NEW RECALL: Royal Canin USA Recalls Sensible Choice and Kasco Dry Foods
Royal Canin USA is recalling eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products. Royal Canin states small traces of melamine-related compound were found in the rice protein concentrate provided by Cereal Byproducts — through cross-contamination. This supplier received food marked as rice protein concentrate from the same source as Wilbur-Ellis.
This confirms today is Friday.
The full press release after the jump.
UPDATE: Since issuing the release, RC updated the date codes involved. The new info is: “products with Best By date codes between July 28, 2007 to April 30, 2008 are being voluntarily recalled.”
(Thanks Mike and Carol)
ST. CHARLES, Mo., May 11 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Canin USA is announcing
today the voluntary nationwide recall of eight Sensible Choice dry dog food
products and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products.
This announcement is based on the company’s ongoing extensive review of
its manufacturing and quality assurance testing procedures, which
identified trace amounts of a melamine derivative from tainted Chinese rice
protein concentrate provided to the company by domestic ingredient supplier
Cereal Byproducts, headquartered in Illinois.
“We deeply regret the concern and anxiety this announcement today will
cause our loyal customers and the entire pet community,” Olivier Amice,
President and CEO of Royal Canin USA, said. “While a very limited number of
Sensible Choice and Kasco products in this recall tested positive for trace
levels of a melamine derivative, Royal Canin USA is voluntarily withdrawing
these products out of an abundance of caution and because we are fully
committed to the welfare of our customers’ pets.”
Royal Canin USA has no confirmed cases of melamine related illness in
pets eating Sensible Choice and Kasco products affected by this recall.
Last month, Royal Canin USA announced it will no longer use any Chinese
vegetable protein suppliers.
The following eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven
Kasco dry dog and cat food products with date codes between July 28, 2006
to April 30, 2007 are being voluntarily recalled:
SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Adult (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Lamb and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Adult (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Senior (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
KASCO(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
– KASCO(R) Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Hi Energy (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Maintenance (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Mealettes (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Mini Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Cat (Dry Cat Food)
Based on today’s announcement, pet owners should stop feeding their
pets the eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products, seven Kasco dry dog
and dry cat food products listed. Pet owners should consult with a
veterinarian if they are concerned about the health of their pet.
The safety and nutritional quality of Royal Canin USA pet food is our
company’s top priority because we understand that the health of pets comes
first. Pet owners who have questions about the voluntary recall of Sensible
Choice and Kasco dry pet food products and other Royal Canin USA products
should call 1-800-513-0041 or visit our web site at
http://www.royalcanin.us.
All Sensible Choice and Kasco products have a satisfaction guarantee
and the company will refund or replace the diets that are part of this
recall announcement.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Can we start taking bets…how long until a Friday passes by without any new recalls? This irks me as much, if not more than anything, that companies are obviously sitting on this information as there’s no way that all test results are confirmed on Friday afternoons/evenings.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I have been waiting all day for more friday recalls. I wish they would all come clean so we know what the heck to do feeding our furkids
May 11th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
I AM SO FED UP WITH ALL OF THIS. MY STOMACH IS IN KNOTS FROM ALL THE WORRY. I SWITCHED FROM NB TO EVO FOR MY KITTY, AND KEEP PRAYING THE EVO WON’T SHOW UP ON A RECALL. IS THIS EVER GOING TO END!!!!!
May 11th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Sensible Choice
May 11th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
ITCHMO. I JUST NOTICED AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR ROYAL CANIN CAT FOOD. DON’T YOU THINK THIS AD SHOULD BE PULLED??????
ITCHMO ADMIN: Yes. The ad is served from Google. I will request that they be banned.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
calliekitty,
All Natura products (Innova, Evo, Cal Nat, etc.) are being tested for melamine prior to shipping. They also claim that ALL their ingredients are grown in the USA. I personally don’t use their products for my cats and dog, but a lot of people’s pets seem to be doing really well on them.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:13 am
ERIC,
OUR BEAUTIFUL KITTY ADOPTED US IN OCTOBER. SHE WAS A STRAY AND EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO COAX HER INSIDE. SHE HAS NO DESIRE TO GO OUTSIDE ANYMORE AND WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. WE WANTED THE BEST FOOD FOR HER SO WENT WITH NATURAL BALANCE. AFTER THE RECALL, AS I STATED BEFORE, WE SWITCHED TO EVO. WHAT DO YOU FEED YOUR PETS? WE HOPE AND PRAY WE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE
May 12th, 2007 at 12:14 am
ITCHMO,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THE AD. YOU ROCK!!!!!
