Do you feed your pets food from the supermarket...Are you aware of the recall...?

Question

Pet Deaths Prompt Recall of Pet Food
By ANDREW BRIDGES, AP

WASHINGTON (March 17) - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

Menu Foods said a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall would be posted on its Web site - www.menufoods.com/recall - early Saturday.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands.

Answer 1

This is absolutely scary! I buy from one of those stores listed. I own 2 cats and I try my best to give them the best possible cat food ever.

Thanks for the update!

Answer 2

Sooner or later *everything* has been or will be recalled. These are all voluntary recalls, which means that the companies do care (to some degree) about our pets. Many things that are out there have not been recalled simply because they haven't had to test them - and that's how the cheap foods get away with it. About the only thing I can suggest at this point is Blue Buffalo. I feed mostly canned, so I'm not as affected. And I'm going to state a fact for you to ponder - the recall is for potential salmonella contamination, which is of danger to humans more so than our cats. Any cat that eats raw meat is exposed to salmonella, which is why they have a very short digestive tract. It doesn't impact them the same way it does us humans. I'm waiting for other things to be recalled, and taking the precaution of hand washing after filling up the dry bowls and especially after scooping the boxes. Dry food dishes are normally run through the dishwasher daily, so that's another precaution. None of the cat food brands have tested positive (yet) for salmonella, but they have all been manufactured in the same plant as that contaminated dog food. Not sure what to suggest to you. Nothing is safe - even the food for us humans.