Many people rave about Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal cat litter. It’s a popular cat litter that’s widely distributed and easy to find. But is it worth the hype? Is it worth your hard-earned money, and is it a good choice for your beloved cat?
Our Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Review covers everything that you need to know, in one place. And- spoiler alert- the final verdict, in this case, is favorable.
Arm & Hammer declares that this formulation of litter will give you a rock-solid clump that simultaneously seals in odors. If you have multiple cats, you will probably know that odors can be a challenge. If this product works, it could really benefit a multiple-cat household. (Or, a single-cat household).
The Arm & Hammer website describes how their proprietory formula works: micro-granules in their litter are activated by the moisture in your cat’s urine; this odor is sealed into the clump the litter then forms, while the baking soda ingredient in the litter then destroys the odor.
In addition to this featured pledge, A&H promises to:
This sounds like a solid plan, but obviously, it has to work.
It should be noted that a 7-day odor guarantee doesn’t mean that you don’t have to scoop for 7 days. Scooping is a must daily. This is the way it is with all litter, unless you get a self-cleaning litter box. I have one of these, and although they are more expensive, they do save you time while giving you convenience.
For more on automatic litter boxes as alternatives to daily scooping, see this article.
On the reputable website, All About Cats, testers found that Arm & Hammer did live up to some of its claims. This formulation, they feel, was almost entirely dust-free, it was very low tracking, and it did provide long-lasting odor control when tested on a household of three cats.
Hard clumps were formed around cat urine, and baking soda did a fabulous job destroying odors. In addition, the 7-day guarantee for odor protection was lived up to.
An interesting aspect they made note of was the sandy texture. While they thought this would naturally lead to more tracking due to smaller particles, it actually didn’t. This also didn’t create dust.
In fact, they even go so far as to recommend this litter as the best for multi-cat households. See the clip below. The video is taken from a longer one of their favorite litters for various issues.
Downsides to this litter to All About Cats, (especially considering their rave review on the above video), were not deal breakers or seemed to be cat-specific provisos. Let me explain. It is not as complicated as it may sound.
“Litter itself has a slight scent that, while not overpowering, some cats dislike.”
Cats have very sensitive noses. Many cats do not like scented litter because of this. To them, it is much more powerful than to us. This aspect alone is enough to turn some cats off of their litter box. Since this liter does have a slight scent, all though it is not very strong, it can turn some cats off. This depends entirely on your cat.
“Sandy texture, some cats may not like it.”
Similar to scent, cats have very sensitive paws. Every cat is different, and yours may not like the sandy texture. However, in general, a sandy, soft texture is liked by most felines.
“Some clumps may break apart during scooping.”
This is a bit of a drawback mainly because Arm & Hammer really totes the clumping ability of this formulation of litter. That being said, your litter scoop will catch most of those clumps broken or not anyways, so this probably won’t be a deal-breaker. AAC still reports that clumps are nonetheless easy to dispose of.
Along with AllAboutCats, the SprucePets agrees that this Arm & Hammer formula prevents odors, is dust-free, and has low tracking.
After a week of testing the product with their cat Mila, they concluded that the formula lived up to its seven-day odor-free guarantee. Moreover, they state that even when we were scooping, they didn’t smell any unpleasant aromas, adding, “We know that sounds implausible, but the litter was really that good!”
SprucePets also found that the litter had a slight scent, but that it wasn’t over-powering. Once poured into the pan, it appeared to dissipate. This smell didn’t bother them, even though they usually preferred unscented litter.
Their final verdict is interesting. If you can look past the crumbling clumps, they feel the litter is a solid choice, and they give it a very good, 4 out of 5 stars.
Again, the emphasis is on a great product with some clumping concerns. However, both reviews note that this isn’t a huge problem with scooping overall. SprucePets even goes so far as to say, “If this cat litter clumped together even slightly more, it’d be perfect. But besides that one caveat, it’s still pretty good. ”
On Amazon.com reviews for this product, there are 491 ratings. 71% are five-star ratings, and 18%. are four-stars. 11% are 3 or under. You are 89% likely to be more than satisfied with this product, according to these stats.
Top Positive Review
Mr & Mrs. Souvie 5.0 out of 5 stars The best cat litter I have ever found Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2015 Verified Purchase: Seriously this stuff is like magic. I use this in combination of a microban litterbox and I constantly ask guests if they can smell the cat box (it’s in my kitchen!) and noone can. I have 3 cats, most of which do not cover their poop… so this litter is a godsend. The best part is if I forget to clean the litterbox and it gets super full, I can just clean it as normal and it’s like new. With other litters usually a too full litterbox would mean you had to dump out the entire litter because the pee and poo would break up and all the loose litter would smell. This stuff is truely magical and I tell every person I meet with cats about this!
(4 people found this helpful)
Top Critical Review
Victoria Hampton 1.0 out of 5 stars Bad Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2022: It says 100% cloud free and it’s definitely not. I used to get the cloud control multi cat version and that one is 100% dust free but it’s sold out everywhere. This one also has a strong chemical smell to it. Won’t be buying this one unless I have to again.
It is true that clay litter isn’t very environmentally friendly. In an ideal world, we would definitely have another source of litter… and, fortunately, alternative litter sources are becoming more available. They are also becoming more effective.
If it is possible for you to buy a litter that is good for the earth, works for your cat, and works for you, please do. However, if you have to give up your cat because you can’t afford more eco-friendly options, please keep your cat with you in a loving home, and purchase more basic litter like the one we covered in this review.
We need eco-friendly products, but we also need great stewardship of the animals on this planet. Please keep your furry friend with you and buy the cheaper litter! Even if there is clay in it! The human race will get there soon with ideal cat litter for the planet, but your cat needs you now 🙂
In terms of safety with clay litter, I would avoid it for kittens because they are so small. If they groom themselves and the litter gets in their system, or if they swallow it, the sodium bentonite in the clay can expand and cause critical issues. I would make sure that you purchase a litter that is safe for kittens. For adult cats, clay litter should not be a problem.
If you can afford more expensive litter that’s good for the planet- go for it!
For eco-friendly options, see this article.
Some popular examples are Feline Pine and OkoCat, as well as sWheat Scoop.
For more on OkoCat, check out our review here.
There you have it! It’s conclusive that this product is a solid choice for your household. You are very likely to be happy with your purchase, with a single cat or with multi-cats. Besides clumps that fall apart occasionally, but do not detract from ease of cleaning, this litter covers all the bases at a good price.
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