[peace]

Hi and peace to everyone here!

I've emphasized peace because all the panic, anxiety, speculation that I'm hearing brings me right back to where I was in March 2007. Unless you're in Australia, I don't believe you need to be in that mindset today.

I've done my research. I have my eyes on the horizon and my ear to the ground...but, I'm not panicked and I will continue feeding my brood of cats the Orijen they have had since last May.

Orijen is made in Canada and almost all is sold in North America and Europe. Since I started using it, there have been no reports of illness associated with Orijen on the most popular English language forum boards frequented by people in those areas. The Itchmo fourms has a following of some of the most food-concerns-obsessed pet parents, and has had ongoing threads monitoring Orijen (as well as most other NA brands) since the NA recalls began. There have been no illness patterns reported there.

Nothing. Nowhere. NADA.

Meantime...down under...there had been postings on Cat World forums with rumblings and rumours, first about an unnamed cat food linked to a mysterious new paralytic illness which (rumours) began showing up in late October 2008 - and indicated that these mysterious cases had been appearing "over the last couple of months or so". Next was an announcement that a Vet clinic was conducting a survey about said cases. And then, an Orijen recall-specific discussion thread appeared in which people were discussing the rumours openly. (While the thread title includes the word "recall", no recall had been announced.)  Some of the posters indicated that they were parents of affected cats. The forums Administrator suggested that there was to be a public announcement forthcoming shortly and that the cause of the problem was thought to be "Gamma Irradiation". Some of the posters indicated that they had learned that this had been done by "boarder security' agency because the product was a new import item. Yesterday, the story appeared on Pets.ca forums, and coincidently, one of the parent/owners also posted a personal story there, decrying the lack of publicity of all this. Next was the story in the Sydney Morning Herald (above). Simultaneously, the same story appeared in the Brisbane Times.

There is no indication anywhere that the food itself is at fault....everything points to an Australian local causation...and the irradiation process to which all imported food is subjected is the prime suspect.

The only positive notes in all this are that
1. All cases are found only in Australia.
2. Orijen is a relatively new import to the country and has only 1-2 retailers, thereby limiting proliferation.
3. Orijen is considered a "higher-end" product in Au, thereby limiting the number of cat users.
4. In the absence of any official public announcement, the breaking of the story today may result in saving the lives of many animals.

The following links will  probably make it eaier for anyone to begin a search for information

Cat World current thread - a search there will produce at least 7 threads referencing Orijen
Cats of Australia - one brief thread at this time which has Champion Foods recall announcement
Pets.ca thread

(edited to modify link sources)

I have been trying Fancy Feast varieties. My cat seems to like the grilled  flavors and the best of these is the Beef Feast in Gravy. It looks like chipped beef in natural gravy. I know from the ingredient list that it is artifical but the cat does like it.

Before your cat gets hooked - seriously! - on those "gravied" varieties, SWITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having said that, Welcome here!

Seriously, first, the healthyist of the FF varieties are those without the gravy. Those types contain wheat gluten. Wheat is a grain...cats do not naturally eat grains, their digestive systems unable to process them, unlike dogs and humans.

There are several varieties of FF without this ingredient http://www.felinediabetes.com/glutenfree.htm
These are still tasty and very popular with cats.

Now, while the FF looks like good food, the ingredients are not as good as some others. The meat is not real meat, it is "formed meat". Once you start reading around, you will find many people bashing FF. Some have gone further, blaming it for illness. I have not yet seen any verifyable evidence of any illness relating to the FF without gravy. Many, many cats do very well on this food, enjoy it, and pet parents have a reasonably-priced product.

Oh, it's the grain-based or heavily grain-weighted foods, wet and dry, that WILL HARM YOUR CATS HEALTH in the long run.

The problem now is that my cat seems addicted to it, turning up his nose at more wholesome food w/ organic ingredients...I REALLY WANT TO AVOID BY-PRODUCTS, Fancy Feast was not supposed to be the one and only source of nutrition for my indoor 9 y o slightly overweight recovering from struvite crystals furbaby!!

