Is Royal Canin food good for kittens
7 Best Cat Food for Ragdoll Cats
The Ragdoll is a large breed cat with bright blue eyes, pointed coloration, and a laid-back attitude. Not only are these cats easy-going, but they are also remarkably intelligent. They make for an all-around great family pet, including households with children and other pets.
Ragdollsaim to please and they have been known to pick up tricks quickly with the right motivation, of course. They make fast friends with everyone they meet but reserve a special degree of affection for their own family.
While all cats have the samebasic nutritional requirements, Ragdolls are bigger than the average housecat, so they need more calories. They also tend to be kept as indoor cats, which has certain implications in terms of balanced nutrition.
Why Should You Trust Us?
We have reviewed 230 of the worlds most popular and hundreds of formulas. We spent hours researching, contacting pet food companies, and analyzing labels. With the help of our cats, we also got hands-on experience with a few foods.
Between reviewing specific brands and researching feline nutrition, weve learned which brands and products are worth buying and putting in your cats bowl.
Based on that experience, weve chosen the products described below as the bestcat food you can buy for Ragdoll cats.
At a Glance: Best Cat Food for Ragdoll Cats To Buy
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, weve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. Youll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Overall Best
10
Picked by 31 people today!
- Fish-based formula rich in protein
- Rich in omega-3s from cod liver oil
- Very low carb content
Best Dry
9.7
Picked by 31 people today!
- Wild Pacific salmon as the first ingredient
- Supplemented with two concentrated sources of animal protein
- Herring and salmon oils for omega fatty acids
Budget Pick
9.5
Picked by 25 people today!
- Plenty of high-quality animal-based protein
- Comes in 12.5-ounce cans for bulk buyers
- No artificial additives or fillers
Best Canned
9.4
Picked by 21 people today!
- Made with chicken as a single source of protein
- Shredded texture may appeal to picky cats
- High in protein and very low in carbohydrate
Best Dehydrated
9.3
Picked by 18 people today!
- 70% of protein from real turkey
- Made from human-grade ingredients
- Minimally processed, no artificial additives
Best Freeze-Dried
9.2
Picked by 31 people today!
- Novel source of protein (rabbit)
- Highly digestible natural ingredients
- Rich in protein and probiotics
Best For Sensitive Stomach
9.0
Picked by 31 people today!
- Novel source of protein (trout and duck)
- Rich in protein and moisture
- Highly digestible and limited list of ingredients
What Should You Know About Your Ragdolls Dietary Requirements?
First and foremost, remember that cats are obligate carnivores.
The term obligate carnivore refers to the cats biological requirement for a meat-based diet. A diet made primarily of animal protein is not just a preference for your cat its a necessity.
But what does a biologically appropriate diet for obligate carnivores look like?
The ideal diet for Ragdoll cats features real animal protein as the first ingredient.
Real animal protein should always be the first ingredient in your cats diet. Check the ingredients list; if you see anything that isnt meat, poultry, or fish listed first, move on.
As obligate carnivores, cats have a limited ability to digest plant products. They lack a specific digestive enzyme,called salivary amylase, which helps omnivores and herbivores break down carbohydrates. In other words, your cat isnt designed to eat plant foods and wont be healthy on a carbohydrate-heavy diet.
Your cats ideal diet contains about 52% protein, 46% fat, and no more than 2% carbohydrates.
Second, a biologically appropriate diet for Ragdoll cats contains moderate levels of healthy, animal-based fat.
Protein provides the building blocks for healthy tissue and strong muscle in your Ragdoll cat. However, fat is the most concentrated source of energy available. As is true for protein, the best fat comes from animal-based sources. Look for ingredients like chicken fat or salmon oil within the top 10 ingredients.
Plant-based fats like sunflower oil and flaxseed oil can be beneficial for cats, but animal sources are preferred. These fats are often included as natural sources of omega-6 fatty acids to help balance out the omega-3s your cat gets from ingredients like fatty fish.
The best diet for Ragdoll cats is low in carbohydrates ideally under 2%.
After ensuring your Ragdolls diet is rich in animal protein and healthy animal-based fats, you should check the carbohydrate content. In the wild, your cats diet would contain less than 2% carbohydrate, but commercial diets are much higher in carbs.
We consider a commercial diet to be sufficiently low in carbohydrates if it comes in under 10%.
To calculate the estimated carbohydrate content of a cat food formula, add up the guaranteed analysis values for crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, moisture, and ash. If the ash level isnt listed, you can estimate 7.5% for dry food and 3.5% for wet food to get a rough idea. Subtract the sum from 100 to get the estimated carb content of the recipe.
Generally speaking,canned cat food, when compared with dry cat food,is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate.
Finally, a healthy diet for Ragdoll cats contains essential vitamins and minerals for balanced nutrition.
