Overpriced, overmarketed, and overrated.

Royal Canin used to be one of the better pet food manufacturers on the market. Then it was purchased by a candy company (Mars Foods), and the downward spiral began. One of the most expensive foods in most pet stores, Almost every Royal Canin formula now contains one or more of the following: corn, wheat, glutens, pea fiber, rice hulls, and beet pulp. None of which are important, nutritional ingredients, and some of which can be harmful.

Royal Canin has become nothing more than a marketing machine. Why do Persians, Siamese, and Maine Coons all need different foods? The correct answer is that they do not. The Mars Candy Company just slaps a pretty picture and technical sounding name on the bag in an effort to fool the consumer into thinking that Persian 30 formula is just what their appleheaded Fluffy needs. After all, the cat on the bag looks just like Fluffy! But what if you have a Himilayan? Do you have to buy a bag of Persian 30 and Siamese 38 and mix it? Of course not. And the technical drawings and wordy jargon on the packaging try to justify different kibble shapes for different breeds in different formulations, all the while giving you what is essentially the same mediocre (at best) food quality regardless of formula. Don't fall for the hype. Your pocketbook will appreciate it, as will your cat.

Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, rice, corn, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, chicken, natural chicken flavor, pea fiber, rice flour, rice hulls, wheat gluten, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), soya oil, sodium silico aluminate, dried brewers yeast, fructo-oligosaccharides, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), calcium sulfate, salt, potassium chloride, dried egg product, choline chloride, DL-methionine, taurine, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, biotin, riboflavin (vitamin B2) supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], sodium tripolyphosphate, tea (green tea extract), Trace Minerals [zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], L-Carnitine, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid, rosemary extract.

Let's look at what they've done here.  First, chicken meal starts the ingredient list, and that's great to see.  Any "meal" product leading it off is very welcome.  Then we have two grains, both rice.  That's fine, as rice is a great grain.  The main concern is that the grain content may get a little high, but so far so good.

SO what's next....oh, crap.  Corn.  Then corn gluten meal.  There are few ways to derail a food from being great than throwing in corn gluten meal. 

There's a small rebound with chicken and pea fiber, which are both fine.  Rice flour and rice hulls are about the worst way to put rice in a cat food, but it's still better than putting in corn or wheat.  Speaking of wheat, that's what's next.  Good ol wheat gluten, since cats apparently love wheat (not really).

From there, it's up and down.  They do put in eggs and anchovy oil, which are great for proteins and omega fatty acids respectively.  But then, salt is a bit high on the ingredient list too.  Also, brewers yeast makes an appearance straight from your local brewery. 

It adds up to a so-so food.  Better than most crap in grocery stores, but not justifiable in price.

royal canin cat food is suprisingly bad. true they will have a meat followed by rice, witch is superb, but corn is very high on the list. cats can't dygest corn it is more then a wast of money becouse it makes your cat poop more so it eats more and you loose out on litter.

i have been reading some independnt tests for the royal canin line and it as done average not superbly well. and it is one of the most expencive foods on the market. i would say most forms of nutro will be a little better for your cat and much cheeper.

Recently, we placed our elderly cat on Royal Canin mature due to some beginning kidney problems.  What a difference!  We no longer smell the ammonia in the litter box, she's using it less and not constantly drinking water.  I know her next food will be a prescription but for now, this works.  It is lower in phosphorus then normal dry foods and this is the main thing in controlling early kidney failure in a cat.

Kitten 36 - Royal Canin Ingredients - Chicken meal, brown rice, corn gluten meal, corn, chicken fat, dried egg powder, natural flavors, wheat gluten, dried beet pulp, L-lysine, anchovy oil (source of EPA and DHA omega 3 essential fatty acids), sodium silico aluminate (zeolite), dried brewers yeast, soybean oil, pea fiber, calcium carbonate, fructo-oligosaccharides, potassium chloride, salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), choline chloride, taurine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, biotin, riboflavin (vitamin B2), D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], marigold extract (source of lutein), trace minerals [zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], L-carnitine, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid, rosemary extract.

Ingredients Rank : 3

Bailey my kitten is beginning to eat this stuff up.. It was similiar in ingredients to her Medi-Cal Development Dry Formula.. She is also fed Medi-Cal Development Wet - Morning  & Night as a treat.. Within 2 days her coat of her felt like silk.. Not a fan of Brown Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn and Wheat Gluten nearing the top of ingredient list.. Pricey in the stores.. Rank of 4 total due to Bailey eating the food.. Way better then grocery store brands etc..