WELL! FF has another in its clutches!
I well understand your plight....my 5 are in the process of "withdrawal" from FF and it isn't/won't be an easy go.

This is the experience of many and has been discussed much - esp on Itchmo. I'm sure all the other pet food manufacturers are analyzing FF, trying to figure out just what's in there that's sooooooo addictive!

First, relax and take a breath. Where I started was to, again, slowly, switch from the FF varieties with "gravy" (wheat gluten). There are a number of the others (here's a list http://www.felinediabetes.com/glutenfree.htm )

While FF doesn't contain the very best ingredients and, while many people will severely bash it, the plain fact is that many, many cats do well on it - and - (as obviously you have noticed) are quite happily doing so.

Once I switched to the non-gravied varieties, I started (partially) mixing in a little of a better food. I tried Wellness, Merrick and, finally, Felidae. Felidae ended up being the best-tolerated. Now I'm at the point where an entire meal will be Felidae...but that's once in about three days. I'm making progress, kitties are happy....I'm satisfied it will work out.

I've noticed many people describing how their cats despised the better foods....I don't know if they tried the transitioning thing - or, just switched instantly. That latter approach hardly ever works with any food (except, of course, the nefarious FF!).

If you try that approach, keep posting so we can see how it works (hopefully) for you. I, for one, will be watching with baited breath.

[I would keep all original documents]

If I were affected like this, I believe I would keep all original documents, and forward only copies of those originals (for all kinds of reasons). If that didn't satisfy the company, then a "certified true copy" would be the best I would provide.

I would also agree with willyagogo, have a sample of the suspect food tested independently first....then send a food sample with a copy (only) of test results to the pet food company.....by registered mail!

Also, as was said, know what you are signing......it may be that you will be asked to sign a release form, which could mean that you might not be able to make any claims later......we know, for example, that CRF will require ongoing checkups, treatment etc. and that there will be ongoing out-of-pocket expenses that a pet parent will have to deal with.

As well, some release forms will exclude you from being able to sue /join class action lawsuits........there's a lot to consider before going to the dotted line!

[that]

There are discussions on this topic here http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=411.0

There have also been posts on Itchmo about Fancy Feast...there are people who have been "bashing" FF for some time...IMO without justification, but citing rumour and blog gossip. One individual is blaming FF for renal failure, while ignoring that they also fed the cat with an Iams weight control  food - which HAS been linked to this condition. I'm no promoter of FF but, since the recall I have become educated about cat foods and, while I used FF for the past 3 years, I am now changing to a food with better quality ingredients. FF is widely used, is affordable and is extremely popular among cats.

In the thread I referenced for you, people have suggested that this site http://felinecrf.org/ is of great help in dealing with renal failure cats. I would strongly agree. Now, the people who run that site also run an on-line support group for pet parents deling with a sick cat - that is truly amazing, and the people in that discussion/support group often know more than many Vets! Those people frequently recommend Fancy Feast for cats who can't/won't eat other foods. Surely, if there were a problem with FF, it would NOT be RECOMMENDED by them!!!!!!!

NEED YOUR HELP!!... there are only 3 brands available at my local natural food store, i.e. PetGuard, PetPromise, Newman's Own...

HAS ANYONE HAD ANY (POSITIVE) EXPERIENCE W/ THESE BRANDS?

PetPromised is discussed here: http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=552.0

Transitioning from Rx....can't help, but you could always ask there too.

Would any of the "prescription" foods have it as an ingredient?

Maybe some further research, consult w vet/specialist, and add it yourself to the wet food?

[China announced a food industry clean-up on Wednesday.......]

China announced a food industry clean-up on Wednesday.......

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-china-health-foodsafety.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

"Clean-up" (China style) definition:
Big announcement, lotsa "officials" mouthing the party line, stage a few cops rounding up the offenders while the cameras roll, at the end of the day, back to business as usual. Case in point - the video pirates.

SORRY (NOT), CHINA _ YOU LOOSE!!!!!!!
NEVER AGAIN means your $hit doesn't go into our pets' - or our - foods...period.