May 12th, 2007 at 12:20 am
I just switched to Whiskas made by the Mars company after hearing all the horrible stories about Purina.
Did I do the right thing? I have NO idea. I DO know it would be very hard to make their food myself. Cats have very specific diet needs. I researched Whiskas as much as I could though and liked everything I saw. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Now if I can just get Whiskers used to the new diet. She’s been fed Purina her whole life, and she’s looking at me like she thinks I’m nuts for changing her food. I feel so bad, but what else can I do?
Smokey adores the food that Whiskers turns her nose up at. Whiskers refuses to eat ANYTHING but dry food.
This whole thing is a pain in the neck. All because we were lied to by pet compaines. Oh this food is so good for your pets. Then we find out they are mostly made up of fillers, which is JUNK! Sure they keep our pets alive, but nowhere near as healthy as they should be, and now it’s downright KILLING them and making them sick!
Thanks to THEM, Whiskers is now addicted to junk food!
I am unbelievely angry. Now I have to go through the long painful process of trying to get Whiskers to accept her new food. I hope I can mix a bit of the old food together with the new and in doing so help her gradually get used to it. Wish me luck.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Thank you Purina, for getting my baby addicted to your food, which is JUNK! Now I have to go through the long process of trying to convince Whiskers to eat a different product by mixing it with her old food and tempting people food. I hate this!
Smokey LOVES Whiskas, and I did a lot of research on it, it seems good and safe. *Crosses fingers.* Oh please let it be safe…
May 12th, 2007 at 12:26 am
ITCHMO,
Thank you for keeping us up to date. Somehow I didn’t think it would be possible for us to get by without another recall. It doesn’t seem like it will ever end. Knowing there are still foods out there that have caused some of us problems, I’m afraid this will go on and on.
Katie
May 12th, 2007 at 12:28 am
I think the google ad at the top of the page that says Royal Canin Dog Food Sale is particularly funny in an ironic sense. I have been feeding Evo to my abyssinians for almost 3 years and they all do very well on it. In fact, 2 of the 3 had bladder and crystal problems for years until I switched to a grain free food. Conincindence??? I’m starting to think not.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Ah. Smells like Friday.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:35 am
MANDY,
WE WISH YOU GOOD LUCK! LIKE YOU, WE HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET EXTENSIVELY AND WE CAN ONLY HOPE WE CHOSE THE RIGHT FOOD.
LOVE YOUR NAME. OUR BEAUTIFUL BORDER COLLIE OF 15 YEARS WHO WENT TO RAINBOW BRIDGE 5 YEARS AGO WAS NAMED MANDY.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:35 am
To those who are having a hard time switching foods, if your cat likes fish flavors you can get Norwegian Cod Liver or Salmon oil capsuls from your health food store. Buy only the best brands like Carlson so they are lowest in metals and you can break the capsule open and sqeeze it into the food. It’s a great source of omega 3’s for cats. In fact it’s better than flaxseed for them since it’s more easily absorbed by their bodies. You’ll see a differnece in their coats within a week too.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:36 am
calliekitty,
i think Evo is fine. they produce their own dry and i *think* menu does their wet, but at a different plant and they have someone there watching production (if i remember right, way too much info for my poor brain lately!)
for peace of mind, go to thepetfoodlist.com and check them out.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:39 am
Any math majors on the site tonight? What percentage of total pet food has now been recalled? It’s not still 1%, is it.?
May 12th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Some of the Kasco foods pulled don’t have wheat or rice products in their ingredient list. Is this another issue of cross contamination, incomplete ingrediant list or ? They do all have one thing in common though…corn.
