Company says recalled cat food made in S.C.

The cat food that was the subject of a recall announced this week was made at the Diamond Pet Foods plant in Gaston.

By: Robert Kittle | SCNow
Published: December 05, 2009

GASTON — The cat food that was the subject of a recall announced this week was made at the Diamond Pet Foods plant in Gaston, outside Columbia.

Mark Shell, vice president of manufacturing for Diamond Foods, said even though the recall was announced Tuesday, the cat food was actually recalled Sept. 23 and is off the shelves. He said retailers have also contacted customers.

The recalled cat food is Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat Food and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food. According to the FDA, the identifying numbers on the bags are: RAF0501A22X 18 lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6 lb. The date of manufacture is May 28, 2009.

This is the same plant that produced dog food in 2005 that contained a poisonous fungus, which reportedly killed 76 dogs nationwide. The fungus apparently came from contaminated corn.

Diamond voluntarily recalled the cat food because it doesn’t contain enough vitamin B1, known as thiamine. Shell said the food did have thiamine added to it, but it wasn’t at a high enough level.

Veterinarian Dr. Emily Evans said thiamine deficiency is rare in cats because most cat foods are nutritionally balanced, but if there is a thiamine deficiency, “it can be potentially fatal. It is certainly something that needs treatment.”

Thiamine is essential for the health of blood vessels and nerves.

“The most common clinical signs that you’ll see with a thiamine deficiency usually involve the neurological system, and so cats will often present with their necks bent forward,” Evans said. “That’s called ventroflexion. They may appear to walk in a wobbly fashion. That’s called ataxia.”

She said a cat’s pupils may also dart back and forth.

Treatment involves giving the cat thiamine injections and switching to a diet that’s nutritionally balanced.

So what should pet owners look for to make sure they’re buying food that will keep their cat or dog healthy? One thing is an AAFCO statement on the bag or can. AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials, and the statement is a voluntary step stating that the pet food is nutritionally balanced.

Evans said it’s also common sense that the cheapest food you can find is probably not very good, but price isn’t always the best indicator.

“I don’t think you necessarily have to buy the most expensive food,” she said. “The most important thing to know is that it’s completely nutritionally balanced, and some of your middle-of-the-road dog foods are completely nutritionally balanced. They just may not have meat or chicken as their No. 1 ingredient.”

Evans also recommends reading the labels of pet foods.