Last updated Sep 14, 2026
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
If you’re looking for a cat litter brand that is highly affordable and also high quality, consider Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter.
Ratings
- Variety of Products – 5/5
- Price Per Pound – 4/5
- Multi-Cat Formulas – 4/5
- Clumping Ability – 5/5
- Long-Lasting Odor Control – 4/5
- Natural/Alternative Options – 3/5
Overall Score: 4.2/5
This brand offers over a dozen unique formulas for cat litter to address specific issues including non-use of the litter box, tracking, respiratory problems, and more.
Aside from one silica gel formula, all of Dr. Elsey’s cat litter recipes are made from 100% sodium bentonite clay to maximize clumping ability while minimizing dust and tracking. Keep reading to see our reviews for three of Dr. Elsey’s most popular cat litter formulas.
Why Trust Cats.com
Multiple members of our team have tested Dr. Elsey’s cat litter in their own homes, noting their own experiences on every element of the litter, from dust levels to how easy each formula was to scoop.
Our goal is to provide unbiased and up-to-date reviews to help you make the best choices for your cat. This article was updated in September of 2026 after testing three newly purchased bags of Dr. Elsey’s cat litter.
How We Tested The Litter
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
- We purchased 3 of the best cat litters Dr. Elsey’s has to offer.
- We spent a few weeks testing the cat litters on several cats.
- We did not receive these products in exchange for a favorable review, they were purchased with our own money.
Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter Brand Overview
Company founder Dr. Bruce Elsey is a feline-only veterinarian and has been practicing for more than 35 years. Through his work and products, his goal is to help cats live longer, happier, and healthier lives while also making things a little easier on cat owners.
The Dr. Elsey’s brand offers a selection of high-protein cat foods for all life stages as well as a variety of cat litters and litter box supplies.
What sets Dr. Elsey’s brand apart from other cat litter brands is the fact that his formulas are uniquely designed to address specific issues. The brand offers cat litters to relieve respiratory problems, resolve litter box odors, and address the unique needs of kittens and senior cats. You’ll also find additional products such as a urine removal product and cat litter attractant.
Dr. Elsey’s cat litter is made from premium clay materials to ensure superior clumping action. In addition to forming hard clumps on contact with urine and feces, this cat litter locks in odors.
This cat litter has the ideal texture and particle size to suit your cat’s preferences while also preventing clumps from breaking down and tracking throughout the house. These litters are not flushable, but the hard clumps are generally easy to scoop and discard.
Many long-term Dr. Elsey’s customers seem to have noticed a change in formulas, with the company’s new formulas containing more dust than they used to. While retesting these cat litters in September of 2026, I personally encountered very little dust. However, based on customer reviews, dust levels may vary from bag to bag.
What Kinds of Litter Does Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter Offer?
Dr. Elsey’s brand offers a dozen different formulas for cat litter and several litter box products.
This brand offers several different formulas in both scented and unscented varieties. Clean Tracks offers superior clumping action for less litter box mess while Ultra offers multi-cat odor control. Cat Attract and Kitten Attract litters feature a natural herb attractant to help resolve non-use of the litter box, and there is a simple Classic recipe as well. You’ll also find litters designed for senior cats, health monitoring, respiratory relief, and more.
The three formulas reviewed below are unscented, clumping clay litters.
Top 3 Cat Litters Reviewed
| Product Name | Materials | Clumping? | Life Stage | Type | Price | Overall Rating |
| Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief Clumping Clay Cat Litter | Clay | Yes | All | Clumping | $0.85 per lb | 4/5 |
| Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter | Clay | Yes | All | Clumping | $0.78 per lb | 4/5 |
| Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter | Clay | Yes | All | Clumping | $0.51 per lb | 4/5 |
#1 Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief Clumping Clay Cat Litter
- Additional Features: Hypoallergenic, Clumping, Odor Control, Unscented
Dr. Elsey’s respiratory relief clumping cat litter is specifically designed to control respiratory disease by being hypoallergenic, low in dust, and free from perfumes and deodorants. In addition to being low in dust, this clay cat litter contains natural essences that help reduce stress.
