Royal Canin Launches Start of Life Report, with Go-To Guidelines on Puppy and Kitten Nutrition

Only half* of pet owners feel well informed when purchasing their pet's food for the first time and Royal Canin wants to help.

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2023 /CNW/ - According to a new survey conducted by Royal Canin, 9 in 10 cat and dog owners say their pet's health is as important as their own and more than 8 in 10 want to feed their pets the highest quality food available. But, only about half* of pet owners feel well informed when purchasing food for the first time and an even greater number - 7 in 10* - want to learn more about pet nutrition.

To ensure puppies and kittens get off to a great start and help owners navigate their questions about nutrition, Royal Canin created the Start of Life Report, a new resource for puppy and kitten owners to guide them through the early stages of nutrition for their pets.

"The right nutritional choices from the beginning play a vital role in influencing how strong and healthy pets become," says Karen Miyauchi, Head of Demand for Royal Canin Canada. "With the Start of Life Report, Royal Canin wants to give Canadians a resource they can trust to learn everything they need to know on puppy and kitten nutrition."

To give pet owners the information they are craving, the Start of Life Report includes go-to guidelines, to help them learn more about puppy and kitten nutrition. For example, did you know that puppy and kitten food can be specific to your pet's age, breed and lifestyle? Or that kibble size and shape should be designed specifically to meet the individual pet's needs? Read more below.

Start of Life: Go-To Guidelines

• Balance: Look for specific food that matches your puppy or kittens' age, breed, lifestyle and any sensitivities they might have to best ensure you're striking the right balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
• Palatability: Puppies and kittens are sensitive to smells and textures, so food formulated to be highly palatable is key to ensuring proper nutrition. Look for puppy and kitten food that has been palatability tested.
• Digestibility: Puppies and kittens have sensitive digestive systems. Find a food formulated to be highly digestible will help make sure your furry loved one gets the most out of every bite.
• Safety: Always buy food tested to meet high quality and food safety standards. In addition, be sure to know which human foods may be toxic or dangerous to puppies and kittens, including cooked bones, fatty foods and chocolate among others.
• Size: Controlling portions – including for your pet's specific breed and eventual adult weight – is important from the start. Owners should look for food that was designed for their pet's breed specifically, from extra small to giant, to ensure the food is suited to their puppy or kitten.

You can review the Start of Life Report here.

If you're not sure where to start, talk to your veterinarian. You can check out Royal Canin's entire range of puppy and kitten products with tailored nutritional options for puppies and kittens. Visit Royal Canin's dedicated puppy and kitten pages for more information on every aspect of Start of Life.  As always consult your veterinarian before introducing anything new to your pet.

*H+K Strategies used the Leger Opinion online panel to survey 1,000 Canadian pet owners from May 15-18, 2023. Sample outgo was done with age, gender and region quotas. Length of survey was 10 minutes. An associated margin of error for a randomly selection sample of n=1,000 would be +/- 4%, 19 times out of 20.

About ROYAL CANIN^®

ROYAL CANIN^® is a global leader in science-based health nutrition for cats and dogs. Founded by veterinarian Jean Cathary in 1968, Royal Canin has over 50 years of experience in delivering precise nutritional solutions. Passionate about creating a better world for pets, ROYAL CANIN^® collaborates with expert teams of nutritionists, breeders and veterinarians from around the world to ensure cats and dogs are at the very center of the innovation process. A subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, ROYAL CANIN's diverse product line is tailored to the unique demands of size, age, breed, lifestyle or therapeutic requirement, and is available at veterinary hospitals and pet specialty stores throughout Canada. For more information about ROYAL CANIN's Canadian operations, visit https://www.royalcanin.com

SOURCE Royal Canin

Media Contact: Stacey Young, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, [phone], [email protected]