ITCHMO ADMIN: Yup. Added.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:52 am
Thanks Itchmo for keeping us updated…I can’t seem to get the press release page to come up..it says not found
ITCHMO ADMIN: Fixed.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:54 am
STRAYBABY,
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT. I HAVE CHECKED SEVERAL SITES FOR EVO, AND YES, MENU DOES THEIR WET, WHICH I WON’T BUY. WILL STICK WITH THE EVO DRY AND PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AND ITCHMO FOR YOUR FANTASTIC COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS. CALLIE LOVES FISH SO I WILL TRY THE FISH OIL CAPSULES THAT JESSICA MENTIONED.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:20 am
calliekitty
check Evangers for wet or felidea. Evangers does their own canning and does Innovas from what i understand. in the long run, cats do better on wet :)
May 12th, 2007 at 1:22 am
Strangely enough, Whiskers doesn’t care for fish that much. What she likes is chicken. She’s VERY picky.
Whiskers is a very sweet little girl and she’s so loving but all her pickiness is giving her Mama a headache!
May 12th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Using only Innova foods,about four months.No problems.I called the company to verify sales claims.Local pet store,used to stock only two-three bags of Evo and California Natural,now…………….our referral rate and satisfaction has sent clients to non grain foods.Cats adore California Natural.Dogs,really like Evo.It has worked well for us.The canned Evo,cat or dog food,………….animals ate it,but seemed to lack “scent” appeal for cats,dogs were less “fussy”. I hope this helps,some of the parents of fur kids.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Wonderful! Now this one is probably the CORN products?
What with a little rice protein thrown in? Intentionally or “accidently”?
Or the old story of “well it was just sittin’ around and thought we’d add a little to the formulas”, hold the Labels.
Sigh.
Thanks Itchmo and fellow Pet Food Contaminator Hunters.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:30 am
Jessica,
Do tell……are you feeding Innova Evo DRY to your kitties with the bladder/crytals problems? Are you using the fish oils with the Evo also?
I ask because of a recent vet emergency trip and hospitalization with my 6 y/o male. Vet said the switching to the premium foods not done gradually caused the crystals and they would most likely return if I didn’t start feeding a rx’d urinary diet — SD and Purina, natch. Don’t want to go that route. Since the Innova is so high in protein I’ve been a little paranoid to continue feeding this. My cat is not liking me withholding the Innova…he loved it!
With your tried and true experience with Evo, I would be thrilled if I could start feeding this again. So would my cat.
Thanks for any info you can share !!!
May 12th, 2007 at 1:32 am
Jessica the Kasco and Sensible Choice lines all have some form of rice. Rice hulls, brewers rice. Maybe they were using some RPC to spike their rice?
May 12th, 2007 at 1:32 am
Calliekitty :Try sardines packed in water for your kitty,They crumble ,very easy. I offer sardines as a change of “taste” for our kitties,most really like them.I have had no problems with sardines water packed, only. Good Luck with the “kids”.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:46 am
Donna Says:
May 12th, 2007 at 1:24 am
when my cats were first introduced to Evo canned, they all seemed afraid of it! it was pretty funny, actually. i think it may have smelled too strong. i notice they tend to like the milder scented foods. grocery store ground beef vs grass fed (?!!!!). fish they are fine with the water packed canned, but fresh, prefer milder ones. luckily they go nuts over free range poultry/organs/guts/bones. i also have one that is a raw egg freak! including shells. i’m going to see if mixing in the free range beef blend (beef/organs/bones) with poultry will mild it out for them. if not, my dog will happily eat it! lol!~
May 12th, 2007 at 1:57 am
I haven’t been able to find any ingredients list for Whiskas on their company website. The Whiskas ingredients list I’ve found elsewhere so far doesn’t seem very recognizable as food for my cats.
Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken By-product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA/BHT), Natural Poultry Flavor, Wheat Flour, Rice, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Turkey By-product Meal, Caramel Color, Calcium Carbonate, dl-Methionine, Taurine, Trace Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), White Fish Meal, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol)
May 12th, 2007 at 1:58 am
For cats, who are obligate carnivores it is best that they have high protein and below 10% carb food. Best if they have wet only. Dry (most dry) is filled with grains and veggies and that is not a typical diet for them. (Evo has no grains but is still dry) Fancy Feast with no glutens in seem to be safe. If you chose the no gravy ones - check here for what to look for:
Gravy has glutens in them and high carbs.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/.....-diets.htm
A FD diet is best for all cats.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:59 am
I am so worried about the pet food recall. I have a persian cat he has FUS, Hes been on Hills CD for cats for yrs now. Hills has changed there CD diet chicken & its nothing but mussy stuff. Cat hates it so I went to just Hills CD. Having a hard time with the change. All he wants is dry food now & treats. I feel this is a tarrost attack on our pets with all these recalls.
May 12th, 2007 at 2:07 am
And always later in the day on friday, nothing when I checked this am. Every company that does friday news drops will never get a dime from me again. How many ate their contaminated food while they waited?
May 12th, 2007 at 2:08 am
Well, another recall that squeaked by the Friday deadline. Is anyone keeping score?
Sorry,my head already exploded…
May 12th, 2007 at 2:12 am
Mandy and others, My cat is not big on Fish either. So I have been making foods with TURKEY and/or LAMB.
It’s not hard at all to make foods. Tho mine must have a Very mushy pureed texture for her Wet food. I solve that with my Cusinart food processor and whip the heck out of the stuff. I add veggies {yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes {for fiber}, going to do some carrots this weekends batch. Might cook some rice this weekend too {not from China}, and make a small batch of carrot and rice and one of the meats to see how she likes those. I don’t want too much protein, or starch/carbos.
There’s NO Chicken No Fish No Beef.
You can do Beef and Fish too if your Pets like them.
I add multi-vitamin and E and Omega and BioCoat= a biotins {by Nickers}.
During a low slow simmer with some water. I add sea salt {a pinch} and Garlic, which my Cat loves.
Also might add some clams into a small batch and see if she will accept it for the taurine.
If you’ve got a Dog and need more chunky size wet food= cook in a Crock-pot. {won’t heat up the house and low energy.} Your dogs would love it. Make a batch on the weekend for the whole week. Store it in a old Frig in air-tight containers. {or Freeze in serving portions and then microwave before serving.} {test that it’s not too hot!!!}
I just need to find a Dry {prefer Organic} she likes and then she would get her vitamins from That.
It’s easy and the most time consuming has been picking the meats off the bones.
I save the cooking broth and add that when I microwave it, when it cold out of the frig., and thin it out a bit more for her.
It’s Good enough for me to eat!
I think these Vets have folks scared to Death!
I wonder WHY they do that? {wink wink}
{and No, not all Vets are bad or stuck in that rut.}
Can what you’d make and try, be Any Worse than the çrap we’ve been using that made our pets sick????????
YOU Know You can Do BETTER!
I wonder how much business Vets might lose if WE find other means of feeding Pets nutriously? We Are Not Idiots!
{all those bladder issues and hair and coat and skin, diabetes and allergies, etc, etc, etc,}
The food is Easy if you are Sensible. Read a little at Good websites. Even Here at Itchmo they have Links for Food recipes and guidelines.
Think about it!
Give it a Shot! Do Not be Afraid! Ask questions but Read-Up on it!
DO IT! Then Post. I’d be Happy to hear of your attempts and successes!
May 12th, 2007 at 2:12 am
4Cats on their website they show ingredients for each different food product they make. You click on each seperate food and if you look you can see where it says ingredients. You click on that and it opens to show you what they are.
The ingredients for their pouched foods actually sounds much better, they use real meat in that. They have to put some kind of grain or vegetable matter in their dry food to make it into kibbles.
Unfortunately Whiskers absolutely REFUSES to eat anything but dry food. So I may have to give her some shredded chicken from time to time to make sure she gets some real good meat in her diet.
I looked over the ingredients VERY carefully. But if you manage to find the ingredients on the site and don’t like what you see, by all means buy something else. We all have to decide for ourselves what is best for our babies to eat. All pets are as individual as people. What might be right for some might not be right for others.
