Why is Royal Canin so good
Royal Canin Dog Food Review
The Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Adult product line includes the 30 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Royal Canin Labrador Retriever was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken by-product meal, a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. Its made from whats left of a slaughtered chicken after all the choice cuts have been removed.
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The quality of this ingredient can vary, depending on the caliber of the raw materials obtained by the manufacturer.
The second ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The third ingredient includes oat groats, a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. With the exception of their caloric content and the fact theyre also gluten free, oat groats can be considered average in nutritional value.
The fourth ingredient is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Although corn gluten meal contains 60% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient lists brewers rice. Brewers rice is a cereal grain by-product consisting of the small fragments left over after milling whole rice. Aside from the caloric energy it contains, this item is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
After the natural flavors, we find chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The eighth ingredient is pork meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The ninth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The next ingredient is powdered cellulose, a non-digestible plant fiber usually made from the by-products of vegetable processing. Except for the usual benefits of fiber, powdered cellulose provides no nutritional value to a dog.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Royal Canin product.
With 6 notable exceptions
First, this food includes wheat gluten. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once wheat has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Although wheat gluten contains 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
Next, vegetable oil is a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the source).
Without knowing more, its impossible to judge the quality of an item so vaguely described. However, compared to a named animal fat, a generic vegetable oil cannot be considered a quality ingredient.
In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Next, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Also, with the exception of zinc, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
And lastly, this food contains menadione, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Since vitamin K isnt required by AAFCO in its nutrient profiles, we question the use of this item in any canine recipe.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Adult dog food looks like a below-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 31%, a fat level of 12% and estimated carbohydrates of about 49%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 49% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal and wheat gluten, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Royal Canin Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Royal Canin through April 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Adult Dog Food
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Adult is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a moderate amount of named by-product meal as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3 stars.
Recommended with Reservations
Who Owns Royal Canin?
The company was founded in 1968 by French veterinarian, Dr. Jean Cathary. After a long period of sustained growth in Europe, the company was purchased by American conglomerate, Mars, Inc., in 2001.
The pet foods are manufactured in multiple factory locations throughout the world, including Ontario, Canada and North Sioux City, South Dakota.
Canine Urinary SO
Ingredients: Brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice flour, corn gluten meal, natural flavors, salt, powdered cellulose, potassium chloride, vegetable oil, calcium sulfate, fish oil, monocalcium phosphate, DL-methionine, fructooligosaccharides, L-lysine, choline chloride, taurine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid], trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), L-tryptophan, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to storage a new Royal Canin product ( wet and dry)?Always follow recommendations of the packaging.What is the best way to storage a opened Royal Canin product ( wet and dry)?For both dry and wet products follow packaging instructions. Wet products are intended for a right away use once open. For dry products, the bag should be closed again after opening or transpose the product into a clean sealed container with protection against light, moisture and to be consumed within a month.For how long my pets food stay fresh after the package been opened ( wet & dry)?For dry products should be ideally kept in the bag it came in, excess air push out and closed/sealed after every feed. For storage follow packaging recommendations and consume it within 4 to 6 weeks.
Wet products are fresh after opening and recommended to be consumed right away. If there is content not offered to the pet, it should be kept in the fridge and consumed within three days and stored in an covered clean container.Can I hydrate the dry food? How? For how long I can offer the hydrated food to my pet?Generally, it is advised not to hydrate the dry food as it can dilute the aromas and affect the palatability of the diet. However, if you would need to hydrate the dry food, it is recommended to always use fresh and clean water only and be consumed right away.Can I heat my pet food?Generally, it is advised not to heat or reheat diets to avoid loss of essential nutrients like vitamin A, D, E and B-vitamins. If you are in a specific case where heating is needed, it is recommended to warm the food no more than 37 C so the effect on nutrients will be minimal. It Is advised to carefully use the microwave as heating can be uneven depending on the food type and hotspots can develop.Can I freeze my pet food? For how long?It is advised not to freeze Royal Canin diets as freezing can change the structure of the wet food matrix after thawing and palatability will be affected. For dry food, moisture can build during thawing and microbial growth can happen.
