Petco Food Seizure

Do you ever think about the shipment and warehousing of your cat's food? Probably not, who does?

Like most people, you are probably only concerned with an attractive-looking bag at a bargain basement price. But buyer beware! What you don't know can hurt you and your cats. If you love your cat, then you need to be aware of what might be going on behind the scenes before a bag or can of cat food hits the store shelves.

Consider this: In June of 2008, Petco found it's Joliet warehouse being raided by the Feds as a result of "unsanitary conditions" as described in a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago. U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions.

The Joliet, IL Distribution Center provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

View the official release from the FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm048124.htm

Caring pet parents should also become aware of the other potential problems associated with the archaic mass distribution processes of pet foods.

• Powerful chemical preservatives used to create a two year shelf life • Non climate controlled storage containers (semi trucks) used for extended periods of time • Mass production of product to ensure availability

Always, always remember, there is more to choosing a quality pet food than what you may read on a "pretty" package. Pretty packages are designed to sell, and to draw you in, making you think that you are getting a healthy, contaminated free cat food.

We recommend Lifes Abundance Cat Food which is a healthy, wholesome cat food that has never, ever been on a recall list.

Petco just happened to get caught, think about how this could be happening with other large distributors that we don't know about.

Get a Free Sample of Lifes Abundance Cat Food

Holiday Hazards for Cats

Watch out for the following potential cat hazards during this holiday season:

Flowers And Plants
Poinsettias get the bad rap, but the plant you actually need to worry about is the fragrant lily (such as tiger, Asiatic, and Stargazer), which is commonly found in holiday arrangements and is highly toxic to cats. Just one chewed leaf can result in severe, acute kidney failure. Yuletide plants (like holly and mistletoe) can easily be mistaken for food, resulting in gastrointestinal upset and even heart arrhythmia. Silk and plastic arrangements are your safest bets; if you prefer real flowers, however, choose bouquets made of nonirritating choices such as roses, marigolds, orchids, or daisies.

Candles
Curious cats have been known to knock down candles causing house fires. Never, ever leave candles unattended with a cat in the house. As a Red Cross volunteer, I've been to a couple of fires caused by a curious cat and careless owner. The ending is never good.

Tinsel
If you own a cat, toss the tinsel--she's attracted to it and may eat it. Ingesting tinsel can cause severe damage to the intestinal tract. It can get wrapped around the tongue or caught up in the stomach while the rest of it continues to pass through the intestines, which may require expensive abdominal surgery.

Sponsored by Cats-Gone-Wild Catnip.

Warning Signs: PBDE Linked to Feline Illness

Hyperthyroidism has become a frequently diagnosed illness in cats in recent decades. And new research implicates an environmental source.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE’s), chemicals used only in recent decades as a flame retardant, have been shown in research to cause injury to the feline nervous system, as well as interfere with the production of certain hormones. Scientists are concerned that these chemicals could also lead to similar symptoms in humans, too.

PBDE’s have now been phased out of commercial production, but many of the products that contain them, like fabrics, furniture, foams, some plastics and other items, are still in use.

This evidence suggests that if your cat is suffering from hyperthyroidism, it could be the result of an object in your home – one that could be removed, and possibly lessen the severity of the illness.

Source: Environmental Science and Technology, August 2007.