NUTRIENTS VS. INGREDIENTS
Formulating the best, premium pet nutrition in the world is no simple task. Each of our diets is made up of nutrients that must be included in precise balance to supply the most effective nutrition for cats and dogs of different sizes, ages, breeds and lifestyles, and with specific needs.
Our goal is to provide every cat and dog with the nutrition that is precisely right for their individual needs – needs that vary with the pet’s breed, environment, age, weight, gender, digestion, genetic makeup and lifestyle.
What’s in a dry food kibble (i.e. biscuit)? More than you might think.
Kibble Shape and Size
Royal Canin is a leader in kibble research and development. Extensive development at the Royal Canin campus in France and use of advanced equipment such as the Texturometer – a tool that measures kibble hardness and the amount of force required to chew or break it – allow us to create specifically shaped kibble to meet the needs of different breed's ability to pick-up and chew our product.
We also take size, shape, texture and density into consideration when developing our kibble and adapt it to the specific characteristics of each dog or cat breed's needs. Labrador Retrievers, for example, are known for eating food very quickly, without chewing. Through extensive research, we developed a donut-shaped kibble that is designed to encourage chewing and works to slow down the speed of ingestion.
The Persian cat, on the other hand, is known for its long, beautiful coat and flat (brachycephalic) face. Persians use the lower part of their tongue to pick up kibble, so we created an almond-shaped kibble that is easier for them to eat.
A cat or dog’s size and age is important when it comes to kibble size and texture. For example, the kibble for a giant breed adult dog is much larger and more brittle than the kibble for a miniature breed puppy, which needs smaller, softer pieces.
Because kibble's shape and size can impact many things like :
We do not develop our foods based on buyer (human) trends, but instead develop every diet according to what we learn from cats and dogs. That is why you'll never find Royal Canin kibble shaped like tiny bones or fish: We make different types of uniquely shaped biscuits specifically designed for the needs of your cat or dog.