Dr. Elsey's Ultra Unscented Clumping Cat Litter vs Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat

Dr. Elsey's Ultra is a fine-grain clay litter — that's exactly why it clumps so hard and controls odor so well. But fine grain means more tracking, full stop. The Gorilla Grip mat's coil design exists specifically to catch those fine particles before they migrate to your hallway. You're not choosing between these two; you're deciding whether to buy one or both.

Dr. Elsey's wins on the metric that matters most for a litter: clump integrity. Hard, tight clumps mean less ammonia exposure, less litter wasted, and faster scooping. The Gorilla Grip doesn't touch any of that — it has zero impact on what happens inside the box. Its entire value proposition is the two feet of floor between the box and your cat's next destination.

Dr. Elsey's is non-biodegradable clay — it's going to a landfill, period. That's a real tradeoff for eco-conscious owners, and it's the one area where corn or tofu litters have a genuine edge. The Gorilla Grip mat is a one-time silicone purchase that lasts years, which is about as low-impact as a cat product gets. If sustainability is your priority, the mat is a guilt-free buy; the litter is not.

Dr. Elsey's fine clay can cake onto box edges and corners over time, making monthly deep cleans more involved than with pellet-style litters. The Gorilla Grip mat has the opposite problem — the coil design that traps litter so well also makes it harder to rinse out thoroughly compared to a flat silicone mat. Neither is a dealbreaker, but both require more effort to maintain than their simpler alternatives.