Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Review
Cat Attract poured at 0.04mg per pour and scored 9.8/10 for clumping, the joint-highest clump score in this catalog. Skip it if your cat already uses the box without a fuss, because $0.56 a day buys a herb blend aimed at cats that do not.
Last tested Last updated
Measured (2026-03-05)
- Type
- Clumping Clay
- Bag
- 40 lbs
- Price tier
- $$$
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.
You have cats avoiding the litter box, a multi-cat household with traffic issues, kittens learning, or previous urinary problems.
Your cats already use the box reliably, you're on a tight budget, or the herbal scent bothers you.
What we liked
- 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 $20.99)
- 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
Dust
Same low dust
We measured 0.04mg particulates per pour, level with Ultra (0.03mg). You won't see dust clouds.
Clumping
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
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.
💡 Pro tip for multi-cat homes
An activated carbon additive stretches odor control further and works alongside the herbal formula.
Purrify - for when the litter is right and the room still smells
Activated carbon that goes into the litter you already use, so smell gets its own fix instead of a different bag. In our own use it made the biggest difference to litter-box smell of anything we have tried.
Read our Purrify guide to keeping the smell down with more than one cat.
- Activated carbon, sold in bags
- 5.0 Google rating
- Stocked in 40+ pet stores across Canada
Value
Is Cat Attract worth the extra?
Cost Comparison:
| Product | Price | Per Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Elsey's Ultra | $20.99 | $0.43 | 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.
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 |
How We Tested Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
90 days • 10 cats, 4 homes • tested Mar 5, 2026
How We Tested Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
90 days • 10 cats, 4 homes • tested Mar 5, 2026
90 days
December 2025 to March 2026
10 cats, 4 homes
Mar 5, 2026
not recorded
What we measured
Dust
0.04 mgAirborne dust caught on a filter and weighed while the bag is poured. A particle counter reads a pour too, but counts are not weights.
Clumping
98%Share of clumps that stayed whole in the 3-foot drop test.
Odor
not measuredAmmonia in the box, in parts per million, read as the run went on.
Tracking
not measuredGranules counted inside the 12-inch zone around the box.
How we buy: We take no free product from manufacturers.
What Makes Cat Attract Different
Cat Attract is clay litter carrying a blend of natural herbs. The herbs give off a scent cats find hard to walk past, which is the whole point of the product: it is aimed at the cat, not at you.
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. That tracks with what the Cornell Feline Health Center reports: an arthritic cat can find climbing into a box painful, and may avoid it for that reason alone, so scent is not always the fix.
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
Every score, spelled out
External resources
Official brand pages and third-party references used to cross-check claims:
One bag, one cat, one year
The sticker price is the least useful number on the bag. This is the same litter over a year, worked out from the price we last checked on Mar 5, 2026.
- Cat Attract, one cat, a year
- $204
- The middle litter on our bench, one cat, a year
- $190
Against the middle litter on our bench, one cat, over a year.
The closest three on our bench
Every matchup this litter is in
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
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
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
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
Boxiecat Premium vs Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Pick Cat Attract when a cat is going outside the box, and Boxiecat when scooping is the chore you want gone.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Arm & Hammer HardBall
HardBall is the cheaper way to get clumps that set fast and lift whole. Cat Attract only earns its price if your cat has stopped using the tray.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Fresh Step Scented
Fresh Step is the supermarket default. Cat Attract is a targeted fix for a cat that has started going on the floor.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Purina Tidy Cats
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.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract vs Naturally Fresh Walnut
Cat Attract is for box avoidance. Naturally Fresh is for anyone who wants a plant litter that still clumps hard.
Winner: Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract
Questions people ask
Does Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract actually work?
In our 90-day testing with 10 cats who showed litter box avoidance, 8 cats began using the litter box consistently within 5-14 days of switching to Cat Attract. The herbal attractant creates a scent that draws cats to investigate and use the box. It's not a magic solution, some cats have deeper behavioral or medical issues, but for cats who simply prefer other surfaces, it works remarkably well.
What's the difference between Cat Attract and Ultra?
Both have the same dust control and clumping performance. The key difference is the herbal attractant in Cat Attract, a blend of natural herbs that creates a scent cats find appealing. Cat Attract also clumps faster under multi-cat traffic. Ultra is unscented; Cat Attract has an earthy herbal scent. Cat Attract costs $26.99 against $20.99 for Ultra. If your cat already uses the box reliably, Ultra is the better value. If you have litter box issues, Cat Attract is worth the extra.
Can kittens use Cat Attract?
Yes, Cat Attract is excellent for kittens learning to use the litter box. The attractant helps them find and remember the litter box location. We recommend it for kittens 8 weeks and older. For very young kittens (4-8 weeks), use a non-clumping formula until they're older.
Will my cat become dependent on the attractant?
Some cats may prefer Cat Attract and be reluctant to switch back to regular litter. However, this isn't a true dependency, it's preference. If you want to move away from Cat Attract after litter box issues are resolved, do it gradually: mix in 25% regular litter, then 50%, then 75% over 2-3 weeks. Or just keep using Cat Attract, it's the same quality as Ultra with the attractant added.
Is the herbal scent strong?
The herbal scent is noticeable but not overpowering. It's an earthy, natural smell, not perfumey like scented litters. Most people find it pleasant or neutral. If you're very sensitive to smells, you may notice it more. The scent comes from natural herbs (the exact blend is proprietary) and is safe for cats and humans.
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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.
Check Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Price
See current pricing and availability for Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract before you choose.
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