If the owner is in a specific case where freezing wet food is needed (e.g. to give it in Kong toys during summer), from a nutritional perspective, foods can be frozen for up to 3 weeks.
Royal Canin Cat Food Review
Weve taken a close look at Royal Canin and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, product variety, price, ingredient quality, customer experience, and recall history.
Overall, we give Royal Canin a C grade.
It receives high marks for product variety, and some of its veterinary diets have a reputation for treating specific health conditions, but for regular feeding, you could find much more carnivore-appropriate foods at a lower price.
The Cats.com StandardRating Royal Canin on What Matters
Weve rated the brand on six key criteria for quality.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness 6/10
- Ingredient Quality 5/10
- Product Variety 8/10
- Price 6/10
- Customer Experience 8/10
- Recall History 5/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10
In total, we give Royal Canin cat food a 6.3/10 rating or a C grade.
Royal Canin Cat Food Explained
About Royal Canin
The story of Royal Canin starts all the way back in the 1960s with a veterinary surgeon named Jean Cathary. At the time, Cathary was operating a veterinary practice in Aimargues, a village in the Gard region of southern France.
Troubled by the scourge of skin and coat conditions in local pets, Cathary started experimenting with homemade foods as a nutritional solution. After trying out several recipes and baking them in an oven in his garage, Cathary found that a cereal-based recipe consistently helped alleviate the skin and coat issues plaguing the villages animals.
It was such a success that Cathary trademarked the food Royal Canin and shuttered his veterinary practice. It was time to go into the pet food business.
The newly branded Royal Canin imported an extruder from the United States and quickly became one of Europes pioneering pet food companies. They were the first manufacturer of dry pet food in France and the first European company to use an extruder.
In 1972, the brand was sold to the Guyomarch Group and immediately blasted through Europe, with subsidiaries popping up in Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Germany, and Denmark. After almost three decades of expansion, a bank buyout, and time on the Paris stock exchange, the company was sold to Mars, Incorporated in July of 2001.
Today, Royal Canin is a global company with distribution and production facilities all over the world, though its worldwide headquarters are still in Aimargues, France. This brand is easily one of the most commonly recommended brands by veterinarians for both general use and veterinary issues.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Royal Canin sources ingredients from around the world and doesnt release information about countries of origin or specific suppliers. Their products are manufactured in company-owned manufacturing facilities dotting the globe. Royal Canin factory locations include the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Russia, China, South Africa, Argentina, Poland, and the UK.
All of these manufacturing facilities are owned by Mars, Incorporated. Royal Canin also owns several research facilities located around the world where they employ full-time veterinary nutritionists to assist in the formulation of their foods.
Recall History
Royal Canin has been recalled three times over the past 15 years or so.
The most recent recall took place in 2007 when the company announced a voluntary recall of eight Sensible Choice dry dog foods and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products.
The recall was issued when Royal Canin learned that their foods contained trace amounts of a melamine derivative from tainted rice protein concentrate. Earlier that year, they recalled several other products due to melamine contamination, including Veterinary Diet feline hypoallergenic.
In 2006, the company issued a recall of several cat and dog food products due to excess levels of vitamin D3. This recall affected products that were sold exclusively by veterinary practices and resulted from reports of numerous dogs and cats becoming ill after consuming the product.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Royal Canin Offer?
Royal Canin currently sells over 100 different varieties of cat food. While they do offer traditional cat food recipes, many of their products are formulated for specific health issues like urinary tract health or digestive care. Royal Canin is also one of a few cat food brands that offers recipes marketed for specific cat breeds like Persians and Maine Coons.
Royal Canin offers a number of recipes that are formulated, or at least marketed, for specific life stages, body sizes, as well lifestyles as well. Their foods are available in both wet and dry types. In terms of their wet foods, there are a number of different textures and consistencies to choose from.
Across the Royal Canin lineup, there is a common theme: nutrients over ingredients. They dont provide a lot of information about where their ingredients are sourced, but Royal Canin does formulate and manufacture all of their own products.
