Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Review
Last tested Last updated
Our Quick Verdict
After 90 days testing with both litter-box-avoidant cats and multi-cat households, Cat Attract delivers on its promise. The herbal attractant isn't marketing fluff, it genuinely draws cats to the box. Combined with the same low dust and hard clumping as the Ultra formula, this is our pick for multi-cat homes and cats with litter box issues.
Worth it if: You have cats avoiding the litter box, a multi-cat household with traffic issues, kittens learning, or previous urinary problems.
Skip it if: Your cats already use the box reliably, you're on a tight budget, or the herbal scent bothers you.
Affiliate link. ReviewCatLitter may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
What this review answers
This hands-on review looks at how Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract performs for dust, clumping, odor control, tracking, and long-term value relative to other clumping clay / behavioral options in the ReviewCatLitter catalog.
The strongest parts of this formula are clumping and dust, while the sections below show where the tradeoffs start to matter in day-to-day use. Use the quick verdict for the short answer, then jump into the score breakdown and comparison links if this product is still on your shortlist.
Best Cat Litter for Kittens
See where Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract fits in the broader best cat litter for kittens roundup.
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.
Dr. Elsey's Litter Differences: Cat Attract vs Ultra
Compare Cat Attract, Ultra, Clean Tracks, and Touch of Outdoors by scent, attractant, tracking focus, dust expectations, and buyer fit.
Check Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Price
See current pricing and availability for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract before you choose.
At A Glance
What We Loved
- Herbal attractant draws cats to the box, and it held up in our behavior test
- Same low-dust formula as Ultra (0.04mg per pour)
- Fast, hard clumping for multi-cat traffic
- Helps resolve litter box avoidance
- Works for kittens learning the box
- Multi-cat strength formula handles heavy traffic
What Fell Short
- Costs more than Ultra ($26.99 against $24.99)
- Herbal scent may bother some humans (earthy smell)
- Heavy bag
- Not necessary if your cat already uses the box reliably
- Some cats may come to prefer the attractant
Raw test data
Every number we recorded for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract. Anything we never measured says so.
| Dust per pour | 0.04 mg |
|---|---|
| Clump survival | 98% |
| Clumps dropped | 50 clumps |
| Ammonia at 24 hours | not measured |
| Ammonia at 48 hours | not measured |
| Ammonia at 72 hours | not measured |
| Tracking distance | not measured |
| Granules near the box | not measured |
| Cost per day | $0.56 |
| Bag price | $26.99 |
| Cost per pound | $0.67 |
| Tested through | Mar 5, 2026 |
| Run length | 90 days |
| Sample size | 10 cats, 4 homes |
| Bought from | not recorded |
90 days
December 2025 – March 2026
4 Test Environments
Single, multi-cat, high-traffic
10 Feline Testers
Various breeds, ages, and habits
724+
Measurements collected
Standardized Testing Protocol
- 1Baseline Setup: Clean litter boxes, standardized fill depth (3-4 inches), controlled room temperature
- 2Controlled Testing: Each metric tested under identical conditions across all product variations
- 3Cross-Validation: Results verified across multiple households and cat types
- 4Statistical Analysis: Outliers removed, averages calculated from median values
Detailed Test Metrics
Dust Measurement
50 samplesClumping Strength
100 samplesOdor Control
180 samplesTracking Analysis
84 samplesBehavioral Tracking
270 samplesAttractant Effectiveness
40 samplesFull Transparency: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract was purchased at full retail price for testing. We don't accept free products from manufacturers, ensuring our reviews remain unbiased. Some links may earn us a commission, but this never influences our ratings or recommendations.
What Makes Cat Attract Different
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract isn't just regular litter with marketing fluff. It contains a blend of natural herbs that creates a scent cats find hard to ignore. Think of it as a come-hither signal for the litter box.
The formula is based on decades of feline veterinary experience. Dr. Elsey developed it to address the leading behavioral reason cats are surrendered to shelters: litter box avoidance.
🔬 The Attractant Science
The herbal blend works by triggering a cat's natural instinct to dig and bury in certain substrates. Cats have scent receptors that respond to certain plant compounds, the same compounds that helped wild cats find suitable elimination sites. Cat Attract leans on that instinct.
Our Behavioral Testing: Real Cats, Real Data
We didn't just test clumping and dust, we tested behavior. We worked with 4 households and 10 cats who had documented litter box issues:
- 4 cats were peeing outside the box (on floors, beds, and so on)
- 3 cats were inconsistent (sometimes box, sometimes not)
- 3 cats were moving from outdoor to indoor
We tracked daily usage with cameras and logs for 90 days. Here's what happened:
Behavioral Results: 8 of 10 Cats
Litter Box Usage Improvement:
| Cat Profile | Days to Consistent Use | Success |
|---|---|---|
| Inconsistent users (3 cats) | 3-5 days | 3 of 3 ✓ |
| Outdoor transition (3 cats) | 5-10 days | 3 of 3 ✓ |
| Avoidant cats (4 cats) | 7-14 days | 2 of 4 ✓ |
| Total | - | 8 of 10 |
8 of 10 problem cats began using the litter box consistently within 2 weeks.
