Cat Health SOS: How to Navigate Food Recalls and Ensure Your Cats' Wellbeing

Recent online reports suggest that some of the most famous pet food brands may be linked to hundreds of complaints of cats' and dogs getting sick and even dying.

If, as a dedicated cat parent, you're looking to take control over your cats' nutrition with a proactive and hands-on approach and detach yourself from the risks of large commercial pet food brands making mistakes with what goes into your cats', not testing batches properly and using low-quality, contaminated ingredients, then read on.

Disclaimer

First of all, I am going to start with a huge disclaimer.

I am not here to brand bash. My duty as a pet professional is to inform you about what is going on in the cat-related sphere in the most transparent and honest way I can so you can make your own choices from a place of awareness regarding your cats'.

As of today, Purina has not had any official recall related to these reports. I am simply sharing what has been recently going on among pet parents, beating their drums, and sharing their stories about their particular pets.

Now, let's get into it...

Pet Food Toxicity Issues - What Is Actually Happening?

Kelly Bone lost her dog Duncan years ago due to a batch of Hill's dog food containing too much Vitamin D one week before they recalled the food she used.

Following his death, Kelly started a Facebook group dedicated to helping pet parents stay on top of what's happening with information regarding recalls and other nutrition-related resources.

Within this Facebook group, Saving Pets One Pet @ A Time, many pet parents worldwide report daily that their pets have fallen sick or died after consuming a certain commercial pet food, often associated with Purina.

That's why today, I want to highlight this topic and share crucial information that could affect your cats' health.

While there are no official recalls at present, I understand the growing concerns within our community regarding the health of our kitties. Samples of food have been dispatched to an independent laboratory for thorough testing, and Dr Judy Morgan is using her personal resources to get to the bottom of this, as she hopes to help pet parents get definitive answers.

Who is Dr Judy Morgan?

For those who have never heard of her, Dr Judy Morgan is a nationally renowned author and veterinarian.

She is a pioneer, a great educator, and a very switched-on, straight-talking individual, full of integrity.

I highly respect her, and she definitely deserves the support of the pet parent community as she is trying to shed light on what lies beneath the alarming surge of consumer reports linking sick pets to Purina Pet Food and other well-known brands on a smaller scale.

6 Steps To Ensure Your Cats' Wellbeing:

So, while we wait for detailed information and results, I urge you to stay vigilant and attentive to your cats' behaviour.

If you're feeding commercial pet food, remember that when something goes wrong at the supplier level, many brands might get affected at the consumer level. If a particular ingredient or compound is purchased high in the chain of production and gets used throughout the subsequent production process, it could end up in several varieties of pet food you find in stores.

If you suspect that any pet food brand is causing distress or affecting the well-being of your kitties at any time, not just now, here is a detailed checklist on how to proceed:

Step 1: Pause The Food Immediately And Monitor

If your cats' back away from the food they usually eat without issue, do not force them to eat it. Make their health a priority by discontinuing the use of any potentially harmful food, and if they improve, stay away from the problematic food, at least until official news is shared.

Step 2: Connect With Your Veterinarian

If you are concerned about your cats' health, contact your vet and let them know what might be happening. Many traditional vets may not know what is happening at this stage and are not up to date with the latest developments. They may reassure you that everything is okay when investigations are, in fact, still currently going on.

If you contact your vet, obtain a copy of your kitties' medical records. You should always have these documents on hand as they can be instrumental in understanding and addressing any emergency effectively.

Step 3: Report The Issue To Saving Pets One Pet @ A Time

Head over to the Saving Pets One Pet @ A Time Facebook group, where the admins are diligently collecting data. You can share your stories, stay up to date on current feedback, and get informed on the latest developments.

Step 4: Contact The Pet Food Company

If you think you have an issue with Purina food, contact Purina and document your conversations with them for your records.

Ask them what their food contains, as, so far, they have refused to share this clearly with consumers. When asked, they responded it is proprietary, and I believe that as consumers, we have the right to know what goes into our cats' bellies. 

If many of us ask, the pressure might encourage them to disclose it.

Now, if you believe that their food might have something to do with your cats' issues and you reach out to the pet food company, do not send them the food you think is compromised.

If you want to send a sample to them, only send a small portion of it, keeping the rest of that food on you, in the freezer, in its original packaging, just in case you need it later.

Exercise caution if the pet food company offers to cover your vet bills and reimburse you for the pet food. These offers may come with legal agreements that could limit your options in the event of a class-action lawsuit.

The choice is yours, of course, but just be aware that this is how it usually works.

Step 5: Find An Safe, Alternative Cat Food

If you are unsure about what cat foods are safe, or you do not have the time, skills, or equipment to make balanced food from scratch at home, buy "The List" compiled by Susan Thixton, and empower yourself as a cat parent by choosing a better food for your cats' and by supporting her work and dedication to feeding pets, high-quality species-appropriate food.

Susan's website, Truth About Pet Food, is an excellent resource where you can find all the information regarding which brands make the list this year.

Susan Thixton works hard to produce this list. She is extremely knowledgeable about everything going on behind the scenes of the pet food industry and is a very reliable source of information.

She is also a woman full of integrity, who does not accept being swayed in one direction or another for convenience or material benefits other than making sure she screens pet food to be safe and appropriate for pets in an objective way.

Step 6: Provide Crucial Feedback

If you have been affected by what is happening right now, your input is valuable and can contribute significantly to resolving the issue, so please click the link and complete this survey.

Hands-On Cat Care - What It Is and Why It's Vital For Keeping Your Kitties' Safe

In times like these, where external factors may pose risks, having a hands-on approach becomes even more critical. And, as you might already know, I am all about hands-on cat care!

I help cat parents take the steps to hands-on cat parent by teaching them how to make cooperative care possible, empowering them to gently but effectively pill their cats', groom them, and teach them basic manners while also being attuned enough to recognise subtle signs of stress, pain, or behaviour issues so that they can live longer, happier, and healthier lives together.

By actively participating in your kitties' lives, you are not only fostering a stronger bond but also becoming attuned to their behaviours and needs, and this intimate knowledge helps you quickly detect deviations from the norm.

Choosing the best food you can afford and succeeding when transitioning your cats' to better options (Which is a whole other ballgame!) is an important part of this process - but hands-on cat parenting involves more than just providing species-appropriate food.

It is about creating an environment that promotes the physical and emotional well-being of both you and your cats', together as a team.

So, to find out how you can use a proactive, hands-on approach when it comes to your cats' food, check out the Meowster Chef Academy, where I'll guide you through the simple steps you can take to gain control of your cats' nutrition and ensure they live a longer, happier, healthier lives.

Your involvement is a powerful tool in keeping your cats' healthy and happy.

I would love to know if you are a hardcore, no-compromise cat parent taking extra steps to ensure your cats' live their best life under your care. Comment "Hands On" below if you are! And if you have any questions on today's topic, feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Until next time, stay vigilant, stay informed, and love your cats' as much as you can!