Royal Canin Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Review
All nutritional information in this table and hereafter is taken from the manufacturers guaranteed analysis. Exact nutritional percentages are not available.
All calculated values are determined using these minimum and maximum published values and may differ from actual values. Royal Canin is the ultimate authority on their products, so please contact the company for more nutritional information.
What Do Customers Think of Royal Canin Cat Food?
Royal Canin is one of the worlds most popular and most well-respected pet food brands. Along with Hills Pet Nutrition, Royal Canin is the food most often recommended by veterinarians. Some say that Royal Canin veterinary diets save lives.
Generally, customers like Royal Canin, and their cats like it, too. Royal Canin doesnt get a lot of negative reviews.
That said, a number of customers have recently reported that their cats became sick after eating Royal Canins Urinary SO recipe.
With no formal investigation and Royal Canin remaining adamant that theres nothing wrong with the food, its hard to gauge the legitimacy of these complaints. That said, we do feel a responsibility to cover the issue. These reports appear on Consumer Affairs and have reached the comment section of this article, making them particularly hard to ignore.
So, what do the reports say?
Most complaints involve cats experiencing digestive distressvomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes lethargy and other symptomsafter eating the Royal Canin formula.
For example, Lia of Lachine, Quebec wrote on Consumer Affairs that two of their cats became sick after eating Royal Canins Urinary SO formula. A week after their first cat fell ill, Lisa says that our other cat begins to vomit and have diarrhea after eating his food. Both cats were lethargic, vomiting and overall, not doing very well. After spending over $4000 bringing our cats in to try and figure out what was going on, we realized it must be from their food.
Lias conclusion wasnt confirmed by a vet or laboratoryagain, all of this remains purely speculativebut their experience seems to align with that of other reviewers on Consumer Affairs.
Kat of Cornwall, Ontario said that her cat was vomiting the RC food every time I fed him after feeding him the food for about 2 months which worried me.
While some reports come from new Royal Canin customers, others are long-time Royal Canin buyers whove noticed a change.
Lori of Leominster, Massachusetts wrote on January 27th, 2020 that My 12 to (sic) cat has been on Royal Canin urinary SO since he was 4. The past year he has been sick after eating it and now he wont eat the wet food at all from most recent case purchased. I dont know what to do.
While some claim that these issues coincided with a formula change around January of 2020, similar complaints date back to early 2019. Although these reports are unsettling and worth paying attention to, we havent been able to find any confirmation that Royal Canins Urinary SO food is making cats sick. Again, thousands of people feed their cats Royal Canin without complaint and the majority of customer reviews are positive on Chewy and other retail sites.
Overall, these reports are inconclusive and dont provide any compelling evidence against the safety of Royal Canin cat food.
Royal Canin performs routine testing of their products and has not identified any quality or safety issues. Given the companys history of quality control, theres no reason to believe that theres any reason for concern.
While it doesnt appear that theres any significant health risk, we advise caution and will continue to monitor the situation.
To get an idea of what customers are saying about Royal Canin, here are a few reviews selected from several popular recipes listed on Amazon and Chewy.
Positive Reviews
My vet prescribed this food for my Lucas after he was diagnosed with stones in his urinary track and was very sick. He has been eating this food since and has his issue has been under control. Food is expensive but worth it. Fmc008, reviewing Royal Canin Urinary SO Moderate Calorie
The switch to this food was nothing short of amazing. Sure, my geriatric cat did not suddenly turn into a kitten, but shes no longer needing eye drops for the glaucoma, supplements for the arthritis, and her urine output is much reduced (better kidney function). We also have a 2 year old cat that also eats the same food. He LOVES it, too. A win all around. L.A.H, reviewing Royal Canin Feline Nutrition Indoor Cat Food
Negative Reviews
I am absolutely shocked that this food is supposedly manufactured by a veterinarian. I would never take my cats to the person that designed this dry food. I bought the food since my cat is having urinary tract problems only to see that the food only has 6% crude protein and that the rest is pure filler and not even grain free filler but filled with Corn, Corn Meal and rice. So basically, this food will take the urinary crystals out of the cats pee but will provide the cat nutrition to the equivalent of a bag of Doritos. Cats CAN NOT DIGEST CORN; a cat eating corn is like a human being eating cardboard so why would a veterinary health formula be made of such garbage. Going to get my money back. Alexandra Lebron, reviewing Royal Canin Urinary SO Moderate Calorie
Gave it two stars because my vet confirmed this was a great brand for cats and my guy loved it but it seemed to give him indigestion or gas. He threw up way more than I was comfortable with on this. I took him to the vet in a panic and had x-rays and bloodwork done only to find out he was perfectly healthy. As soon as I changed his food the problems went away. Amazon Customer, reviewing Royal Canin Indoor Adult Dry Cat Food
How Much Does Royal Canin Cat Food Cost?