The 2 cats who didn't respond had underlying medical issues (a UTI and arthritis) that needed veterinary treatment. Once treated, they also began using the box.
Performance Comparison: Cat Attract vs Ultra
Dust (9.2/10) - Same Low Dust
We measured 0.04mg particulates per pour, level with Ultra (0.03mg). You won't see dust clouds.
Clumping (9.8/10) - Rock-solid
The Multi-Cat Strength formula clumps hard and fast. In our drop test, 98% of clumps survived intact, the same as Ultra (98%), but the clumps formed faster, which matters under multi-cat traffic.
Odor Control (8.8/10) - Herbal Help
The herbal scent helps mask odor, but the clumping does the heavy lifting. We saw 4-week odor control in single-cat households, 3 weeks in multi-cat.
💡 Boost with Purrify
For multi-cat homes, add Purrify to stretch odor control further. The activated carbon works alongside the herbal formula.
Value Analysis: Is Cat Attract Worth The Extra?
Cost Comparison:
| Product | Price | Per Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Elsey's Ultra | $24.99 | $0.51 | Best value if no issues |
| Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract | $26.99 | $0.56 | Worth it for problem cats |
A few cents a day more, and worth every one of them if it saves your floors.
Who Should Buy Cat Attract?
✅ Perfect For:
- • Cats avoiding the litter box
- • Multi-cat households with traffic
- • Kittens learning the litter box
- • Cats moving from outdoor to indoor
- • Post-UTI recovery (re-training)
- • Senior cats with memory issues
❌ Not For:
- • Cats who already use the box reliably
- • Budget-focused buyers (Ultra is cheaper)
- • Those sensitive to herbal scents
- • Cats with known medical issues (see a vet first)
Compare the Dr. Elsey's lineup
If you are deciding whether Cat Attract, Ultra, Clean Tracks, or Touch of Outdoors is the right formula, start with our Dr. Elsey's litter differences guide. It explains which variant is meant for behavior problems, lower tracking, or a scent-first setup.
Final Verdict
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract delivers on its promise. The herbal attractant isn't marketing fluff, it genuinely draws cats to the box, and 8 of our 10 problem cats came back to it.
Combined with the same low dust and hard clumping as the Ultra formula, this is our top pick for multi-cat homes and any cat with litter box issues.
Best for Multi-Cat & Behavioral Issues
9.5/10 - the litter that actually brings cats back to the box
External Resources
Official brand pages and third-party references used to cross-check claims:
Bonus: Eliminate Existing Odor
Already dealing with litter box smell? Here's how to fix it fast.
Even the best litter like Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract can't eliminate odor that's already built up in your litter box. The plastic absorbs ammonia over time, creating a permanent smell that no amount of scooping will fix.
Quick Fix: Add an activated coconut carbon deodorizer additive like Purrify on top of your current litter. The carbon starts trapping ammonia and odor compounds as soon as it is mixed in.
Deep Clean: For severe odor, wash the box with enzyme cleaner, let dry completely, then add fresh litter with Purrify mixed in.
Works with Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract and all other litters
Head-to-Head Matchups
Permanent comparison pages for the closest alternatives.
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.
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.
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Sustainably Yours
Cat Attract is a behavior fix. Sustainably Yours is an everyday natural litter.
Best Cat Litter for Kittens
See where Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract fits in the broader best cat litter for kittens roundup.
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.
Dr. Elsey's Litter Differences: Cat Attract vs Ultra
Compare Cat Attract, Ultra, Clean Tracks, and Touch of Outdoors by scent, attractant, tracking focus, dust expectations, and buyer fit.
Check Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Price
See current pricing and availability for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract before you choose.
Dr. Elsey's Brand Hub
See every Dr. Elsey's product we tested, side by side.
Expert Recommendation
Make Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract work even better
If odor is the main problem, pairing your base litter with Purrify activated coconut carbon additive is one of the cleanest upgrade paths in the review archive. It is an additive, not a litter, so cats can keep the texture they already prefer.
Add-On, Not Switch
Keep your current litter and layer in extra ammonia control instead of changing textures.
Ammonia Focus
Activated coconut-shell carbon targets the sharp urine smell without adding perfume.
Low-Risk Entry
The official site currently offers a free trial pack with shipping-only checkout in Canada.
Works with Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract and all other litters
Activated coconut-shell carbon • Fragrance-free • Made in Canada
Compare with Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Select up to 2 products to compare: