Royal Canin Aging 12+ Canned Senior Cat Food Review

By|Updated:

Protein: 9.0% (min) | Fat: 2.5% (min) | Fiber: 1.8% (max) | Moisture: 82.0% (max)

For specialist health formulas, there’s no beating Royal Canin. Their extensive experience in formulating cat foods toward specific needs put them a class above most others. This Aging 12+ formula is one such food where, if it fits your budget, you’d be mad to ignore it.

Royal Canin’s aging formula pays special attention to joint and kidney health, digestibility, and a lowered fat content to maintain a healthy weight. These core benefits, coupled with plenty of vitamins and minerals to aid general health, result in a high-quality canned senior food that we rate as one of the best cat foods today.

Nutritional Information

Pork, chicken, and liver make up the primary meat ingredients. Royal Canin are well known for including only the highest quality of animal sources, so the inclusion of pork by-products should be of no concern. The guaranteed analysis states a 9.0% protein content and an 82.0% moisture content; that’s a 50.0% dry-matter protein content, huge! A fat content of 2.5% as served is in the right region for senior cat food formulas.

High levels of essential fatty acids aim to support your cat’s joint function well into their old age. A lowered phosphorus content helps to ease the pressure on your cat’s kidneys as their efficiency fades. Fish oils provide natural sources of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which bolster skin and coat health.

Caloric Density and Feeding Guidelines

834 kcal/kg

At 71kcal per 3.0z can, Royal Canin’s aging formula stays in the middle ground in terms of caloric density. Since senior cats typically require fewer calories due to their less active lifestyle, correct portioning is critical. Though appetites do tend to fade in very old cats, cats that are just entering the senior bracket can still have big appetites; overfeeding can be a concern.

The general recommendation from Royal Canin is roughly two cans per 6.6lbs of body weight. For a more accurate recommendation, see the table below or check out the manufacturer’s website:

WeightNormal (Cans)Overweight (Cans)
6.6 lbs22 1/2
8.8 lbs2 1/23
11.0 lbs33 1/2
12.1 lbs3 1/24
13.2 lbs3 3/44 1/2
14.3 lbs4 1/45
15.4 lbs4 1/25 1/2
16.5 lbs56

Our Verdict

We love this senior cat food and recommend either fully committing to it, or at least supplementing senior dry food with it. Royal Canin produces such excellent health formulas that the positive health effects promised by this food are never in doubt. If budget is an issue, we’d recommend taking a look at our other recommendations for cat food for older cats, where we offer up some more affordable alternatives.

Ingredient List

Ingredients correct at the time of writing. Please check the retailer’s product page or the packaging before purchasing; ingredients lists are subject to frequent change.

Water Sufficient For Processing, Pork By-Products, Pork Liver, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Wheat Flour, Gelatin, Pork Plasma, Powdered Cellulose, Vegetable Oil, Natural Flavors, Fish Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Calcium Sulfate, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamins [Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source Of Vitamin E), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin Supplement, Biotin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement], Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Choline Chloride, L-Tryptophan, Trace Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Magnesium Oxide, Chondroitin Sulfate.

Did you find this article helpful?