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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 10:02 am
I heard this one last night on an 11PM newscast, this morning on the local FOX morning show and just now as a teaser for 11AM news on local ABC. It's insane this recall is just getting picked up as a news story.
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Cdbga
Member
10-04-2004
| Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 2:18 pm
Well, its not just China: Tembec and Uniscope Voluntary Recall Feed Ingredients FDA Asks Feed Manufacturers to Avoid Ingredients Containing Melamine - "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting livestock and fish/shrimp feed manufacturers about a voluntary recall of products used in feed production because several have been found to contain melamine and related compounds}. The feed ingredients were made by Tembec BTLSR Inc. of Toledo, Ohio and Uniscope, Inc. of Johnstown, Colo. The companies have confirmed that Tembec added melamine as part of the formulation of the products to improve the binding properties of pelleted feed. Melamine is not approved as an additive for animal or fish/shrimp feed."
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Cdbga
Member
10-04-2004
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 2:32 am
Saturday morning update: 1. FDA Advises Consumers to Avoid Toothpaste From China Containing Harmful Chemical - FDA Detains One Contaminated Shipment, Issues Import Alert - And this time, they list the brands affected! (Good news, Sea...no Aquafresh or Colgate!) 2. Pet food probe keeps local officials busy - Good article with lots of info. 3. Maker of feed additive warned: Toledo company not properly registered, used illegal product - More on the US company that used melamine in an ingredient it sold for use in animal feed. 4. China Says Food Export Inspections Are Effective 5. Menu Foods Says it Will Survive Huge Recall of Contaminated Pet Food Alright y'all - I originally had several mostly sarcastic comments to accompany most of these links, but I decided to just take the "just the facts" approach and give you the links. Feel free to make your own sarcastic remarks!
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 7:34 am
Haven't read the article yet, but... LMBO at "China Says Food Export Inspections Are Effective"!!! Yeah, so effective that people and animals have died, trade restrictions are gonna start, and one of your mucky mucks has been sentenced to death. So effective. Not! Thanks for the (unplanned) giggle!
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Cdbga
Member
10-04-2004
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 7:42 am
You are welcome, Costa. And, I bet you'll giggle even more when you read it!
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 7:52 am
On my way into work this morning, I got the tail end of a pet show on the radio. (NPR) The woman was talking about how you shouldn't be feeding your cats dry cat food. It's something the manufacturers have been promoting for the past 15 to 20 years and dry cat food is one of the leading causes of diabetes in cats and a host of other problems. I wish I had tuned in earlier but I believe she said you can go to catchow.com or catchat.com. They were going to go in depth about it and I think you need sirious radio to get the actual show. If anyone can find out why dry cat food is bad, I would be very interested to know.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 7:56 am
Oh no!! That's what we feed our cats. We get the Purina One diet. I was worried about wet foods for them. The one cat (Carmie, who lets US live in the house with him) is a very picky eater.
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Cdbga
Member
10-04-2004
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 7:57 am
I have read that cats need wet food for the water content. Cats don't drink a lot like dogs do, so they rely on the water content they get from their food. And dry foods don't have enough water content. Over time this could cause water or kidney problems, possibly other things. Don't know if this is what you heard about on the NPR show, but this was something I remember reading when I was trying to figure out what to switch Naiya to while we waited out this recall. But I don't know if this is one of those things that is widely accepted...or that different experts disagree on.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:20 am
Thanks guys, like I said, I just caught the tale end of it. I think they said the manufacturers were "selling" dry food for the benefits of cleaning the cats teeth and it is all a lie. Cdbga, that is very interesting about the water thing and it makes sense. Dang! I really wish I caught the show and all the details.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:20 am
The reason dry food is bad is because it is so different from the cat's natural diet. Dry food is high in carbohydrates, vegetables and grains. But the best diet for cats is high in protein, meats and meat by products. That's why dry food leads to obesity, urinary disorders and diabetes. There is no dry food currently on the market that is nutritionally correct for cats. There has been pressure on manufacturers for years, but so far they haven't stepped up. Unfortunately, my cats were raised on dry, and refuse canned foods which are higher in meat content and better for them. So I feed a natural food that does have real chicken as the first listed ingredient (not chicken by products), but it's still not ideal. All this from my vet's visit on Wednesday. She is a great lady!
