agree. We've been using it for years too and mine are also. Unscented is always an option if someone objects to it though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

lemcat

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
59
Purraise
8
If it's the best, does that mean it will be more expensive than other litters? (I haven't done price comparison)
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,429
Purraise
33,191
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Fresh Step is a bit more expensive than some of the others. I use the Ultra Unscented version (no more costly than the unscented one), and as far as I am concerned it is worth it. There is some dust when you first pour it into the litter box, but not afterward when you scoop. When adding litter, I just tilt the box as close to the bottom of the litter box as I can to diminish the 'dust cloud'.
 

DreamerRose

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
8,744
Purraise
11,085
Location
Naperville, IL
If it's the best, does that mean it will be more expensive than other litters? (I haven't done price comparison)
I've never seen the unscented kind, but the scented kind is about the same price as other types. Checking Chewy.com, it's cheaper than many of the others, except clay. Chewy also has the unscented kind as well as several other scented ones.

It's the best in my humble opinion, as well as a few other members of this site.
 

She's a witch

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
1,780
Purraise
2,371
Location
Europe/WA, USA
lots of people here use pine pellets as an alternative to clay litter. If you're worried about the effect of litter to your cat's health, I'd recommend trying natural litters over clay litter, there's lots of choices out there, but none cheaper than pine pellets. You'd need a special shifting litter box though and be prepared to longer transition, as some cats don't like pellets.
 

livismom1

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jun 27, 2020
Messages
104
Purraise
114
I used to use scented clay litters and it was like spraying air freshener in the bathroom after my ex would eat Taco Bell. Flowery poop. With my daughter's cat, I tried the Frisco unscented and only slightly smell anything when I go to tie off the bag in the Litter Genie once a week. He is a big boy so we do scoop his litter box every day or two (if lazy).I would LOVE to try to get away from clay litters, but he doesn't do well with change and so I have been to afraid to go there yet.
 

She's a witch

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
1,780
Purraise
2,371
Location
Europe/WA, USA
I used to use scented clay litters and it was like spraying air freshener in the bathroom after my ex would eat Taco Bell. Flowery poop. With my daughter's cat, I tried the Frisco unscented and only slightly smell anything when I go to tie off the bag in the Litter Genie once a week. He is a big boy so we do scoop his litter box every day or two (if lazy).I would LOVE to try to get away from clay litters, but he doesn't do well with change and so I have been to afraid to go there yet.
I think grass seed litters have the texture most similar to the lightweight clay litters and they may be easiest to transition to, but they do tend to be expensive (although last longer imo) and track a lot.
I’ve always used natural litters, but recently tried the clay respiratory relief for my asthmatic girl and I was shocked how dusty it was, beyond belief. So I’m thinking, if respiratory relief litter is so dusty, are regular clay litters even dustier? If so, I can’t even imagine how harmful it must be. Of course I’m biased against dust because of my cat’s condition, plus my cats are diggers, but I’m guessing it can be harmful even for healthy kitties.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

lemcat

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
59
Purraise
8
I've never seen the unscented kind, but the scented kind is about the same price as other types. Checking Chewy.com, it's cheaper than many of the others, except clay. Chewy also has the unscented kind as well as several other scented ones.

It's the best in my humble opinion, as well as a few other members of this site.
Is chewy.com cheaper than Amazon?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

lemcat

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
59
Purraise
8
lots of people here use pine pellets as an alternative to clay litter. If you're worried about the effect of litter to your cat's health, I'd recommend trying natural litters over clay litter, there's lots of choices out there, but none cheaper than pine pellets. You'd need a special shifting litter box though and be prepared to longer transition, as some cats don't like pellets.
Does the pine pellet do a poor job in containing smell?
 

lavishsqualor

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
1,954
Purraise
3,150
I'd love to switch to pine litter but I'm uncertain how to do it. I used to have seven litter boxes in my house for my three cats, but the only one they ever used was the large Stearite tub that holds about thirty to thirty five pounds of unscented Fresh Step clumping litter. They love that box so I got rid of the others. We scoop it 2 to 3 times a day and there's never any odor whatsoever. Given that my cats like a large box with a large amount of litter, I've never been sure how to go about switching over to pine.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,429
Purraise
33,191
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
I'd love to switch to pine litter but I'm uncertain how to do it. I used to have seven litter boxes in my house for my three cats, but the only one they ever used was the large Stearite tub that holds about thirty to thirty five pounds of unscented Fresh Step clumping litter. They love that box so I got rid of the others. We scoop it 2 to 3 times a day and there's never any odor whatsoever. Given that my cats like a large box with a large amount of litter, I've never been sure how to go about switching over to pine.
You can always try placing another large Sterlite tub with pine pellets close by the one you have now with litter, just to see if they would use it.
 

She's a witch

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
1,780
Purraise
2,371
Location
Europe/WA, USA
Does the pine pellet do a poor job in containing smell?
I’ve never used it personally (I need clumping litter plus my cat doesn’t like pellets) but from what I read it smells very fresh and nice and does a good job at containing smells. You can look for the existing threads about pine pellets.
 

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
my new cat use pine pellet litter (never used anything else because she was an adopted stray) i am so glad she wants to use it. even without special sifting litter it's easy to clean. i just use some kind of plastic food strainer, and scoop the dirty litter and sift it, put the solid one back.

it absorb smells very good. for pee, it doesn't smell at all. like i can put my nose very near the spot and it doesn't smell. for poo depend on your cat. if your cat is burying them meticulously, it won't smell too bad. if they just leave it in the open, then it might smell a bit, but i clean the box everytime she poops anyway.
 

lavishsqualor

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
1,954
Purraise
3,150
I bought THIS last night and picked up a forty pound bag of pine pellets at Tractor Supply. My cats are not at all picky when it comes to litter so we'll see. My main concern is odor control. I have Amazon Prime so I figure it's worth a shot. If it doesn't work I can always send it back.
 
Top