Hi everyone,
I’m adopting a Bengal kitten in a month, and I’ve been doing endless research to figure out the best way to feed him. I was planning to rely on the food ranking from this site, especially when it comes to kibble.
I live in Europe, where Royal Canin basically has a monopoly—it’s what a lot of people use, including breeders, and vets often recommend it too. But it’s hard to ignore the fact that RC funds a lot of research, so the advice around it isn’t always totally neutral.
From what I’ve read here, Royal Canin isn’t considered a good option. But then there’s Orijen and Acana, which have had issues with heavy metals. And even among the “A”-rated brands, I’ve come across concerning things online: Open Farm allegedly has high phosphorus levels and potential kidney risks, Farmina N&D seems to have declined in quality since they opened a facility in Serbia in 2021—there are reports of inconsistent smell, taste, and even vomiting in some cats.
I do plan to complement the dry food with raw meat at lunchtime and wet food in the evening, so it won’t be 100% kibble. But still, choosing the right dry food feels like a minefield.
There’s just so much information out there that it’s hard to see things clearly. I imagine there have already been thousands of posts asking the same question, but honestly, I don’t see any other way out of this confusion than by posting this one myself.
I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts, tips, or feedback! MERCI 🙂
@kalou Hi Kalou! Congrats on your new kitten! It sounds like you're doing your best to ensure a healthy, happy life and that's all any kitten can ask for 🙂
Honestly, your feeding plan sounds great. Dry food has its downsides, sure, but it's pretty calorie-dense which is a bonus for growing kittens. I think complementing dry food with meat and wet food is a good way to keep the diet balanced and meet your kitten's needs for hydration, too.
There's definitely a lot of differing opinions on companies like Royal Canin. The "quality" of their products seems low compared to boutique brands that don't use byproducts and grains but there is certainly a lot of research behind their formulas. I think some of the confusion with our rating system is that we're judging products against an ideal/biologically appropriate diet for cats, which most commercial foods simply aren't... but that doesn't mean they don't do the trick.
The thing with a big company like RC is that they have the money to do feeding trials in which they actually test the food on real cats and assess the results. Other brands may follow AAFCO recommendations, but those recommendations are offered as minimums or suggested ranges. A brand that tests their formulas is better equipped to assess how different nutrient ratios work together instead of just treating each nutrient as an individual ingredient. That's also the benefit of making things in big batches—more consistency.
I'd say it's worth trying a Royal Canin formula (ideally one for kittens) and see how it goes. You can always go with a boutique brand for the wet food, if you want, and just find an RC dry food that's as meat-heavy as possible. What's most important is finding a diet that helps your kitten thrive and it sounds like that's your priority, so trust your instincts!
Hope that helps!
- Kate