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:26 am
You'll find a fanatic about almost anything. These people with "agendas" can be quite persuasive with their arguments! With regards to our cats, depending on who you read, you should: Never feed cats dry food Only feed cats dry food Never feed cats wet food Only feed cats wet food Never feed cats homemade food Only feed cats homemade food Never feed cats raw food Only feed cats raw food Different "experts" will extoll their own philosophies. Some of 'em are bunk. As Cdbga said, if you feed your cat only dry food, you do need to be sure they have a continuous source of fresh water, and that they drink it. Some cats only like running water, so leave a faucet on dribble or buy a cat fountain. I leave small glasses of water out, refreshed daily. Both of my cats drink plenty of water, so I'm not at all worried about them. If you are worried that your cats aren't drinking enough water, get a urinalysis. It'll tell whether their urine is too concentrated, which usually means they are not getting enough water. If you think your cat isn't drinking enough, try something different. I had set a glass of water down in the bedroom for Costa when he had his episode a couple of weeks ago. Kassie discovered that glass of water, and now drinks from it all the time. It was something new, so she went for it! (I'm picking it up though... the pet sitter will trip over it if I don't!) If your cat is healthy and happy, there's no reason to change what you are doing (unless, of course, one of the food choices is on the recall list). Both of my cats have been on dry food for years, with the addition of just a tablespoon of wet each night for dinner. Costa has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is 10 years old, and has lived 9 years longer than the first vet told me he'd live. His regular vet is very pleased with his health, and says to keep doing what I'm doing since he is so healthy. Kassie could stand to lose a pound or two, but she's also happy and healthy. When I was researching the homemade cat food thing, I found just as many articles expounding the benefits of homemade cat food as I found expounding the "raw only" diet. Some were quite fanatical, some had sound reasoning. But my cats are just fine and happy and there's no reason to make a change. Wow! Sorry for the soapbox rant! I just get so mad when I hear someone heard something on TV or radio, and everyone rushes out as if that person had the only answer and opinion. They are not always right, and they may not always have the right solution for YOUR particular pet.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:28 am
P.S. There are higher quality dry foods that are higher in proteins, lower in fats and carbs. Yeah, they cost more. But they are worth it. (I don't buy retail pet food for my brats.)
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:50 am
Costa, can you name some? I'd be interestd, but haven't had any luck finding any locally. And most dry foods do'nt tell you what percentage they are of real meat. They just list the ingredients in order, but that can be very deceiving.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 8:55 am
We give the animals a vitamin supplement and lots of fresh water. They are healthy, so I guess we're ok. I just worry about the wet foods. Plus, Carmie has a sensitive stomach. I'd be interested in trying an organic food for them.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 9:12 am
Karuuna, I think you came closest to what I heard. Esp. about the carbs part.
quote:The reason dry food is bad is because it is so different from the cat's natural diet. Dry food is high in carbohydrates, vegetables and grains. But the best diet for cats is high in protein, meats and meat by products. That's why dry food leads to obesity, urinary disorders and diabetes.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 11:43 am
Kar, I'll have to poke about. I don't recall offhand, but I did investigate this back when Costa was first diagnosed with his heart prob. You're already doing an all natural food, yes? Does it list the percentages? What brand are you using now? Gimme a day or so and I'll see if can dig up what I'd found. Twigs, there are lots of organic foods around, including canned. I've been alternating between Newman's Own Organic and Wellness canned food for the kids. And they love it! And I tried Spot's Stew (which is all natural, too) and oddly enough, the brat girl cat -- who hates people food -- loved it, while Costa wouldn't touch it! Newman's Own also makes a dry cat food. Organic chicken is the first ingredient listed. And their Advanced Cat is even a bit higher in protein and lower in fats: Crude Protein................34.0% (min) Crude Fat.......................14.0% (min) Crude Fiber....................3.0% (max) Moisture.......................10.0% (max) Ash...............................6.5% (max) Taurine.........................0.20% (min) OK, so I did a bit more poking around. Nature's Variety Instinct dry cat food has 50% protein -- it's high in protein and low in carbs. I found it at the Only Natural Pet web site. I'd suggest poking around there and seeing what else they've got. It's all natural and organic stuff (it's where I first discovered Newman's Own cat food). Wellness has Core grain-free dry cat food with 50% protein. To be perfectly honest, I think the premium and organic foods are fine. Our cats *are* domesticated. They, and their parents, and likely their parents' parents, were raised on much the same food we feed 'em now. (Actually, probably not as high a quality, as we now worry about what our cats eat just as much as we worry about what we eat.) The moral of the story is... don't go off all nonlinear when you hear something. There may be a partial truth in it that gets exaggerated out. And if you are worried, go see what else is available. Cause in less than five minutes I found quite a few options.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 11:49 am
Thanks, Cd.. I just yesterday got a reply email from the folks who make Aquafresh and posted about it in the other recall thread in the health section, but wanted to check in here anyway.. good to know since I like it and since I have quite a stockpile here. As for dry food, Critter came to me refusing anything else and I do keep lots of water around (I filter all of our drinking water, and she definitely drinks it) and of course look for the best quality dry food and she's 17 now. My vet sort of says if something isn't broken, don't try to fix it. Critter just recently had complete blood work and urinalysis and xrays. I DO buy food that is designated for older cats 10 years and older, for her. I would be more likely to consider adding wet food but with the current situation I'm not wanting to take that chance.
