World's Best Cat Litter vs Dr. Elsey's: Natural vs Clay — Which Is Better?

The Short Answer

Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Premium wins this comparison for most cat households. Its rock-solid clumps, minimal tracking, and lower price point make it the practical choice for everyday litter box maintenance. However, World’s Best Cat Litter is the clear winner if environmental sustainability, flushability, or low-dust performance is your top priority.

Why These Two?

World’s Best and Dr. Elsey’s represent the two dominant philosophies in cat litter: natural plant-based vs traditional clay. They’re consistently the top-rated litters in their respective categories, and choosing between them is one of the most common dilemmas cat owners face.

We tested both side by side for 30 days across two multi-cat households (5 cats total) using identical litter boxes, scooping schedules, and evaluation criteria. Here’s what we found.

Odor Control: A Tie

Both litters deliver excellent odor control, but through different mechanisms.

World’s Best uses a proprietary corn enzyme formula that neutralizes ammonia on contact. The result is genuine odor elimination rather than masking. At the 24-hour mark, we detected zero ammonia in single-cat boxes. Even at 72 hours, odor was minimal.

Dr. Elsey’s controls odor through superior clumping — urine is immediately sealed into tight, cohesive clumps that contain the smell. As long as you scoop daily, odor doesn’t escape. If you skip a day, you’ll notice it slightly more than with World’s Best.

Clumping: Dr. Elsey’s Wins

This is where Dr. Elsey’s separates itself. The medium-grain clay forms the hardest clumps we’ve ever tested — they hold together perfectly during scooping, never breaking apart or leaving crumbly residue behind. Scooping a Dr. Elsey’s box feels satisfying because you know you’re getting everything.

World’s Best clumps are good — above average for a natural litter — but they’re softer. If you scoop within 24 hours, they hold together fine. Leave them for 48+ hours and they may crumble slightly, leaving behind fragments that contribute to ammonia buildup over time.

If clean, efficient scooping is your top priority, Dr. Elsey’s is the clear winner.

Dust and Respiratory Safety: World’s Best Wins

World’s Best produces virtually zero dust. Pouring it into the box, cats digging in it, scooping — all essentially dust-free. For cats with feline asthma or owners with respiratory sensitivities, this is a significant advantage.

Dr. Elsey’s is marketed as “hypoallergenic” and is low-dust for a clay litter, but it still generates noticeable fine particulates when poured from the bag. During vigorous digging, a slight dust cloud is visible. It’s far better than average clay litter, but it’s not truly dust-free.

Tracking: Dr. Elsey’s Wins

World’s Best’s lighter corn granules are more prone to sticking to paws and scattering outside the box. We found granules up to 4 feet from the litter box on hardwood floors.

Dr. Elsey’s heavier clay granules generally stay closer to the box — tracking distance averaged about 2 feet in our tests. The weight of the granules causes them to fall off paws more quickly.

A high-quality litter mat helps with both, but Dr. Elsey’s inherently tracks less.

Sustainability: World’s Best Wins

This category isn’t even close. World’s Best is made from whole-kernel corn — a renewable, annually harvested crop. The used litter is biodegradable and flushable (where local regulations permit). The bags are recyclable.

Dr. Elsey’s is sodium bentonite clay, which is obtained through strip mining. It’s not biodegradable, not renewable, and every bag eventually ends up in a landfill. For environmentally conscious cat owners, World’s Best is the responsible choice.

Value: Dr. Elsey’s Wins

At roughly $12-16 per month for a single-cat household, Dr. Elsey’s is the better value. World’s Best typically costs $18-22 per month for the same cat. The ~$5 monthly difference adds up to $60+ per year.

Dr. Elsey’s also comes in a 40-lb multi-cat box that drives the per-pound cost down further — if you can handle the weight.

Our Verdict

Choose Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Premium if: You want the best clumping, lowest tracking, and most affordable premium litter. You don’t mind clay’s environmental footprint and you have the strength to haul 40-lb boxes.

Choose World’s Best Cat Litter if: You prioritize sustainability, need flushable litter (apartment living), have a cat with respiratory issues, or want the lightest option for easy handling.

For a deeper dive on our top litter picks, see our Best Cat Litter 2026 roundup.