Clumping Clay / Behavioral
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Herbal attractant actually works for litter-box-avoidant cats, with the same low-dust multi-cat clay performance as Ultra.
Overall score
9.5/10
Cost per day
$0.56
Reviewed Mar 5, 2026
Head-to-head comparison
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Naturally Fresh Walnut: Which Should You Buy?
Cat Attract is for box avoidance. Naturally Fresh is for anyone who wants a plant litter that still clumps hard. Different problems at a similar bag price, and buying the wrong one solves neither.
ReviewCatLitter editorial teamUpdated Mar 5, 2026
This comparison page is maintained by the ReviewCatLitter editorial team and grounded in the same scoring framework used across the published review catalog.
Walnut Shell (Natural)
Naturally Fresh Walnut
A walnut-shell litter that clumps harder than many natural competitors and absorbs odor naturally without added fragrance.
Overall score
8.8/10
Cost per day
$0.54
Reviewed Nov 18, 2025
Overall winner
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract is the strongest all-around pick in this comparison for cats avoiding the litter box.
Lowest daily cost
Naturally Fresh Walnut at $0.54/day
Budget is often the deciding factor in this tier.
Best odor control
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract at Strong unscented control
Odor control often decides whether a litter feels tolerable long term.
Tracks less outside the box
Naturally Fresh Walnut at Moderate
Tracking can be more important than overall score in small spaces.
What we actually measured
Every figure below is a reading from our own test runs, not a rating. Where a run never took a reading it says so.
| Reading | Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract | Naturally Fresh Walnut | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust weighed per pourParticulates caught in the air while the bag goes into the box. Lower is better. | 0.04 mgbetter | 0.13 mg | 0.09 mg |
| Clumps that survived the drop testShare of clumps still whole after a three-foot drop. Higher is better. | 98%better | 89% | 9 points |
| Bag priceWhat the tested bag cost. Bag sizes differ, so read it next to cost per pound. | $26.99 | $24.99 | $2.00 |
| Cost per poundBag price divided by what is in the bag. Lower is better. | $0.67better | $0.96 | $0.29 |
| Cost per dayWhat the box costs to keep running each day. Lower is better. | $0.56 | $0.54better | $0.02 |
| Cost across a yearThat daily cost carried over a full year of use. Lower is better. | $204 | $197better | $7 |
Neither run recorded granules outside the box, ammonia after one day and ammonia after three days, so those rows are left out rather than filled in from a similar bag. The full test data shows every reading we have.
Why Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract wins this matchup
Primary tradeoff: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract's weakest area here is tracking.
Best dust control here at 0.04mg per pour.
Strongest odor control in this set with strong unscented control.
Clumping is a real edge: rock-solid.
| Product | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $26.99 | $24.99 |
| Weight | 40 lbs | 26 lbs |
| Cost / Day | $0.56 | $0.54 |
| Performance | ||
| Dust Control | 9.2 0.04mg per pour | 8.1 0.13mg per pour |
| Clumping | 9.8 Rock-solid | 8.9 Hard for natural litter |
| Odor Control | 8.8 Strong unscented control | 8.4 Strong natural absorption |
| Tracking Outside the Box | 7.3 Moderate | 7.4 Moderate |
| Value for Cost | 8.6 $0.56/day · $26.99 | 8.1 $0.54/day · $24.99 |
| Features | ||
| Type | Clumping Clay | Walnut Shell |
| Flushable | ||
| Scented | No | No |
| Our Verdict | ||
| Best For | Cats avoiding the litter box | Natural clumping without corn |
| Read ReviewCheck Price | Read ReviewCheck Price | |
Best fit
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract makes the most sense for cats avoiding the litter box.
Worth it if
You want herbal attractant actually works for litter-box-avoidant cats, with the same low-dust multi-cat clay performance as ultra.
Skip it if
You need a formula that solves cats avoiding the litter box better.
Best fit
Naturally Fresh Walnut
Naturally Fresh Walnut makes the most sense for natural clumping without corn.
Worth it if
You want a walnut-shell litter that clumps harder than many natural competitors and absorbs odor naturally without added fragrance.
Skip it if
You need a formula that solves cats avoiding the litter box better.
If neither option is quite right
The closest litters we have tested to this matchup, on score and on price.
Clumping Clay
Dr. Elsey's Ultra
Weighed 0.03mg per pour and runs at $0.51 a day.
Best for dust-sensitive homes
Premium Clumping Clay
Boxiecat Premium
Weighed 0.04mg per pour and runs at $0.55 a day.
Best for lowest-maintenance scooping
Natural Corn + Cassava
Sustainably Yours
Weighed 0.11mg per pour and runs at $0.63 a day.
Best for best-performing natural litter shoppers
Read the full reviews
Use this page to choose a winner quickly, then open the full product reviews if you want the long-form test notes.
Keep comparing nearby options
Related matchups that share one of the same products and answer the next likely decision.
Related matchup
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Dr. Elsey's Ultra
Buy Ultra unless your cat has stopped using the box, which is the one job Cat Attract does better.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Related matchup
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal vs Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Cat Attract is what you try when your cat is missing the box. Clump & Seal is what you buy when the bag price decides it.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Related matchup
Dr. Elsey's Ultra vs Naturally Fresh Walnut
Ultra holds its clumps better and pours less dust. Naturally Fresh is the plant litter that gets closest to it, for a little more per day.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Ultra
Related matchup
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal vs Naturally Fresh Walnut
Naturally Fresh is the way out of fragrance and heavy dust without paying premium clay money.
Winner: Naturally Fresh Walnut
Related matchup
Naturally Fresh Walnut vs Sustainably Yours
Naturally Fresh is the cheaper natural bag and clumps nearly as hard. Sustainably Yours flushes and tracks less.
Winner: Sustainably Yours
Related matchup
Naturally Fresh Walnut vs World's Best Cat Litter
Corn against walnut. World's Best flushes and barely leaves the tray. Naturally Fresh held more clumps together in our drop test and costs less per day.
Winner: Naturally Fresh Walnut
Quick Answers
Which is better: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Naturally Fresh Walnut?
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract comes out ahead on the balance of dust, clumping, odor control, tracking and daily cost. Naturally Fresh Walnut is still the one to buy for natural clumping without corn.
Which is cheaper per day: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Naturally Fresh Walnut?
Naturally Fresh Walnut runs at $0.54 a day against $0.56 for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract.
Which controls smell better: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Naturally Fresh Walnut?
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract scored higher: strong unscented control, against strong natural absorption for Naturally Fresh Walnut.
Which tracks less outside the litter box: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Naturally Fresh Walnut?
Naturally Fresh Walnut keeps more litter in the box: moderate, against moderate for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract.