I can try to answer you:

First, getting a gel is not a prerequisite for an effective catalyst.

Secondly, adding water or alcohol or mixing, it will not likely form a gel during the catalytic preparation process you described.

Third, if you are preparing a super acid catalyst, using support of titanium hydroxide is much better than titanium (IV) oxide. Moreover, freshly prepared titanium hydroxide works better. This is because, generally, titanium oxides have been calcined and there are fewer functional groups on the surface. But it depands on the manufacturer and production batch. Some purchased titanium (IV) oxide may also work. for example:

in paper:

Article Synthesis of Ti(SO4)O solid acid nano-catalyst and its appli...

2.2.1. Synthesis of Ti(SO4)O nano-catalyst

The titanium sulphate oxide or titanium oxysulphate nano-catalyst has been prepared using following procedure: 17.16 mmol of chlorosulfonic acid was added drop-wise using a glass syringe at room temperature into a round-bottomed flask containing 5.0 g of titanium (IV) oxide. The resulting mixture was then heated on an automatic hotplate-magnetic stirrer at 120 °C using agitation rate of 500RPM, to prevent generation of hydrogen and chloride gases in the flask. The flask containing the produced gel solution was connected with a reflux condenser using tap water to condensate the remaining reagent for 2 h at the constant stirring rate. The resulting gel solution aged quiescently at room temperature for 2 h and was then dried in an oven at 110 °C overnight. The resultant catalyst was crushed and grinded by pestle mortar, and then the grinded powders were washed properly with 1:1 ratio of acetone to n-hexane in order to remove any remaining residues on the surface of the prepared catalyst. Finally, the obtained fine powder was dried in an oven at 110 °C in order to remove any moisture on the surface of the catalyst.

But more personally recommended, use the eshly prepared titanium hydroxide may be better. Pls see the reference:

Article Catalytic properties of SO42-/Ti-M-O superacids in esterification

SO4-/Ti-M-O was prepared as follows. Hydroxides or oxides of Ti and M

(M = A1, Sn, Fe) were obtained by dissolving sulfate or chloride of Ti and M in

water, hydrolyzing with aqueous ammonia to PH = 7-8 in solution, washing the

precipitate, drying at 110°C, and powdering it to 100-120 mesh. The precipitates

were treated with sulfate ion by immersing the dried Ti-M-O substrate in 0.5-2 N

H2SO4 solution for 7-15 min, then filtered, dried, and calcined in air.

good luck!