I sincerely hope you find what you are looking for.
May 12th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Hey YaYa if I can’t find any good pet foods I like I might just do that! Thanks for the information!
May 12th, 2007 at 2:29 am
Typo! That’s COLD Frig! LOL
It’s late but then again so are The Freakin’ RECALLS!
Noone that uses them could call over the weekend for help either You Dirty, what? {Dogs is WAY Too Good for them!} Oh yeah Hyenas!
You SCUM!
Someone Here said, They’d Never Buy from You simply Be-cause you slide your RECALLS in So late on Friday nights!
Brilliant Idea!
Who do you think you are Foolin’?!
YOU DON’T DESERVE CUSTOMERS!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
May 12th, 2007 at 2:35 am
I just thought I’d mention that tonight when we got groceries we got the new Pedigree pouched food that is made from real beef. Sandy is a really picky eater about his dog food. Well not ONLY did he scarf down a whole pouch with NO people food added to it like usual, but he even ate part of a second!
Smokey gobbled down half of the turkey Whiskas pouch made with real turkey.
Both Pedigree and Whiskas are made by the Mars company.
Hey pet companies! Get it through your heads! Our pets want real meat and so do we!
Bravo Pedigree and Whiskas! Now if the other brands and companies can just wake up…
May 12th, 2007 at 3:32 am
I am on disability, and this month, have over $1000 in medical bills (I live by myself).
The food you are feeding is akin to the Priority I bought from safeway (their generic for Deli Cat). Its Trash in a Bag for cats. So is Whiskas, I’m sorry to say. They import the grains from China.
I have 3 cats, ranging in age from 3 to 14. I bought Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul 18lb bag for 19.99 at the beginning of April. It is still here. I started feeding wet food (and there is a technique to getting kitties to eat wet food when they are obstinante - just as some pet owners are ;-)
I started with Eagle Pack (they all dived in the first day - after that it was a struggle). I still bought a case of Eagle Pack, and a few cans of Innova. I am buying the 13.2 oz sizes (if it doesn’t come that large, I can’t afford it). I also bought 5 cans of Felidae later. Baby Girl - the 14 year old, dives into anything.
So - I started by feeding 1/3 Felidae to 2/3 Eagle for the Boys, and 2/3 Felidae to 1/3 Eagle for Baby (she’s 14, and gets her own room - spolied). The first time I popped a can of Innova, Siberia vomited twice, so I backed off.
Now the tricks. I have received $5 off and $3 off cases of Innova cans from Natura. I noticed the boys like their Eagle with a little Felidae (not too much). I enhance all feed with Parmesan Cheese (this started the trick). The 3 year old - Jimmy Kitty, likes a little (5 to 6 peices) of the Chicken Soup kibble in his food - then he will eventually complete.
Today, on second can of Innova (yesterday, mixed a little Innova with Eagle and Felidae for the boys, a little Innova with mainly Felidae for the girl). All ate up heartly.
This switch to accepting wet food has taken about a month. Variety is the spice of life.
My budget for cat food went from $12 per month - to over $50. I am sure there are things we can cut back on to increase the health of our pets. As I stated in another forum - I will give up HBO, Basic Cable (and yes - finally the Internet - but as a former developer - that’s the last to go) - before I will poison my cats.
And the other foods (whiskas, Meow Mix, and the Top line Prioirty - all dry) - are foods that caused Siberia to Vomit several times a week (thought it was hairballs, but he was actually allergic to the food), Jimmy to only crave kibble (and he wasn’t very healthy - not like he is now), and Baby Girl to probably have the devlopment towards CRF (typical in cats long term fed on that diet).
The improvement I’ve seen in my animals since switching to the healthier foods is remarkable (and yes, they eat better than myself!). So you should really, really reconsider the whiskas. Nothing you buy off the shelf at the Grocery Store is healthy for the pet (but it really makes a lot of profit for the retailer, the Supplier, and the manufacturer).
Just Food for thought - pun intended.
May 12th, 2007 at 3:35 am
Again, it is one thing to opt on choice here - but another to tout a food high in grains (with very little actual meat - due to the by-product thing) as GREAT FOOD!
May 12th, 2007 at 3:36 am
Sorry - it went without my final comment:
Just My Humble Opinion
May 12th, 2007 at 3:40 am
Well one thing I thought of here before I hit the Hay.
These “intelligent’ Business types who run these companies with all the RECALLS; slipping in on Friday nights, didn’t think about the fact Pet Parents with Questions would have Tons of Questions for them, Immediately this way:
If they did it LATE {as it Certainly appears their Patterns} on a Friday night, and noone THERE to answer the weekend Phones etc.,
Pet Parents WOULD SEEK ANSWERS SOMEWHERE.
And Guess What and WHERE, WE ended up????
HERE AND TO-GETHER!
By attempting to “ignore US” and our Situations for a weekend, WE SOUGHT OUT ANSWERS ELSE-WHERE.
Now ALL the GREAT PET SITES ARE BANDED TOGETHER AS ARE THE PARENTS OF DEAD, SICK AND/OR DYING PET FAMILY MEMBERS!
THEY did THIS to Themselves.
And Low Heaven Help Them Now.
THE COWARDS CREATED A FORCE OF MANY!
Otherwie we’d be rather lost and it would have Not STARTED like THIS Right Off. We’d eventually have Come “Here”. But those very first few days, March 16th, and over that weekend••• BAM!
Many Lurkers are out there too, WATCHING. WATCHING- You CEO’s and VP’s and Plant Managers and PR scum.
So here’s one for the Books:
Thank You Menu Foods for Setting the GOLD STANDARD in Customer Service in a Crisis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hyenas Do, run in Packs.
Their “timing” has been Off from the get-go.
The Internet Brought US, What You coward from! Thank Heaven.
None has had a single Original idea, or manner for this nor varied from the start. WoW!
May they Curse their Cowardly Decisions!
I hope You eat HAGAS IN H#LL! {of course fill with delicious mela-wheat gluten too}
And Now••• I bid You All Goodnight :-)
Boy I feel Better!
Of course, these are simply my Own Opinions as Always.
:-þ
May 12th, 2007 at 3:47 am
Karen V thank you for the information. I will think carefully on it. It seems that no matter WHAT food I pick, it turns out bad. I chose Whiskas because it DOES have less grains than the other foods I chose before, and it DOES use real meat, and it does come from the same company who makes Pedigree.
The Vons store I buy from is very, very, careful to only supply good products. I’ve noticed other products being taken off their shelves because people complained about them even though they weren’t on the recall list.
I’m sure you can understand that I can’t just buy EVERY single product that everyone recommends, and that I also can’t just immeaditely toss out EVERY single product because someone tells me it’s bad.
So far I’ve heard VERY few complaints about Whiskas. I’ve already bought the food, and I can’t just go back to the store, buy something else, and then come back here to be told THAT food is bad too! I’m sure you understand my position.
I researched Whiskas VERY carefully. Now if they really do buy from China, obviously I ONCE AGAIN have to try something else. I’m starting to wonder if ANY okay brands that aren’t super expensive don’t buy from China.
It’s extremely frustrating!
Not only am I on disability and have PHYSICAL health problems, I also have dealt with Depression more than half my life, and all this has made me extremely stressed out! I have literally found gray hairs!
I am doing my very, very, best to make sure my babies get the right food, so please don’t put my choice down and automatically think I am treating my cats badly because I don’t just take back or throw out the food.
I do have the right to my own opinion.
May 12th, 2007 at 3:58 am
By the way, we only have one real pet shop in this small town, and it’s not a very good one, so what choice do I have BUT to buy from a grocery store?!
May 12th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Trust me Mandy - they import from China. That’s how come the food is so cheap. It was an education for myself as well.
Now - here’s the scoop. Down the street from me is a Feed Store - where I pick up the Chicken Soup, Eagle, and Innova. All these expensive brand companies have a money back guarantee. If you don’t like the food (but I bet the kitties will just jump on Chicken soup, they will eat less, and it does last a long time - the eat less because there is REAL PROTEIN - not the FAKE STUFF - in It) - just take back the unused portion with receipt, you get all your money back.