Most commercial cat foods contain synthetic vitamins and minerals to meet the basic nutritional requirements for cats, as established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). If a product carries an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy, you know it will meet your cats minimum requirements for nutrition.
What the label doesnt tell you, however, is where those nutrients come from.
You want to feed your cat a high-quality diet made up of primarily whole-food ingredients. The more synthetic supplements in the food, the more likely it is that the main ingredients are low in nutritional value or that their nutrition has been compromised by high heat processing.
The shorter the list of ingredients the better, especially if your cat has food allergies. Fortunately, Ragdolls are no more prone to food allergies than any other breed.
How Much Should You Feed Your Ragdoll?
Once youve chosen a high-quality cat food for your Ragdoll, the next question is how much do you feed him? Ragdolls are a large breed, weighing 10 to 20 pounds at maturity, so they may require more calories than other cats.
Because your Ragdoll requires more calories than average, its even more important to choose a high-quality cat food.
A high-quality cat food made with whole-food ingredients will be more nutrient-dense than a poor-quality diet. In other words, your cat gets the nutrients he needs in a smaller portion size. With a breed that already eats more than the average cat, this is important.
When shopping for cat food, check the feeding recommendations for your cats body weight. If the recommended portion seems high, it could be because the nutritional integrity of the food is low.
Do You Need a Breed-Specific Diet?
Several pet food manufacturers like Purina offer breed-specific diets for cats like the Ragdoll. Royal Canin offers a Ragdoll-specific formula in both dry food and wet food.
What you have to ask yourself is whether these diets are any different from a typical cat food and, if so, are they any better for your cat?
The truth is all cats have the same basic nutritional requirements there are no significant variations by breed. The only differences worth considering are calorie needs based on size and minor dietary changes based on certain health problems to which the breed may be prone.
What To Avoid in Your Ragdolls Diet?
The best option for your Ragdoll is a high-quality cat food made with whole food ingredients including real animal protein, healthy animal-based fats, and minimal carbohydrates.
Heres a list of things to avoid in your cats diet:
- Artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Non-nutritive fillers like corn, wheat, and soy
- Unnamed by-products (like animal digest, poultry by-product meal, etc.)
- High concentrations of carbohydrates
- Legumes and pulses (like peas, beans, or chickpeas)
You may also want to avoid a strictly kibble or dry cat food diet for your Ragdoll.
Moisture is an essential component of a balanced diet for any cat, but Ragdolls tend to be kept as indoor cats, which means the majority of their moisture intake comes from their food (rather than wild prey).
To keep your cat hydrated, consider feeding fresh or canned food. You can also add moisture to a dry food diet by soaking it in water or broth.
Top Picks for Best Canned, Soft & Wet Cat Food for Ragdoll Cats
Raw Food for Ragdoll Cats and Ragdoll Kittens
The commercial cat food options above should provide your Ragdoll with the balanced nutrition he needs. But if youre looking for an even more biologically appropriate diet, you might consider raw food.
Many pet nutrition experts consider a raw food diet the highest quality diet for cats. Why?
Because raw food diets for cats are whole-prey-inspired. This means they are designed to mimic the natural diet of wild cats which includes muscle meat, organs, and raw bone.
Be aware, though, that the Food & Drug Administration and American Veterinary Medical Association advise against raw food diets for pets. This is because raw food diets can contain disease-causing bacteria that can make pets and humans sick.
If you are considering feeding your Ragdoll a raw diet, talk with your veterinarian first to understand the health risks of raw food diets for pets. If you still prefer a raw food diet for your Ragdoll, work with your vet to choose between a commercial raw food diet and a homemade raw food diet.
Commercial diets take the guesswork out of the equation, though they can be pricey. If you choose to make your own raw cat food, be sure to follow a veterinarian-approved recipe to ensure your cat gets the nutrients he needs.
Learn more about homemade and raw cat food in our handy guide.
Also Read:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Ragdoll cats eat a lot?
While the Ragdolls ideal diet is no different from any other cats in terms of nutritional needs, this breed does tend to eat a lot more than other cats. Ragdolls weigh 10 to 20 pounds at maturity, so they need more calories than smaller cat breeds. In fact, they may eat 5 to 8 times as much as the average cat.
Do Ragdolls need a special diet?
Not necessarily. Any high-quality commercial cat food made with whole-food ingredients and centered around real animal proteins should be sufficient. That being said, Ragdoll cats tend to be kept as indoor cats so they may be at-risk for hairballs and dehydration due to a lack of moisture in most commercial diets. Consider a fresh, canned, or raw food diet for your Ragdoll.
Is it better to get a male or female Ragdoll?
Many Ragdoll owners say that male cats are sweeter, but theres no way to quantify this claim. Some say female Ragdolls play a little more aggressively but both sexes form strong bonds with their owners.
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