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
During testing, I didn’t notice any visible dust in this litter. It’s better for cats and humans with respiratory problems than other clay litters, and it is a good choice if you need to use clay and you aren’t dealing with pre-existing health issues. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for cats or humans with an existing respiratory illness or for cat parents looking to avoid silica dust altogether. For that, you’ll want to choose a natural cat litter. For instance, pine litters are both cheaper and silica dust-free.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 5/5 |
| Clumping Action | 5/5 |
| Odor Control | 4/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 4/5 |
| Scent | 3/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 4/5 |
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
Pros
- Low-dust formula uniquely designed to prevent respiratory problems
- Hard-clumping action, locks in odor and moisture on contact
- Hypoallergenic formula free from plant proteins, perfumes, and deodorants
- Contains natural essences to help reduce stress
Cons
- Litter itself may have a slight odor to it, generally not a problem
- May become sticky when wet, can stick to the sides of the litter box
- For respiratory health, natural cat litter is preferable to clay litter
#2 Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter
- Additional Features: Unscented, Multi-Cat, Odor Control, Clumping
This clay-based litter is designed to solve litter box problems by attracting the cat to the litter box. In addition to all-natural clay materials, this litter contains a natural herb attractant, and it comes in the ideal particle size and texture to suit your cat’s preferences. In addition to these benefits, the litter comes with a handy booklet to help cat owners solve litter box problems.
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Like all of Dr. Elsey’s formulas, this litter offers hard-clumping action and excellent odor control. The litter itself has a very subtle scent to it but nothing heavy or unpleasant. The formula is very low-dust and low-tracking, thanks in part to the fact that it forms very hard clumps. The only potential issue is with large volumes of liquid, which can sometimes cause caking and sticking to the sides of the box. This may not be the best choice for automatic litter boxes.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 4/5 |
| Clumping Action | 5/5 |
| Odor Control | 4/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 4/5 |
| Scent | 4/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 4/5 |
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
Pros
- Forms tight, hard clumps to lock in odors and moisture
- Very subtle scent from natural herb attractant
- Low-dust and low-tracking, keeps the litter in the box
- Designed specifically to address litter box issues
Cons
- Very large clumps can become quite heavy
- Large volumes of liquid may cause caking and stick to sides of the box
#3 Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter
- Additional Features: Clumping, Multi-Cat, Odor Control, Unscented
Easily one of the brand’s most popular formulas, this clumping cat litter offers excellent odor control and hard-clumping action. Though it is a clay-based litter, it is 99 % dust-free and hypoallergenic. This cat litter combines the heavy non-tracking granules found in their classic litter with a medium-grain clay to provide excellent clumping ability with less mess.
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
With its hard-clumping action, this cat litter contains odors well for several days, even in multi-cat households. When it comes to dust, we found it to be moderately dusty, though there are customer reviews stating that some bags are dustier than others. The main problem occurs with high volumes of urine. Though the clay materials are highly absorbent, a large volume of liquid all at once can overwhelm the litter and result in a cement-like consistency that may stick to the sides of the litter box.
This cat litter comes in 18-, 20-, and 40-pound bags and can be purchased online and in pet stores. Because it is made from clay, it can be fairly heavy, depending on the size you choose.
| Category | Rating |
| Price | 4/5 |
| Clumping Action | 5/5 |
| Odor Control | 4/5 |
| Dust/Mess | 3/5 |
| Scent | 4/5 |
| Easy to Scoop | 4/5 |
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
Pros
- Hard-clumping action seals in moisture and odors on contact
- Moderately low in dust and hypoallergenic, moderately low tracking
- Works very well in multi-cat homes and sifting/mechanical litter boxes
Cons
- Large volumes of liquid may overwhelm the litter and cause caking
- Wet litter can stick to the sides of the litter box, making scooping harder
What Do Customers Think of Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter?
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Generally speaking, cat owners are very pleased with Dr. Elsey’s cat litter. All three recipes reviewed above carry at least a 4-star rating with hundreds of individual reviews.
Customers love the hard-clumping action and the affordable price of this litter, though there are some comments that it can become sticky when exposed to a large volume of liquid. In terms of dust, however, it is generally fairly low, and odor control is not an issue.
