Royal Canin

[laurafife]

Our kittens are being fed Royal Canin, and the lady we are getting the kittens from advises we keep then on the same food.

What do you think about Royal Canin? More expensive than other brands? Would you recommend other brands?

Any advice would be really appreciated thanks :)

Kittens will be about eight weeks when we get them home.

[dandysmom]

It's generally suggested you keep them on the same food till they're settled in, then gradually introduce the food you'd prefer.

I'm in the States so can't comment on prices/brands but our other members will have advice, I'm sure.

[Phoenix]

I feed Dylan on Royal Canin Exigent (due to suspected food sensitivity issues). It's about £15 for a 2kg bag. I don't have a problem with it, but at the end of the day once the kittens have settled in it's up to you what you feed them.

[Netty]

I got a free kitten pack from the vet and it included a pouch of royal canin. Oliver ate it and when I got more, he sniffed it and walked away. He is now happy to eat go cat. We started him off on go cat kitten, then he moved on to the ordinary go cat cos thats what we feed Benny. Royal canin is expensive as is the hills science (Oliver didnt like that when we got him it to try out!). He wont entertain whiskas either, crunch or food.

[Kim]

I feed my lot Royal Canin sensible and have done for many years. Harvey (who has a sensive tum) is fed on Royal Canin gastrointestinal. I think RC is a very good quality food and with most things, I believe you get what you pay for. Best to keep him on what he is used to anyway. Good luck with him!! x

[pinklizzy]

Imogen eats the Royal canin British Shorthair- I'm not totally convinced about the whole 'breed specific' diets to be honest but it's a dry food that she likes and will eat which saves the dog pinching it all which is what happens if I buy anything else!
I'd recommend keeping them on the same food for a few weeks or so but as RCR says, then it's up to you what you feed them.

[angieh]

Mine have Royal Canin Digestive comfort, and don't want to eat anything else (except Pip likes the gravy from Harley's wet food). I initially tried this as Kizzy had dreadfully smelly flatulence (sorry!) when she first arrived and this calmed it down. I buy it online and it's a quite a bit cheaper than buying in store.

[laurafife]

There are so many foods out there! Is dry food best, or a mixture of wet and dry foods? Kitty cats can be so fussy! Maybe it's a case of trial and error and seeing what they like!

Really appreciate the advice thank you xx :)

[Velvet]

The rescue centre we got our kittens from use Royal Canin Kitten and when I got Tim I bought a bag off them - it lasts ages.

Im not a great believer in only dried food for either dog or cat. My youngest dog if fed kibble dry - bloats, so their kibble is always soaked with some wet added.

As for the kittens they get a sachet of Nature Menu kitten [wet food] - 72% chicken + small handful of dry RC kibble with each meal. I couldnt rate Natures Menu highly enough.

As everyone else says I would keep the kittens on whatever they are being fed at present until they settle and then you could gradually introduce [over a few days so not to upset digestive systems] the food of your choice.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your kittens

[Phoenix]

A mixture of wet and dry food is best I've found. I don't think cats usually drink much (correct me if I'm wrong)

[dandysmom]

You're right, being originally from a desert climate they tend not to drink as much. I prefer a 90% wet with a little warm water added to make more gravy and increase the liquids content; dry, just a sprinkling on top for flavor. Too much dry can cause cystitis problems.

[angieh]

My winter project is to find the perfect cat gravy! Mine will only eat dry but go mad for the gravy on ASDA's own brand Tiger or Felix roast. They will not eat the "meat" at all. I would love to encourage them to eat more wet, so will let you know how it goes.

I've thought about liquidising a food pouch (as above) and maybe adding a little water or trying debittered brewers yeast and adding some tomato puree ..... I'll let you know if anything comes of it. :lol: ;)

[Kim]

The new sheba pouch cat food in gravy has loads of gravy, Our cats love it!

[dandysmom]

But Angie's two don't like wet, that's the problem; we need someone to sell just gravy!! Fancy Feast's Grilled Beef tins have lots of lovely gravy which I extend with some warm water; Leia always laps that up completely before eating the meat.

[TRACY2FEATHERS]

I Feed My 12 Year Old Royal Canin Indoor 27. Dry And Wet Food. It Has Glucosamine In The Food That Helps Older Cats And Dogs With Arthritist. Mama Coat And Eyes Are Breatifull She Is Like A Kitten At 12.i Bleave It To Be The Best On The Market They Have Been Around For Years. But................

I Have Done Alot Of Research On Pet Food And If I Was Every To Get Another Cat I Would Make The Cat Food My Self . I Bleave That Alot That Is In Pet Food Today Is Giving Are Pets Cancer, Alot Of Company Put Road Kill Into There Pet Food, I Never Buy Food Out Of Grocery Stores I Only Buy From Vets Are Pet Mart, I Dont Take For Granted Any More
What Companys Say Abought There Pet Food I Research It First. If I Was Going To Make The Food
I Would First Talk To My Vet Abought It As Cats Need Ash In There Food And Nutrition,you Have To Make Sure Your Pet Is Getting The Daily Requirments.

[Velvet.Tears]

RC is good but personally I think Hills is better but mine like eating Go Cat indoor plus I don't want to upset there flow of feeding a different food, they get bored of other foods.

[Nuttygran]

I got a sample bag of Royal Canin Sterilised Cat +7, Missy loves it but it is so expensive. I wondered too if it was worth the price.

[dandysmom]

When Leia had cystitis my vet gave me a sample of Royal Canin ... she wouldn't eat it.

[Nuttygran]

:lol: Cats!! Who would have one!! :D :D My kids weren't as fussy as Missy.

[Meeze]

This topic is always an interesting one. Like many others, I would say, keep the little one on the same food as the breeder has suggested for the first couple of weeks and then gradually introduce the food that any other household cats are being fed.

Many people here have also said that RC is a well known high quality food and their cats have done well on it. Mine have enjoyed it for quite a while but I also feed wet food because it is my opinion that it is not good to feed ONLY dried food even though you may put water down for drinking.

There are many cheaper brands of cat foods on the market which loads of cats eat without any undue ill effects that I know of. I am not a veterinary dietician, vet or expert, just someone who has owned cats over many many years and have tried and exchanged news with others about various cat foods.

We all do the best we can for our fur-kids and I cannot say one way is categorically better than another for all cats because individuals may have slightly different digestive needs - e.g., some are more sensitive and fussy than others. Your kitten will have probably been fed on a reasonably wide variety of foods so check with the breeder whether there are other brands that you may be able to give your little one, for the sake of dietary interest.

Please let us know how you get on and post a nice little picture if you can. :D

[miki]

Our Gaia had problems after eating RC for long-haired cats (she has long hair) - she was really sick. I don't now what it was - maybe the additive that is supposed to prevent the formation of hairballs? All was OK after we switched to felidae and orijen...

[Meeze]

Good point Miki - if you find your cat gets sick after eating it then you're right to change the food.

I did find that mine started to vomit after eating too much of the RC Exigent so I changed that to another brand and now have decided to give them dried food only in moderation.

[paulinef2]

Lester was on RC when I got him, I slowly changed him over to James Wellbeloved which he just dives into. He was starting to pick a bit at the RC, I think he'd got bored of it.