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Good Lord...this sure does alarm me!

ok

now that I have somewhat gotten over being speechless.................

how are they possibly able to keep the offending ingredient "secret"
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this is a matter of PUBLIC Health CONCERN
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yep....I am still pretty speechless


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I have been having panic attacks several times a day about this pet food issue.

My 3 cats have dry food (Purina Naturals) available at all times, but I have always given them canned food (fancy feast - which is a sliced with gravy type of wet food) as an occasional treat (once or twice a week)... in addition we have a few different types of cat treats that are semi-moist which we give them occasionally for no reason.

We checked every pet food product in our house, and we have nothing that was on the recall list -- but because of all the uncertainty and secrecy surrounding the investiagation into this mess, I am flipping out and worried that one of our foods might end up on the list at some point.

I swear, I would be less worried if this was a human-food recall, because at least in humans we can verbalize and recognize our symptoms -- but with the cats, they can't verbalize and we just have to watch and hope that they are continuing to be normal.... my poor cats are on edge simply because I am on edge... and they probably don't like it that I am watching them everytime they use the litterbox, but I need to make sure that they are all normal and healthy - and with 3 cats and 1 litterbox, the only way to know for sure that each cat is using the box in a normal and healthy and regular manner is to watch and see.

I know that I am over-reacting, but with my anxiety disorders worrying and over-reacting is a way of life.... especially when it comes to my pets who are helpless and defensiveless and rely on humans for 100% of their needs.

OK, just needed to get all of that out and off of my chest.

Liz

I'm with you Liz. This has made me nervous even though my kitties and puppy had no food on the recall list. You are so right that they can't verbalize. It's just like a baby being hurt and not knowing how to communicate with them.Though we couldn't get their Little Friskies canned at the supermarket, today at Petsmart I found plenty. On the other hand, they must be overwhelmed there because the cashier was so rude to me and the person behind me...seriously I went back in to complain I was so upset.

Two of our cats are very old. So I worry. Hard to tell if it is real, or
due to this fisaco-- any symptoms that show up.

BUT...my son's cat was ill during the window-- Early Dec thru now.
She recovered however.

We have some dry treats we give, and wheat gluten is on some of those labels.
(Whisker Lickin's) ... so I am concerned.

Another thing that worries me is that so far the animals who have died quickly were SMALL...so any agent in the food, may be toxic according to weight.
If the animal is bigger, or if it is a human, perhaps only subtle damage to the kidneys occur...WHICH MAY NOT BE NOTICED....this is what is alarming me.

And it is possible that the "agent" causing this needs moisture...to grow or
produce more toxin. Hence the dry foods may not so dangerous.
Hence the bottles of gravy they sell for dogs, may be very dangerous.
Hence foods for humans with gravy etc may be a problem.

I guess the only thing to do is start removing moist, and using only dry.
My son has already started that since he is using the kidney formula for his two girls. (the older rescue has had huge vet bills since he adopted her, and the latest was in this toxic window.)
I am already doing non cat food treats daily for all three. I guess I will eventually stop moist cat food entirely, and do some human quality food +
quality kibble (Eukanuba). But I am even thinking...these high end brands,
like Science Diet and Iams were affected...they are buying their food from a mega maker.

There is a program on Discovery and repeats of the same on Nat Geo channel on cable. It is called "How It Is Made"...and comes from Canada. I saw an episode in late fall on pet food kibble manufacture. I just wonder now if that were Menu Foods? These huge manufacturers may just use a recipe for each company... and make them to order. This is not unlike the vitamin industry, or generic OTC products for humans. An error in the main ingredient list, which may occur for many recipes, would then cross over and affect everyone!

One such major producer for humans, Perrigo, had a huge recall recently for acetaminophen (Tylenol) that had metal shavings in them. It affected huge numbers of product all over the country.

With the complexity we live with today, we are just very vulnerable!

It so stressful to sit and watch my cat asking for his wet food and having to deny him.

Guinness was on a wet food only diet when we got him from our naighbor last summer, and over the course of several months I weaned him off of wet and onto dry - which was a long process because I did it at his pace because he had already gone through so many changes.

By December he had adjusted and was eating the dry food - but he would still ask for wet food on an occasional basis and I had no problem giving him a small can every few days when he asked... he had food issues with his previous owner, so it was very important for him to know that I would never deny him food.

And now I am denying him his wet food. Our fancy feast is not on the recall list - but wheat gluten is one of the main ingrediants - so no more wet food for my cats.... I'm worried enough about the wet food they ate between December and now.

But it is breaking my heart to see Guinness asking for his wet food and feeling so terrified about this whole thing that I just can't bring myself to give him any type of wet food at all... he is certainly not going hungry because he eats the dry food just fine, but he likes his wet food -- and more than that he needs to know that he will be fed his wet food when he asks for it due to the problems that were caused by his last owner.

So far, none of my cats have any symptoms at all and I am being hyper-vigilant about watching them and checking them.

But geez - my baby Guinness is breaking my heart with his little playful game of asking for wet food by running back and forth between me and where the food used to be kept and sitting there being totally adorable as he waits for me to go and give him his wet food.... only now I am not getting up and he just doesn't understand why we are cuddling and playing games instead of getting the food he is asking for.

I am afraid that I am giving him food issues again or causing his past food iseus to rise back up to the surface - even though we have 2 dry food dishes that are always full and always available 24/7 - Guinness has always needed that reassurance that he will get his wet food when he asks for his wet food.

Liz
if you look up homemade cat food on Google you will find some really good recipes with balanced nutrition too. That with dry food seems to be keeping my guys happy

dry kibble loses its appeal quickly on exposure to air. So giving only a small
amount at a time, I have found satisfies the cats better. They eat it up before the aroma goes stale. Then when they beg you give a bit more.

My oldest cat begs, and she gets a frozen shrimp. That goes quite a way to
satisfy her. He has actually lost weight eating shrimp. Something in shrimp she
must have been craving. This is once a day or so. On vacation it is everyday for some reason! We've always given some table things too...chicken, turkey, etc.

Some Friskies soft is gluten free:
Turkey & Giblets
Ocean Whitefish dinner (special diet)
Poultry Platter

These I just found at WalMart.

I guess we all have to adjust some, until the truth outs...

just noticed this on the gluten forum


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