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Can a healthy cat eat Royal Canin renal food if they don't have kidney disease?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 17 years and 10 months old | 9.5 lbs

Hello tony does not have kidney disease and he is not in early stages of kidney disease (like my vet recently thought) but I had bought a royal canin renal Food kit and he loves the renal dry food and won’t eat any other dry food now. He is mainly on a canned hills rx senior diet but likes the renal dry as a snack or sometimes with his wet food. Is it ok for him to eat this renal food even though he doesn’t have kidney disease??? Thx!

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 1st, 2017

Yes, it is ok to eat renal food, but only as a treat or supplement to the main diet of Hills Rx Senior. Renal food is lower in protein than normal cat food since the kidneys can't handle excess protein when they are failing. So it would be best for long-term health if Tony gets plenty of protein, which is in the senior diet!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Lotus Altholtz
Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist
Published on March 2nd, 2019
Unfortunately no, neither of those diets are ideal for kidney patients which benefit from lower protein diets. Royal Canin makes a whole line of renal diets for cats that come in a variety of textures, flavors that are usually more appealing to finicky cats than the Hills k/d. If BB won’t even eat the Royal Canin renal canned cat foods, however, eating something is definitely better than not eating, especially as cats can develop a serious condition called hepatic lipidosis from not eating for even two days. Inquire with your vet about approving the Royal Canin renal diets which you can find on chewy.com if your vet doesn’t carry it. Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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