With nearly a dozen products to choose from, Dr. Elsey’s has something for everyone. Keep reading to see a positive and a negative customer review for each of the three cat litter formulas featured above:
Positive Reviews
“I honestly would recommend this litter for all cats, but especially those with respiratory issues. I wish I had known it existed sooner, like before our cat started showing signs of lung troubles. She stopped coughing and wasn’t struggling to breathe once we made the switch. Those lightweight silica litters are convenient, but at a cost to your pets health and wellbeing. Dr Elsey’s R&R will be the only litter we use going forward.” – by Dian, reviewing Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief Clumping Clay Cat Litter, Jul 17, 2026
“Our cat was not using the litter box and we were distraught. She would go on the floor next to the box or in another room. The second I switched to this litter, she used the box right away and every day since. There is hardly any tracking and no smell whatsoever. We love it!” – by Amanda, reviewing Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Clumping Clay Cat Litter, Aug 18, 2026
“I’ve used this cat litter for 2 years now. It is by far the best litter available. I have 4 cats and 2 automatic litter boxes. This is dust free and heavy so it stays in the box and filters through the cycle better than anything we have tried. Very little tracking and the cats like it.” – by Lynn S., reviewing Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter on August 30, 2026
Negative Reviews
“I just don’t understand why people love this brand. This has one of the “most dusts” I’ve ever seen in a litter. It is expensive and I just don’t see the value. I’m not buying this again. I’ve bought this for over 6 months. Very disappointed.” – by brittany, reviewing Dr. Elsey’s R&R Stress-Reducing Clumping Clay Cat Litter on Jul 28, 2026
“The biggest problem is the odor control, or rather, the complete lack of it. This litter does absolutely nothing to mask the smell of urine or feces. The moment my kitten uses the litter box, the smell fills the room almost immediately. Instead of trapping odors like the packaging and reviews suggested, it seems like they just linger in the air.” – by Amy, reviewing Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Cat Litter on July 6, 2026
How Much Does Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter Cost?
Clay cat litter is usually much more affordable than cat litters made with other natural materials like corn or wheat. Dr. Elsey’s prices are competitive with other clay litter brands, ranging from $0.53 per pound for the Ultra Unscented formula to $0.85/pound for their specialty clay litters, such as the Respiratory Relief formula.
Dr. Elsey’s also sells crystal cat litter that ranges in price from $2.49 to $3.13 per pound.
Overall, Is Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter a Good Choice?
Overall, Dr. Elsey’s cat litter is a good choice for cat parents who want less dust in their clay litter or who are looking for hypoallergenic products. Their standout product is their Cat Attract formula, which many cat parents credit for getting their cat to use the litter box again!
Our team had overall good experiences with all three formulas reviewed above, though there were some drawbacks.
The biggest problem we had while testing all three litters was that they sometimes went too far in forming strong clumps. When exposed to large amounts of liquid, when litter levels were low, or when a cat peed near the side of the box, it was sometimes incredibly difficult to scoop. This aspect of the formula helps to reduce tracking, but it may not be worth the trade-off for some cat parents.
Personally, I also didn’t find the Respiratory Relief formula to be worth the added cost when compared to the brand’s cheaper formulas. If you’re worried about silica dust or choosing a healthier litter for your cat, natural cat litter is the best option.
Where Is Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter Sold?
Dr. Elsey’s Litter is sold online and in pet stores. You can find it in big-box stores like Target and Walmart, as well as local and national pet-store chains like Petco and PetSmart. If you’re looking for the lowest price, your best bet is to check with online retailers like Chewy and Amazon.
Shopping for Dr. Elsey’s in the UK? You can find it through select UK distributors, including the BYMiT Premium Pet site.
Similar Cat Litter Brands
Looking for other cat litter brands similar to Dr. Elsey’s? Check out some of our other cat litter reviews.
I believe Dr. Elsey’s Cat attract litter is a Christmas Miracle!
For a week my 3 8-week-old kittens would sometimes poop in the box but mostly pee outside the box on their potty pads. They really didn’t have a clue on what to do. The minute I changed out the litter they began doing their business in it, I’m super happy with the product!
I’ve been using the ultra for many years. I have Litter-Robots. Roughly a year or 2 ago the amount of dust increased. I loved this stuff for years and it’s now becoming unbearable. I’ve also started noticing odors before the Litter-Robot does it’s thing, that I never used to notice. It feels like they went to a cheaper product instead of raising prices. I’ve been looking for an alternative that is reasonably priced, but despite trying some premium options, they were even more dusty and had less odor control. My other issue with Dr. Elseys litter is what was mentioned about it sticking to the litter box. I do wish it had better control of that.
If you all communicate with the company, please ask them to return to lower dust formula, even if it means raising their prices.
They did NOT post my 1st review so I will try again to get the honesty out there. There is an enormous amount of DUST in this litter. I have to vacuum and dust every time my 12 yo ESA Cat goes to the box. It didn’t use to be like this, but I will not buy it again. I am a senior and disabled and I cannot constantly clean cat litter dust that claims to be 99% dust free. It goes all over my home, and I even have an air purifier and it clogged up the purifier!