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 11:50 am
Kar... Innova EVO is a grain-free food, so they do believe the lower carb/higher protein is a good thing. And they say: "EVO Cat and Kitten Food has the HIGHEST MEAT CONTENT of any dry cat food!" Moisture 7.50 % Protein 50.50 % Fat 22.20 % Linoleic Acid 4.00 % Omega 3 0.44 % Carbohydrates 9.59 %
EVO Cat & Kitten Dry - the first ingredient with this one is turkey.
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 11:55 am
Here is Nature's Variety Dry Foods page... As Costa mentioned, they also offer a grain-free kibble.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 12:02 pm
I'd like to see their percentages. Wellness Core claims 80% animal protein. One of the other foods sold at Only Natural claim 40% animal proteins (Nature's Variety Prairie). The protein analysis (not content) of EVO is only 42%. Wellness CORE is 50%.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 12:04 pm
BTW, I'd look at percentages, rather than reading marketing propaganda that says "we have the most meat of any other product." Cause, well, you can make the claim you're the best but stats will prove otherwise! 
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 3:04 pm
Thank you all for your help. I"m asking mostly because all my kitties are overweight, even tho I give them practically nothing to eat. And of course, they are miserable because they don't get much food. They have to be indoor cats, because where we live, there are coyotes and foxes, and outdoor cats don't last long. I'm sure that doesn't help, altho I regularly run them around with the laser light. I've looked at the local stores, but even tho meat is often listed first, that just means it's the single highest ingredient, but the total grains and veggies taken all together can still be far greater than the meat listed. And even tho protein percentages are given, that doesn't mean it's all animal protein either.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 4:20 pm
Some of them, it will be mostly animal protein. Check out the Wellness CORE ingredients list. With indoor cats, you just have to be smarter than them, and more creative, to get exercise. (And the smarter thing can be hard sometimes!) I talk Costa for "walks" around the 2nd floor of my condo building. If I got him his full range of shots, I'd take him for walks, since he does walk on a leash. Kassie chases lasers and will run laps around the house if I chase her. Of course, that means that *I* have to exercise too, dammit!
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 6:09 pm
Costa, I truly appreciate your help. And so do all my kitties! 
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Sunshyne4u
Member
06-17-2003
| Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 9:16 pm
It is quite a story how Kibble was even invented. Disgusting actually. snip* It traced its roots back to 1894, when founder William H. Danforth began producing feed for various farm animals under the name Purina Mills. anyways, the farm dogs and cats were not fed properly and when they were starving they started to eat leftover grains sitting around the farm. that is when the Farmer got the idea that a dog or cat could also benefit from his "livestock" feed company...thus began Purina Dog Chow/ Purina cat Chow...both which were predominately grains. of course it was so easy to feed your animals with kibble it caught on. Now It is obvious that many people are horrified at the thought of feeding their animals raw foods, vegetables and meats. I didnt do a search as to kibbles as i remember researching it a few years ago when I changed my dog to natural raw food. I may just start my cats up too.
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