Royal Canin Urinary S/O formula change

elayman · Oct 3, 2011

Recently Royal Canin reformulated their Urinary SO formula to contain no wheat gluten and replaced it instead with soy protein. I can report favorable results with the cat insofar as he is eating more without gaining weight as a result of a less filling product and less "thickening" fat from the wheat. Soy protein is an incomplete plant-based protein source, but wheat gluten is a TERRIBLE, irritating non-digestible "filler" source of protein for cats.

So even though pretty much all prescription foods contains really subquality ingredients, anyone know how big of a change up this really is?

minka · Oct 3, 2011

While it's nice that they are trying to move away from cheaper ingredients, soy protein isn't too much better. Soy negatively affects the thyroid gland, which can cause it to fail over time. The National Center for Biotechnology Information mentions that soy in the diet causes an increase in T4 & fT4 concentrations to a level above what is considered healthy.
I understand that if your cat has urinary issues, then you may have to stick with urinary health foods that are less than desirable, but I just wanted to make sure you were informed of the issues with the new ingredient.

sharky · Oct 3, 2011

wheat Gluten is a Protein Not a filler.. that said not something a cat IMHO should have in large quantities but I prefer it to soy any kind... they are exchanging a relatively inexpensive ingredient for a IMHO very cheap one...

soy is a higher allergen to cats than even wheat... VMMV on how your cat does with it but in my experience soy is nasty... If it were me I would be looking into other foods avail with the vet ...

gloriajh · Oct 4, 2011

Oh SHOOT! I hadn't realized they changed to soy!! Thanks for the "heads up".
Now what to do!

Guess I'll be talking with my vet real soon as I really don't like the soy - didn't like the wheat either, but I didn't hear as much bad news about wheat as I have about soy for cats. UGH!

g

gloriajh · Oct 4, 2011

I just contacted them about the new can ounces - from 6 oz to 5.8, plus a price increase - guess another complaint is going to be sent, not that it would do any good - it's like falling on deaf ears.

gloriajh · Oct 4, 2011

I found the list of ingredients in the canned food - doesn't show wheat, or soy - is it outdated?

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, chicken liver, pork liver, pork by-products, corn flour, fish oil, powdered cellulose, dried egg product, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, guar gum, calcium sulfate, salt, natural flavors, carrageenan, taurine, choline chloride, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.).

elayman · Oct 4, 2011

OK, thanks for checking !

I asked the vets last week what was going on since the consistency of the food in the case of Urinary SO from mid September was different from anything I had encountered since the first use 30 months ago. It had been a pate type texture that suddenly turned into something much less firm -looser or more 'crumbly.' And something that obviously wasn't as filling since kitty was eating approximately 2/3 more a can of every day.

.

The posting of a wheat/soy switchover was based on their telephone message answer. I will call again to try and get more details.

minka · Oct 4, 2011

I believe manufacturers have a few months to change all the labels so that could be why the ingredients don't seem to match up.

cheshirecat · Oct 4, 2011

Rats! The print is so small I'll have to get out my magnifying glass and check out the label.

Chester eats the chunks and gravy version of the SO. It is the only kind he will eat and it took weeks of trying. He absolutely refused to eat any brand of pate.

brooklet425 · Oct 5, 2011

I didn't realize they changed their formula either. Has it been changed in both the wet and the dry food?

gloriajh · Oct 5, 2011

I don't think the OP knows, for sure, that it's been changed. (?)

I posted the ingredients as listed on the 6 oz can, I see no wheat, or soy listed as stated on the website.
http://www.royalcanin.us/documents/v...dates/F_US.pdf

Ingredients for canned both the 6 oz and the 3 oz cans:

Canned:
ROYAL CANIN Veterinary DietÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] in gel\tcan
Pantothenic Acid\tmg\t15.6 15.0
Niacin\tmg\t44.5 32.1
Water sufficient for processing, chicken, chicken liver, pork liver, pork by-products, corn flour, fish oil, powdered cellulose, dried egg product, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, guar gum, calcium sulfate, salt, natural flavors, carrageenan, taurine, choline chloride, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.).

ROYAL CANIN Veterinary DietÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] morsels in gravy can
Water sufficient for processing, chicken liver, chicken, pork by-products, corn flour, chicken by-products, dried egg product, corn starch modified, vegetable oil, powdered cellulose, natural flavors, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, fish oil, sodium tripolyphosphate, guar gum, taurine, D-L methionine, salt, choline chloride, vitamins [Vitamins (DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate )source of Vitamin E], thiamine mononitrate [Vitamin B1], niacin supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement [Vitamin B2], pyridoxine hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, Vitamin D3 supplement), trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.)

Nutrition Statement:
Feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] in gel can and feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] morsels in gravy can diets are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

I see corn listed, but no wheat or soy (yet).

If you're interested in the dry ingredients - just go to the link I posted. I see soy listed in the dry.

jcat · Oct 5, 2011

Now I can scratch RC SO from my shopping list - Jamie is allergic to soy. I guess I have to discuss this with the vets and their nutritionist.

Thanks for the heads-up!

gloriajh · Oct 5, 2011

Originally Posted by jcat

Now I can scratch RC SO from my shopping list - Jamie is allergic to soy. I guess I have to discuss this with the vets and their nutritionist.

Thanks for the heads-up!

FYI -- So far, not seeing SOY listed in the canned food.

Let me know if you've found another Urinary formula that you can use, okay?

jcat · Oct 5, 2011

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

FYI -- So far, not seeing SOY listed in the canned food.

