Royal Canin is introducing a new a feline wet range – Sensory – with three sensorial stimulations of Smell, Taste and Feel to excite cats’ senses. The Sensory range was developed using the latest research from cat experts. Cats have an instinct for new experiences and diverse aromas, textures and tastes in their diet so Sensory mealtimes will not only be nutritious, but also sensorially rich, filled with novelty and discovery.
ROYAL CANIN® Sensory Smell is formulated with an aromatic profile that is irresistible to cats’ highly sensitive sense of smell.
Of all the senses, cats’ sense of smell is by far their most developed with up to 200 million odour-sensitive cells – that’s up to 14 times better than humans. Sensory Smell underwent revolutionary testing via a ‘false bottom bowl’ test. This involved measuring the ‘sniffability’ of products via a mesh which prevented the cats from eating and assessed cats’ response to aroma alone. The results were impressive: cats decided much more quickly that they liked Sensory Smell so spent a significantly shorter time sniffing it but ate much more of it than the control food.
ROYAL CANIN® Sensory Taste stimulates cats’ unique sense of taste so they enjoy every mouthful.
Cats can’t detect sweet flavours and have minimal receptors for sour and salty. However, they can taste umami, which is a satisfying, savoury, meaty, toasted, caramelised taste. As cats only have 470 taste buds, Sensory Taste has been developed for a cat’s ability to use ‘retro-olfaction’ utilising a special organ, called the Jacobson’s Organ, in the roof of their mouth. This helps them detect new umami taste-aromas that are released during eating; they are actually tasting a smell! These taste-aromas continue to be released whilst eating Sensory Taste, so cats keep enjoying every mouthful. In tests, cats ate double the amount of Sensory Taste compared to the control food.
ROYAL CANIN® Sensory Feel formulas are crafted with a unique thick gravy or strong jelly textures for a firm feel that lasts longer in cats’ mouths.
Some of a cat’s most sensitive touch receptors are in their mouths, which play a big role in deciding which food they prefer. Smooth chunks have been replaced by ragged chunks in Sensory Feel and the gravy variety has a super-thick sauce. In the jelly variety, the jelly is not only much firmer than our usual jelly, but it’s also set aside the chunks, rather than encasing them. For particularly ‘feel-sensitive’ cats, mix-feeding along with dry foods from Royal Canin’s Feline Health range will further enhance the eating experience.
The new Sensory range will launch throughout August and September. The three new varieties are available in boxes of 12 x 85g pouches in gravy or jelly, alongside side a 12-pouch gravy multipack with four of each of Smell, Taste and Feel.
With over 600,000 new cats entering the market each year and three-quarters of cat owners mix-feeding with wet, the Sensory range represents a great opportunity to reach into the cat market. As part of a mixed feeding routine, Sensory can be fed alongside dry food from Royal Canin’s Exigent, Sensible, Outdoor and Fit ranges.
The Sensory range will be supported by extensive marketing including a large consumer sampling activation, a wide-reaching online presence and varied point-of-sale materials for easy range navigation by pet owners, on and off shelf.
Royal Canin Customer Marketing Lead Ben Hurley said, “Cats’ senses are their gateway to the world. How a cat’s sense of smell, taste, and touch are stimulated determines how they feel. Our feline experts researched cats’ senses and took what they learned to develop Sensory.”
Talk to your Royal Canin Business Manager today, call us on 0330 6781 520, or click here to find out more.
