We are all – unfortunately – familiar with stories from pet owners reporting the heartbreak of a pet sick or that has died linked to a pet food. Thousands of dollars in vet bills – desperately trying to save their life. It is gut wrenching to read or hear these stories – each one breaks our heart.
But most pet owners are not familiar with stories from rescues who have faced multiple illnesses and deaths of precious animals in their care linked to a pet food. Many rescues cannot/do not disclose these nightmares publicly – in fear of criticism (‘why were you feeding these animals cheap pet food?’), in fear of losing adoptions (‘animals there have been sick, I’m not adopting from them’), in fear of losing donations (‘they are not properly caring for their animals’), in fear of being sued for defamation by a pet food manufacturer, or perhaps in fear of losing access to discounted pet food to feed the animals they care for. We rarely hear of these pet food related problems, but when we do – they are just as painful and heartbreaking as stories from individual pet owners.
Kastaway Kitties Rescue is a small cat rescue organization located in rural Tennessee (McMinnville, TN). As most rescues do, they struggle to raise money to feed and care for their residents. Some are lucky to have a local veterinarian discount medical treatments and spay/neuter of the animals in their care, some are not so lucky. The closest veterinarian to Kastaway Kitties is an hour drive.
Most rescues have no choice but to provide their special guests with inexpensive feed grade pet food…they do the best they can with the budget they have. Kastaway Kitties is no exception, they have tried for years to select the best cat foods they could afford. They educated themselves on pet food, and again – have done the best they could with the donations they had.
But…
In early March 2024, Kastaway Kitties Rescue had 15 cats get seriously ill; previously healthy cats. The illnesses started after opening a new bag of cat food – all of these cats ate from the same bag. These cats experienced the same symptoms that have been reported by so many pet owners within the last five months. They tried to save them all – administering medications and sub-q fluids, making home prepared pet food. But, four cats – Hazel, Sassypants, Elizabeth and Breanna – died.
This was not the first time this rescue has dealt with pet food poisoning. In 2018 they had 50 cats in their care die believed to be linked to a pet food.
In both instances – this cat rescue reported the illnesses and deaths to the FDA, reported the illnesses and deaths to the pet food manufacturer. In both instances the FDA told them nothing, the manufacturers denied responsibility.
There are thousands of animal rescues/shelters across the US that could have faced similar pet food poisonings but felt they could not share their story/heartache publicly in fear of…
What can we (pet owners) do to help?
So many of these pet illnesses and deaths – both in rescues and pets in homes – could be prevented if FDA would keep pet owners updated to current investigations. If the public had access to the information being provided by pet owners to the FDA, all could avoid the products that are being reported as a potential problem. We have filed an official request with the FDA for this information on the current pet food issue. Please post a comment in support of our request to FDA, it takes only a minute or two of your time.
To read the full Citizen Petition we submitted to FDA, Click Here.
To post a comment, Click Here. Click on the blue ‘Comment’ button. Example comment: ‘I support this petition, pet owners deserve to be promptly informed to adverse event reports received by FDA, brand names involved, and symptoms reported’.
And…
Adopt a rescue or shelter (not necessarily a pet from the rescue – the rescue itself). Show them support by donating or volunteering. Saving lives is not easy work – these wonderful organizations need our help. Gather a group of pet loving friends/family and commit to a small monthly donation from each of you to a local rescue/shelter of your choice. Imagine what changes could be made in the care of rescued animals if a group of ten pet owners ‘adopt’ a local rescue. Just $10.00 a month from each of you would result in $1,000.00 a month for that special rescue organization.
Rescue a rescue…adopt a shelter.
We thank Kastaway Kitties for sharing their stories with us, your bravery sheds light on a serious problem we all need to know of. For anyone that wants to adopt Kastaway Kitties, they have a Facebook donation page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/484438728293348. They also have an Amazon Wish List page: Click Here.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com
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The 2024 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.
The 2023 Treat List
Susan’s List of trusted pet treat manufacturers. Click Here to learn more.
Dorothy
April 29, 2024 at 4:01 pm
Thank you for sharing this information. I never stopped to think about the impact on shelters, and this really opened my eyes to the problem. I posted a comment on your Citizen Petition. Thanks for all you do to help our pets!
Kate
April 29, 2024 at 7:12 pm
This is so important to be getting this message out. I understand the concerns that Rescues would have with sharing this information and hats off to Kastaway Kitties for sharing.
Thank you for all you do Susan.
Sarah
April 29, 2024 at 10:54 pm
Rescues, shelters, and their volunteers don’t deserve to be criticized for merely USING donations received that aren’t fresh food. To those who are posting that sort of criticism on the internet pages of those organizations: how about YOU donate those fresher foods if you want the animals in their care to have it?
Lhasapso
April 30, 2024 at 8:07 am
Thanks for bringing this important information to our attention. I’ve placed Amazon order for them from their wishlist.
Alexis
April 30, 2024 at 12:08 pm
And as per usual NO ONE is outing the most important info of all – NO ONE is as per usual NAMING THE TOXIC FOODS!
Susan Thixton
May 1, 2024 at 9:23 am
Anyone (other than FDA) naming brands of pet foods involved in the reports of sick or dead pets is at concerning risk of being sued by the manufacturers. My suggestion to you is to turn your frustration to FDA – they are who hold all the information and have the ability to share it with the public.
Dianne & pets
May 1, 2024 at 2:42 pm
This confuses me, because the names of involved petfoods are all over the place and easy to find. In any case, the food doesn’t need to be said, but the fact that it is happening would raise awareness if someone’s pet does become sick.
Dianne & pets
April 30, 2024 at 4:06 pm
I have often wondered about this. I think shelters and rescues could be the best early detection of a problem. If you have 20 or more animals in your care and a bunch of them suddenly get sick, especially after a new bag of food is opened, that should set of alarms. The same could be said of feral cat colonies.
Kelley Moss
May 3, 2024 at 11:52 am
Was the food tested? How do we know it wasn’t distemper? Why isn’t the attending veterinarian helping them pursue the reason? So many questions.