Let me know if you've found another Urinary formula that you can use, okay?

There are a couple of European brands I'll probably have to switch to. Jamie won't eat the urinary wet foods at all, so I've got him on urinary dry brands (Hill's, Eukanuba and RC) in the morning, and grain-free wet food in the evening. The wet food is European: Almo nature, Applaws and Catz. He's allowed the mixed meat and fish twice a week.

elayman · Oct 5, 2011

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

I don't think the OP knows, for sure, that it's been changed. (?)

I posted the ingredients as listed on the 6 oz can, I see no wheat, or soy listed as stated on the website.
http://www.royalcanin.us/documents/v...dates/F_US.pdf

Wheat or soy isn't on my cans, but the ingredients in the order they are listed on the web site don't all match the product I have in hand, either. :? If the manufacturers are continually tweaking the formula and there is a new ingredient list, I wonder if it is being only given to vets ?? Or if the food is not being produced consistently the same from batch to batch?

Anyway, the vets around when I called today seemed to know less this time than before. But they did refer me to a RC help line : 1-800-592-6687. If anyone gets informative answer before me, please let us know !

gloriajh · Oct 7, 2011

Originally Posted by CheshireCat

Rats! The print is so small I'll have to get out my magnifying glass and check out the label.

Chester eats the chunks and gravy version of the SO. It is the only kind he will eat and it took weeks of trying. He absolutely refused to eat any brand of pate.

I think it's only the DRY formula - and it has soy isolate which is suppose to be the best of the soy protein (?) - but, from what I've read, it's still not good for cats over the long term - causing thyroid issues (thanks Minka for the heads up on this!!!).

This is the dry formula - as quoted from the link I provided before - a pdf file : (http://www.royalcanin.us/documents/v...dates/F_US.pdf)

ROYAL CANIN Veterinary DietÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] dry

Chicken meal, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, corn, chicken fat, natural flavors, soy protein isolate, powdered cellulose, salt, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, fish oil, sodium bisulfate, vegetable oil, taurine, choline chloride, DL-methionine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source
of vitamin E), niacin supplement, biotin, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), trace minerals [zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

The Morsels that are sold in the 3 oz cans doesn't list soy in the ingredients - cf previous post.

ROYAL CANIN Veterinary DietÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] in gel can

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, chicken liver, pork liver, pork by-products, corn flour, fish oil, powdered cellulose, dried egg product, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, guar gum, calcium sulfate, salt, natural flavors, carrageenan, taurine, choline chloride, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.).

ROYAL CANIN Veterinary DietÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] feline URINARY SOÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] morsels in gravy can

Water sufficient for processing, chicken liver, chicken, pork by-products, corn flour, chicken by-products, dried egg product, corn starch modified, vegetable oil, powdered cellulose, natural flavors, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, fish oil, sodium tripolyphosphate, guar gum, taurine, D-L methionine, salt, choline chloride, vitamins [Vitamins (DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate )source of Vitamin E], thiamine mononitrate [Vitamin B1], niacin supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement [Vitamin B2], pyridoxine hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, Vitamin D3 supplement), trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.)

I don't see either wheat or soy in the canned formulas - but then, I don't know how current this information is, either.

I'm taking Gray to the Vet tomorrow - and will try and remember to ask - hope she's up on Nutrition

.

gloriajh · Oct 7, 2011

Originally Posted by jcat

There are a couple of European brands I'll probably have to switch to. Jamie won't eat the urinary wet foods at all, so I've got him on urinary dry brands (Hill's, Eukanuba and RC) in the morning, and grain-free wet food in the evening. The wet food is European: Almo nature, Applaws and Catz. He's allowed the mixed meat and fish twice a week.

Thanks for the info - will research, and check with our Vet.

elayman · Oct 21, 2011

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

Thanks for the info - will research, and check with our Vet.

I also verified with a Royal Canin rep that the wheat gluten to soy was specific to packages of dry.

The only tampering to canned was apparently the substitute of sodium tri poly phosphate (??) for phosphorus (??) and the extraction of vegetable oil -- but the chemical names are always at the end of the ingredients list so it doesn't worry me as much. Although removing oil may have been what made my recent batch look so much flakier

gloriajh · Oct 21, 2011

I did check with my vet - asked about the T3 and T4 thyroid issues - and she, as expected, wasn't aware of this problem with soy, and it was left up to me to do the research.

Vets, as with most Medical doctors, aren't really educated about nutritional issues it seems.

The more times I look at the ingredients in the Royal Canin Urinary SO I just say to myself that there must be something better to feed my cats.

I know many Raw Feeders would say that feeding raw would be an option, but this option just isn't practical for me with 8 cats - all living inside. Two of those have suppressed immune systems and feeding raw wouldn't be a viable option.

Oh well, if I do find something better, I'll be sure to post my findings.

cheshirecat · Oct 25, 2011

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

I did check with my vet - asked about the T3 and T4 thyroid issues - and she, as expected, wasn't aware of this problem with soy, and it was left up to me to do the research.

Vets, as with most Medical doctors, aren't really educated about nutritional issues it seems.

The more times I look at the ingredients in the Royal Canin Urinary SO I just say to myself that there must be something better to feed my cats.

It may not be the best but it's the only thing he will eat.

Thanks for posting the ingredients of the dry.

I had been thinking that maybe I should try switching to the RC dry because it is supposed to be better than the dry that I have been feeding him.

Royal Canin Urinary S/O formula change

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