Your expenses will vary depending which type of Royal Canin food you purchase. In general, however, Royal Canin foods are a bit pricier than others with similar ingredient lists.
For example, Royal Canins popular Urinary SO dry cat food costs about $0.30 per ounce, adding up to a daily feeding cost of around $0.60 per day for an average cat. That places it on the lower end of the premium price spectrum.
The wet version of the same recipeRoyal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Loaf in Saucecosts $0.40 per ounce and would cost about $3.60 per day if feeding a 10-lb cat.
Moving away from prescription diets, Royal Canins Adult Instinctive Thin Slices in Gravy recipe is, oddly, more expensive than some of the recipes in the Veterinary Diet Line. At over $0.50 per ounce, this food would cost about $4.50 each day if feeding a typical cat.
Why Is Royal Canin Cat Food So Expensive?
Many Royal Canin foods are considerably higher-priced than other products with similar ingredient lists. After decades as one of the two brands that are recommended most often by veterinarians, Royal Canin has a reputation that justifies its price.
Its one of the few brands that offer condition-specific products, which makes Royal Canin easy to recommend to frustrated patients and has earned it a place in veterinarian offices around the world. This lends the brand status and respect that goes beyond the veterinary line.
Overall, Is Royal Canin a Good Choice?
Some people think that humans dont fully understand how whole foods nourish the body. Its impossible to break down food into macronutrients and micronutrients and assume that a synthetic reproduction and reassembly of those components will have the same benefits as the natural composition of a freshly killed rabbit.
Another school of thought believes that foods are no more than the sum of the parts that humans understand. They are bundles of amino acids, fats, starches, minerals, trace metals. They can be broken down and recreated under controlled conditions. According to this thought system, an ingredient list isnt where you get the important information about food. The nutrient analysis is what matters.
Royal Canin appeals to those in the second category, saying that we need to focus on the nutrients our pets need for optimal health, not on the ingredients.
So, lets ignore the fact that Royal Canin foods contain bogeyman ingredients like corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, and cornmeal. Lets focus on the nutrients instead. Royal Canin foods still arent ideal nutrition for most cats, who are metabolically adapted for higher metabolism of proteins and lower utilization of starches.
When other foods dont provide the results you need, Royal Canin foods may be able to help your cat feel better. For general nutrition, however, Royal Canin cat food is overpriced and under-nourishing.
Royal Canin may be able to help sick cats, but it floods their bodies with carbohydrate-heavy plants, low-value proteins, and increases their chances of developing the chronic problems that necessitate Royal Canins big-ticket prescription diets. Too much plant protein may contribute to kidney disease. Dry diets may increase a cats chance of developing lower urinary tract disease.
In a Royal Canin world, developing these illnesses means that its time to switch to another specially formulated prescription diet. In reality, a simple meat-based, hydrating diet might have prevented the problems in the first place.
Where Is Royal Canin Cat Food Sold?
Royal Canin cat food is widely distributed in pet specialty retailers and veterinary hospitals around the world. Use Royal Canins store finder to find a retail location near you. You can also purchase it online through retailers like Chewy and Amazon.
Click here to shop for Royal Canin cat food on Chewy