When I started using Dr. Elsey’s Unscented Cat Litter it was approximately 99% dust free. HOWEVER, over this past year it has become so full of dust I will not buy it again! I have a 12 yo cat and it is causing her health issues from all the dust and I have litter dust all over the place. Each time she goes to the box I have to clean and vacuum due to the amount of dust. I am very disappointed and sad because this started out to be a great product. I personally will no longer recommend it to anyone.
Let’s say you’re thinking of changing from using normal clumping litter. Why would you be doing that? If it was me, and I had to guess about other folks reasons I would say silica dust. You only have the word silica in your article twice. Both times it is vague and misleading. Of course you know this, but just in case no one has asked before what is the one version of their litter that has silica in it? “Many clay based litters have silica in them, and this one…” You don’t want to mention if the respiratory litter contains silica?
I have been buying the Scented Ultra (pink/white packaging) and it rocks. Wonder why not reviewed here
Hi Carmen! We try to cover the most popular products from any given brand which can be tough with a brand like Dr. Elsey’s that has such a wide range of different products. I’m glad the Scented Ultra is working for you and your cat, though!
I purchased the Ultra Dr. Elsey’s cat litter and I have to say it is junk. my cat has his own bedroom and his litter box is in there and it is now covered in cat little dust so thick. It is going to take me a whole day to strip his room and clean it. I am horrified to think what went into his lungs. Please do not purchase this cat litter for the protection of your fur baby
Thanks for sharing your experience, Darlene! Dustiness does seem to be a common issue with recent batches of Dr. Elsey’s litter, based on other customer reviews I’ve seen.
Hello , I searched for months for a litter for my 6 year old female cat. She is declawed and through the years I tried several cat litters and one was good for 1 month and the next she was good for a little while and it went on and on . I was constantly cleaning my rugs and floors.
I was at Pet Smart looking for another litter and I started reading about Dr. Elsey Kitten Attract . I purchased it one year ago and she has never from the first day soiled outside the box . ( I have a large stainless steel litter box )
Yes, it is for kittens but I feel that her declawed paws were the problem and this litter is like a sand and also very easy to scoop. And the tracking is much less . I am so happy with this litter and hopefully she will still be using Kitten Attract in her old age and remain as content and as happy as I am happy with this magnificent cat litter…
Dr. Elsey’s clumping litter is highly recommended on many lists for its clumpability BUT this caveat: It is made from bentonite which according to the medical literature is carcinogenic* due to the particles of dust** that are breathed in during the process of using it. Use a mask and consider writing to the CDC, Health Canada, etc., about a warning label being used on all bentonite litter products.
*Similar to the smoking of cigarettes, not all users will develop cancer.
** There is no such thing as dust-free bentonite litter despite what is printed on the packaging.
I’m getting a kitten soon and have cared for adult cats (I was too young to remember the kitten stage) and was wondering what litter would be the best? I’ve looked at the difference between pellet and clay and can’t decide between even those. A friend recommended Pretty Litter and I was looking at Dr. Elsey’s for at least the kitten stage to get them used to the litter box. We always used Scoop Away with my other three adult cats but it ALWAYS smelled and one of my cats really didn’t like it and never covered her waste. I was also looking for something cost-effective, but don’t really care about whether I can buy it in-store or have to get it online. Just looking for some suggestions so I can make up my mind before I get my new kitty!
Young kittens (under about 3 months) should use a non-clumping or soft-clumping litter, so paper pellets (Fresh News) or something that doesn’t create hard, potentially intestine-blocking clumps, like Sustainably Yours or SmartCat, would be a good option. After that, you can switch to a good clumping clay litter like Dr. Elsey’s.
I just ordered the Ultra Dr. Elsey’s because I have a Litter Robot. Can you tell me what unscented litters you recommend for use with the LR automatic box?
Hi Amber, a few good products to use in the Litter-Robot:
– Litterbox.com litter
– Tidy Cats Free n’ Clean
– Ever Clean Extra Strength Unscented
I purchased Dr Elsey’s Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter for the first time with a discount. It was the best litter I ever had in my home. No odor, or tracking dust. I have allergies. Even with cleaning the litter several times a day, my eyes tear., with other brands. I would highly recommend this product. I did have the 40# bag delivered and it was still hard to manage. In addition, when I went to purchase the litter again, the price was $19.99, which n comparison to other brands I felt was high.
I purchased Dr. Elsies Ultra and love it. I find that it isn’t sticking to the side of the box. I’m sure most litters do at one point. It’s also dust free and no odor. The clumping is great. This is what I’ll be using all of the time. I highly recommend it!