There is also Mud Bay where I live, which is where I pick up Felidae at $1.30 for 13 oz cans. A LOT OF CATS WON’T EAT THIS - A TAD TO FERAL. Not only do these foods come with money back guarantees, all their products do. And this store offers free samples to take and try out on kitties (find a small pet food specialty store, or an animal feed store - in your area).
I called Innova, and they sent the coupons out. A case of Innova costs $19.08 (that’s for 12 cans). $5.00 off makes that comparable to the same price for the cheap canned food (and its cheaper than science Diet - which is also Trash in a can). Just go to Innova.com, find the phone number, and they will be more than happy to send you 2 coupons (one for $5, the other for $3).
May 12th, 2007 at 4:08 am
P.S. - the Pet Shop can order the food for you (do you have an Animal Feed Store?). Look for the brands I mentioned. You have choices, if you think with a Can Do attitude.
May 12th, 2007 at 4:13 am
The problem Karen is, that one person will tell me a brand is good and their pets got really healthy on it, then the next thing I know, a DIFFERENT person is telling me that same brand is bad, and made their cats sick. Different pets react in different ways to the SAME food!
I do NOT have a credit card. I CANNOT drive. I cannot travel every day, so please just back off!
The next time I buy cat food I may get something different, but for now, my kitties have to eat what they got. Of course if they seem to be getting sick, I will stop immediately.
Just because I can’t try EVERY brand that everyone recommends does NOT mean I don’t love my cats OKAY?!
My… options… are… limited. Most of the brands people have told me about that they recommend I have never seen nor heard of before! I am doing the best I can! GOT IT?!
May 12th, 2007 at 4:18 am
Mandy, It’s Ok. One day at a time. You are doing the Best you can right now.
I think folks just worry for everyone else. All of us do. I mean we All are walking a tight-rope here right now. So hang in there. They ate and are happy. Do what we do and just watch them. Check back here as often as you can and keep Fresh on the food topic if you can.
This is Not Easy.
Good grief we’ve all got anxiety over this thing.
And we All CARE for each other. That’s why at times is seems one might be harsh. Be cause We Care so much. AND Worry all the time. Each of us.
There are lots of Unknowns too yet.
You are doing what you can. THAT’S GOOD!
So many are laughing this thing off, just the the Food co. like it.
Check out some more in the Forums tomorrow and see what else others are saying and experiencing on Your food.
Monitor you cats.
We’ll keep Hunting down info and hope this thing Ends soon.
NOTHING in This is Certain or Perfect! And that’s what the Real issue is.
Because it SHOULD be Certain that Pet food does Not Kill or make sick the Pets!
And That: Is NOT Our Fault! Period.
It’s Unknown Territory.
Not a single one of us is guilt here. OK?!
May 12th, 2007 at 4:22 am
Oh and by the way, I am not the ONLY person in my family who has big doctor bills. There’s me, my mother, and my grandmother. We all take a handful of medications every day, and even one dollar is TOO MUCH IF YOU DON’T HAVE THAT DOLLAR!
I am perfectly willing to give up some things for my babies, but we just don’t have a lot of options in my area. We just don’t. We live right near the Mexico border.
I will be talking to their vet as soon as possible. I may have to go back to my idea of just feeding them human meat with suppliements. I am stressed out beyond belief and you are NOT helping!
I am desperate. I’ve been getting headaches, stomach aches, etc. Every time I think I have found a solution, someone tells me nope, that’s bad. Well guess what? In the end it is STILL my choice. I can only pray to God that I make the right one.
I can do all the research and take all the advice that I can, and still feed them bad food.
I can make their food the best that I can, and they still not get the proper nutrition.
I’m even talking to my therapist about this! Maybe I need to stay off of this site for awhile, I think I’m actually making myself sick with worry…
May 12th, 2007 at 4:27 am
Sigh - nowhere did I say you didn’t love your cats.