20 cans compared

Fancy Feast vs Royal Canin

The typical Fancy Feast can gets 12.5% of its calories from carbohydrate, against 14.6% for Royal Canin. Fancy Feast has 5 of 10 recipes under the 10% low-carb line; Royal Canin has 2 of 10. Below, every number is worked out the same way from each can’s label.

Fancy Feast

Royal Canin

Fancy Feast vs Royal Canin at a glance

Typical values are the middle recipe of each brand. Shares are of calories, so textures compare fairly. Marked cells show the better value where the gap is meaningful.

	Fancy Feast	Royal Canin
Cans we compare	10	10
Typical carbs, % of calories	12.5%	14.6%
Carb range	2.5–18.4%	8.8–24.1%
Recipes under 10% carbs	5 of 10	2 of 10
Typical protein, % of calories	55%	53%
Typical fat, % of calories	30%	29%
Calories per ounce	29	22
Calories per can	65–98	55–78
Recipes with published phosphorus	0 of 10	0 of 10
Typical phosphorus, mg per 100 kcal	—	—
Confirmed for kittens	6 of 10	2 of 10
Chicken-free recipes	1 of 10	0 of 10
Fish-free recipes	2 of 10	2 of 10
Textures	Flaked, Pâté, Chunks in gravy	Pâté, Chunks in gravy

Lowest-carb can from each brand

The recipe with the smallest share of calories from carbohydrate on each side, leaving out toppers meant for supplemental feeding.

Put these two side by side

Fancy Feast3 oz

Fish & Shrimp Feast

Flaked · 83 kcal per can

Carbs: 2.5%
Protein: 74%
Phosphorus: not listed

Protein 74%Fat 24%Carbs 2%

Low carbHigh proteinNo chicken

Royal Canin3 oz

Kitten Loaf in Sauce

Pâté · 78 kcal per can

Carbs: 8.8%
Protein: 53%
Phosphorus: not listed

Protein 53%Fat 38%Carbs 9%

Low carbHigh protein

Same texture, head to head

For each texture both brands make, the lowest-carb recipe from each.

Texture	Fancy Feast	Royal Canin
Pâté	Tender Beef & Chicken Feast3.8% carbs · 40% protein · 97 kcal	Kitten Loaf in Sauce8.8% carbs · 53% protein · 78 kcal
Chunks in gravy	Beef Feast in Roasted Beef Flavor Gravy15.3% carbs · 55% protein · 65 kcal	Adult Instinctive Thin Slices in Gravy10.6% carbs · 62% protein · 66 kcal

Which to choose, by what your cat needs

For a diabetic or overweight cat

Fancy Feast is the lower-carb line overall. Its lowest-carb recipe is Fish & Shrimp Feast at 2.5% of calories; Royal Canin’s is Kitten Loaf in Sauce at 8.8%. Both brands have recipes under the 10% line (5 of 10 against 2 of 10), so the right recipe matters more than the brand.

For kidney concerns

Fancy Feast doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Royal Canin doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Without published values neither brand can be checked for phosphorus from the label alone; ask the maker for a typical analysis.

For kittens

Fancy Feast has 6 of 10 recipes whose label we could confirm covers growth or all life stages; Royal Canin has 2 of 10. A missing statement doesn’t mean a can is unsuitable, only that we couldn’t verify it.

For allergies and picky eaters

Chicken-free: Fancy Feast 1 of 10, Royal Canin 0 of 10. Fish-free: Fancy Feast 2 of 10, Royal Canin 2 of 10. Textures: Fancy Feast makes flaked, pâté, chunks in gravy; Royal Canin makes pâté, chunks in gravy.

Questions about Fancy Feast vs Royal Canin

Is Fancy Feast or Royal Canin lower in carbs?

The typical Fancy Feast can gets 12.5% of its calories from carbohydrate, against 14.6% for Royal Canin. Fancy Feast has 5 of 10 recipes under the 10% low-carb line; Royal Canin has 2 of 10.

Which has more protein, Fancy Feast or Royal Canin?

They are close: 55% of calories from protein for the typical Fancy Feast can and 53% for Royal Canin.

Which is more filling per ounce?

Royal Canin. Its cans average 22 calories per ounce against 29 for Fancy Feast, so a cat needs fewer ounces of it to get the same calories.

Do Fancy Feast and Royal Canin publish phosphorus?

Fancy Feast doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked. Royal Canin doesn’t publish phosphorus on the pages we checked.

Which is better for a diabetic cat, Fancy Feast or Royal Canin?

Carbs are what matter most, and Fancy Feast has the lower-carb line with 5 of 10 recipes under 10%. The best single choice is a specific recipe, not a brand: Fish & Shrimp Feast (2.5%) from Fancy Feast or Kitten Loaf in Sauce (8.8%) from Royal Canin. Change a diabetic cat’s food only with your vet.