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 Purina Tidy Cats: Which Should You Buy?
Tidy Cats is fine while the box is working. Cat Attract is what you switch to when it stops. Nothing in a Tidy Cats bag addresses avoidance. Cat Attract adds the herbal draw and a far lower dust reading, for a good deal more money.
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.
Clumping Clay (Budget)
Purina Tidy Cats
A grocery-store staple with broad availability, lots of variants, and okay overall performance without excelling anywhere specific.
Overall score
7.9/10
Cost per day
$0.39
Reviewed Feb 28, 2026
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
Purina Tidy Cats at $0.39/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
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract 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 | Purina Tidy Cats | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust weighed per pourParticulates caught in the air while the bag goes into the box. Lower is better. | 0.04 mgbetter | 0.50 mg | 0.46 mg |
| Clumps that survived the drop testShare of clumps still whole after a three-foot drop. Higher is better. | 98%better | 62% | 36 points |
| Bag priceWhat the tested bag cost. Bag sizes differ, so read it next to cost per pound. | $26.99 | $15.49 | $11.50 |
| Cost per poundBag price divided by what is in the bag. Lower is better. | $0.67 | $0.44better | $0.23 |
| Cost per dayWhat the box costs to keep running each day. Lower is better. | $0.56 | $0.39better | $0.17 |
| Cost across a yearThat daily cost carried over a full year of use. Lower is better. | $204 | $142better | $62 |
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 | 7.9 |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $26.99 | $15.49 |
| Weight | 40 lbs | 35 lbs |
| Cost / Day | $0.56 | $0.39 |
| Performance | ||
| Dust Control | 9.2 0.04mg per pour | 5.8 0.50mg per pour |
| Clumping | 9.8 Rock-solid | 7.2 Average |
| Odor Control | 8.8 Strong unscented control | 7.5 Solid for budget clay |
| Tracking Outside the Box | 7.3 Moderate | 5.9 Moderate-high |
| Value for Cost | 8.6 $0.56/day · $26.99 | 8.2 $0.39/day · $15.49 |
| Features | ||
| Type | Clumping Clay | Budget Clumping Clay |
| Flushable | ||
| Scented | No | Yes |
| Our Verdict | ||
| Best For | Cats avoiding the litter box | Easy grocery-store replenishment |
| 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
Purina Tidy Cats
Purina Tidy Cats makes the most sense for easy grocery-store replenishment.
Worth it if
You want a grocery-store staple with broad availability, lots of variants, and okay overall performance without excelling anywhere specific.
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
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal vs Purina Tidy Cats
Clump & Seal is worth the step up from Tidy Cats if smell is the reason you are shopping. Tidy Cats is cheaper by the bag and easier to find.
Winner: Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal
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 Purina Tidy Cats
Ultra beat Tidy Cats on every performance reading we took, so this comes down to whether you will pay more per day.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Ultra
Related matchup
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Sustainably Yours
Cat Attract is a behavior fix. Sustainably Yours is an everyday natural litter.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Related matchup
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs World's Best Cat Litter
If the cat is going on the rug, start with Cat Attract. If the cat is fine and you want to flush the waste, World's Best is the better everyday buy.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Quick Answers
Which is better: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Purina Tidy Cats?
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract comes out ahead on the balance of dust, clumping, odor control, tracking and daily cost. Purina Tidy Cats is still the one to buy for easy grocery-store replenishment.
Which is cheaper per day: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Purina Tidy Cats?
Purina Tidy Cats runs at $0.39 a day against $0.56 for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract.
Which controls smell better: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Purina Tidy Cats?
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract scored higher: strong unscented control, against solid for budget clay for Purina Tidy Cats.
Which tracks less outside the litter box: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract or Purina Tidy Cats?
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract keeps more litter in the box: moderate, against moderate-high for Purina Tidy Cats.