Clump & Seal. Slide. Double Duty. Super Scoop. Cloud Control. Naturals.
Six boxes on the same shelf, all orange, all promising odour control, all sounding roughly identical.
The differences are genuinely real, though, and one of them solves the specific bit of this chore that everyone complains about.
The unscented box is also the cheap one. Super Scoop Unscented and Double Duty both cost $59.82 for 120 pounds, about 50 cents a pound. Clump & Seal and Slide cost $59.97 for 84 pounds, about 71 cents. So starting your cat on unscented litter saves roughly 30 percent a pound as well.
And dust will not separate them. Every clay formula below is sold as 99.9 percent dust free, so pick on scent, clumping and cleanup instead.
What each formula actually does differently
The names are close to meaningless from the shelf, so here is what separates them in practice.
- Clump & Seal adds moisture-activated microgranules that form a seal around waste, on top of the baking soda. It is the strongest odour formula and the right pick for a multi-cat box.
- Slide coats the granules so used litter releases from the pan instead of cementing to it. It targets the cleaning chore rather than the smell.
- Double Duty targets odour from both urine and faeces, with baking soda plus a scent released each time your cat uses the box.
- Super Scoop is the plain, unscented workhorse. The safest choice for a cat with opinions.
- Cloud Control Platinum adds a dander shield for scooping and a light scent that leaves out 26 known scent allergens. Every clay formula here is sold as 99.9 percent dust free, so dust is not what sets it apart.
- Naturals is corn-based rather than clay entirely: lighter, biodegradable, much less dust, softer clumps.
How the baking soda part works. Litter box smell is mostly ammonia, produced as bacteria break down urea in cat urine. Sodium bicarbonate neutralises acidic odour compounds rather than perfuming over them, which is why it works without a heavy fragrance. Church & Dwight has been making baking soda since 1846, so this is the one brand where the ingredient is genuinely the company’s core competence.
The honest limit. No formula fixes a box that is not scooped. Seven days odour-free assumes daily scooping and a box changed on schedule. Odour control buys you margin, not permission to skip.
Here are the six side by side, using Chewy prices and what each listing claims.
| Formula | Material and scent | Pack and price | Per pound | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Scoop | Clay, unscented | 120 lb, $59.82 | $0.50 | You are starting out or your cat is fussy. Our pick. |
| Double Duty | Clay, scented | 120 lb, $59.82 | $0.50 | Stool odor is the bigger problem in your box. |
| Clump & Seal | Clay, scented | 84 lb, $59.97 | $0.71 | You run a busy multi-cat box. |
| Slide | Clay, non-stick | 84 lb, $59.97 | $0.71 | Scraping cemented litter is the part you hate. |
| Cloud Control Platinum | Clay, light hypoallergenic scent | 37 lb, $34.99 | $0.95 | Dander bothers someone when you scoop. |
| Naturals | Corn, scented | 36 lb, $37.98 | $1.06 | You want a lighter box. Listed as 50% lighter than clay. |
Scented or unscented, and why it matters
This is the choice most likely to cause a problem, and most people get it backwards by picking the strongest fragrance available.
A cat’s sense of smell is far more acute than ours. A fragrance that reads as pleasantly fresh to you can be overwhelming at nose level inside a covered box. Litter box avoidance is one of the most common behavioural complaints owners have, and litter type and scent are among the usual causes.
Start unscented. Super Scoop is the unscented option here. If odour genuinely beats you after honest daily scooping, move to Clump & Seal. Do not start at maximum fragrance and work backwards, because by then your cat may already have chosen a new spot.
And if a cat who reliably used their box suddenly stops, treat that as medical first. Urinary tract disease, kidney problems and arthritis all present as box avoidance, and the ASPCA covers the behavioural side once a vet has ruled out illness. Our guide to a cat not using the litter box goes through the causes in order.
How it compares
- Against Tidy Cats: both mainstream clay brands at similar prices. Arm & Hammer edges it on odour control, Tidy Cats has the Breeze pellet system as a genuine alternative.
- Against premium clay: comparable performance for less money. This is a value pick that does not feel like one.
- Against plant litters: clay clumps harder; plant litters are lighter, biodegradable and far less dusty. Naturals is the bridge if you want to try corn without leaving the brand.
- Weight is the real drawback. Clay is heavy, and a 40-lb box is genuinely difficult if you carry it upstairs.
Which Arm & Hammer should you buy?
Buy it if you want strong odour control from a widely stocked clay litter at a fair price. Clump & Seal for a busy multi-cat box, Super Scoop if your cat is fussy, and Slide if scraping the pan is the part you dread.
Skip clay altogether if dust or weight is your issue, and look at plant options like Naturally Fresh or Sustainably Yours. Compare the whole field in our best clumping cat litter guide.
Baking soda odour control from the company that has made baking soda since 1846, at mainstream prices, in formulas that genuinely differ once you know what to look for.
Slide is the underrated one if you hate scraping the pan, and Super Scoop is where to start with a fussy cat. Whatever you pick, scoop daily, because no formula substitutes for that. Arm & Hammer Litter Clump & Seal Multi-Cat Scented Clumping Clay Cat Litter, 84-lb bundle is the default. This article is educational rather than veterinary advice.
Arm & Hammer questions
Q: What is the difference between Clump & Seal and Slide?
Clump & Seal adds moisture-activated microgranules that seal around waste for maximum odour control. Slide adds a non-stick coating so used litter releases from the pan instead of cementing to it. Clump & Seal targets smell, Slide targets cleaning.
Q: Should I buy scented or unscented Arm & Hammer litter?
Start unscented with Super Scoop. Cats have a far more acute sense of smell than people, and strong fragrance inside a covered box is a common reason cats stop using it. Move to a scented odour formula only if unscented cannot keep up.
Q: Is Arm & Hammer litter dusty?
Arm & Hammer sells every clay formula here as 99.9 percent dust free, and Naturals is a low-dust corn litter. Clay still sheds some fine dust when poured. Pouring slowly from a low height cuts most of the dust you actually breathe.
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