Glad to hear that it works for you, Dwight!
No problem with the litter, but wish they would put the handle on the opposite side of the box. Would make it so much easier to pour if were opposite the opening for pouring.
Great observation!
Do you have a litter choice for high volumes of liquid? One of our cats just pees and pees. Nothing wrong with her, she’s is just a big urinator.
Hey Julie, great question! I’ve heard that wood-based cat litters like Oko do really well with high volumes of urine. It’s fairly expensive, though, so if you’re looking for a cheap alternative you could try the kind of wood pellets you’d get at Tractor Supply Co. and similar places. It’s highly absorbent and the wet pellets clump together enough that you can scoop them fairly easily.
Compared to the Frisco unscented litter, which is better price aside?
Good question, Hannah! In my opinion, there aren’t any significant differences between the two. They are both unscented, clumping clay litters and any difference would be limited to granule size and amount of dust. I haven’t noticed any major differences in those aspects between the two, so I’d say either would be a good choice but Frisco is a few dollars cheaper. If you don’t like lugging around the big 40-pound bags, Dr. Elsey’s does come in a 20-pound box with a handle.
I like Dr. Elsey’s except for poorly designed plastic handles to carry the 20 lb boxes. Most often they break & I have to be careful to not have it land on a foot. I can’t carry the bags because of the weight. They’ll carry it my car but the I can’t get from car into house.
Lin
Hi Hannah, while I can’t speak for everyone, my experience with Dr. Elsey’s litter has been significantly better than that with Frisco. Compared to Frisco’s litter, I’ve found that Dr. Elsey’s is much less dusty and doesn’t stick to my cat’s paws. Hope this helps!
I just got Dr.Elsey’s Attract, kitten litter after trying three other brands. My problem was with odor and tracking, and I decided to give this one a try. My kitten got so excited when I changed the litter and used Dr. Elsey’s, that rolled in it like in a sandbox. My kitten definitely loves it, and I love it as well. It masks the odor really well, it clumps well, and it does not track. I also think it’s really affordable.
Sadly, Cat Attract (red box) did not work for me. Cat does not dislike this litter, but does not like it any better than a much less expensive brand. The problem continues. This is a newly adopted, 8-year-old, spayed, declawed cat. I’ve had her for about 2 weeks. She seemed to adjust rapidly and seems happy. She is the only household cat but I do have a dog also and they get along well. Cat ALWAYS urinates in litter box but ALWAYS defecates next to the box. I’ve tried every suggestion provided in Dr. Elsey’s pamphlet that was attached to the box, including: 1) two litter boxes placed a slight distance apart; 2) putting litter in just one end of one box; 3) putting feeding dishes near the box; 4) putting feeding dishes in a different room; 5) using a box cover and not using a box cover; 6) confining the cat; 7) letting her have run of the house. Don’t know what else to buy or try.
Zan, you mentioned that the cat is declawed. In this case you might want to look into a litter that is specifically for declawed cats, as this one is too heavy. Try one for declawed cats, and it might solve the problem.
This is the worst cat litter. It is heavy to walk out of the store and carry it. I bought the boxed version and it is wasteful with the thick cardboard. It does not mask odor and there is tracking. It is Clay which I can just dig up from my backyard. It is waste of money. I prefer FreshStep, lightweight, with charcoal deodorizer. Much better! Me and my cat Mr. Huggsalot love it.
I’m sorry to hear of your dislike of Dr Elseys cat litter. I have three cats and we travel in an RV fulltime, thus only one cat box. We use cardboard liners in a clear tote and Dr Elseys ultra cat litter, in our opinion is top notch. We also have a litter champ which we absolutely love and we clean the box twice a day. We haven’t experienced any of the issues others have written about. It’s important to keep the litter to a maximum height as stated on the package. If too low, that’s where a problem can occur. Thumbs up to Dr Elseys.
As far as bag being too heavy (40 llb) we order from Chewy and use one of the boxes that we’ve bought previously of Dr Elseys boxed litter.
Hope that helps!!
I have an 8 year old Calico I clean her box daily she always pees in her box but once in a while she poops on my bed. She pees in the box then goes on my bed and poops. Don’t understand why??
Hi Geri, I’m sorry you’re having trouble with your cat! I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on, but I can give you some ideas. The first question is whether you only have one litter box – some cats prefer to pee in one and poop in another. Mine do. The second question is where the litter box is placed. You might try adding another one and putting it in a different room. If that doesn’t work, trying a new litter or switching to a different type of litter box may help.
Good luck!