[this]

I "spoke" with a pet parent tonight whose kitty suffered ARF due to consuming an Iams melamine-(etc) contaminated food.

Iams has accepted their responsibility in that tradgedy, and is covering her Vet bills with minimal difficulty. To quote her, "they cover all of my vet bills without putting me through very many hoops. I've been very impressed with Iams."

Now, people, this is standing up to the plate.

OK, American Nutrition: smarten effing up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"...animals likely developed crystals in their kidneys because of a reaction between cyanuric acid and melamine"

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/04/27/pet-food.html

This site is the work of a woman who has (sadly) much personal experience with feline renal failure.

(IMO) it's well written using plain language, science-based and has strong veterinary support.

http://www.felinecrf.org/food_recall.htm#acute_renal_failure

(When I first came across it, I wasn't taken with the appearance but, when I got into the material...priceless.)

Is Fancy Feast better than nothing?

There is (in my opinion) what appears to an excellent website that has feline diabetes as its focus. I'll point you to it, and let you be the judge.

Of Fancy Feast, they have this to say:

cats...generally should have high protein, low carbohydrate diets. Prescription and specialty foods tend to be very expensive, so many people feed Fancy Feast (without wheat gluten) as an alternative.

That page: http://www.felinediabetes.com/glutenfree.htm
Homepage: http://www.felinediabetes.com

The problem is, we all want EASY answers....we probably need to start by considering what a natural diet is (a mouse is 3 percent carbohydrate, 40 percent protein, and 50 percent fat http://www.catnutrition.org/catkins.html ), and then do our homework.

[requests must be made by your vet:]

This may be another resource for testing.....note that requests must be made by your vet:

Toxicologists at UC Davis' California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System are stepping up their offer to test other, unrecalled foods to ensure all problems are found.

"There aren't that many labs that are doing this kind of testing right now. It's our obligation to follow up," said Bob Poppenga, a UC Davis professor of veterinary clinical toxicology.

The lab is encouraging veterinarians to contact it through its Web site, http://cahfs.ucdavis.edu/, to arrange testing of food eaten by pets hit with acute kidney failure.

At first, said Poppenga, lab toxicologists had offered to test unrecalled foods in an effort to reassure owners that something else may have caused the kidney failures.

Now that the lab has had a direct role in expanding the recall, its experts are hoping to help get to the bottom of what's safe and what isn't.

"We're committed to helping each vet and owner," said toxicology professor Birgit Puschner. She added that she doesn't expect the lab to be overwhelmed by the workload as long as pet owners seeking tests make arrangements through their vets.

Link: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/153049.html (may require registration - easy, free, quick)

[Willyagogo]

Does anyone know of any Marches or Demonstrations,Protests etc.....going on in Toronto?......but is there any fellow Canadians (or anyone !) that know of anything going on here in Toronto or close by?

OK Willyagogo!

Here's something:
Ontario MPP Rosario Marchese hosts Community Forum on Pet Nutrition
Rosario Marchese, Ontario MPP for Trinity-Spadina is hosting a Community Forum on Pet Nutrition.
Date: Friday, May 18, 2007
Location: Cecil Street Community Centre, 58 Cecil St, Toronto(Cecil and Spadina, just south of College)
Time: 7:30 pm
Guest speakers include:
Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, ESQ.
Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins has over 30 years of experience as a veterinarian. Her book, Your Cat: Simple Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life takes on the pet food industry and advises pet owners how to provide safe pet nutrition. Dr. Hodgkins recently testified as an “expert witness” at the US Congressional Investigation into pet food in Washington, DC.
Olivia Chow, MP Trinity-Spadina
Olivia Chow will be discussing her proposed Private Members Bill on pet food regulation.

Here's a downloadable poster: http://petfoodcampaign.tripod.com/rosariopetflyerv3.pdf

Above posted at:  http://www.petfoodcampaign.blogspot.com/

PM me & I'll give tell you an easy way to get the posters printed

In the midst of all this madness, we MUST protect ourselves...

God forbid, but should it happen that your animal becomes ill, you will need to know/demonstrate exactly what he/she has been eating.

Receipts need to be retained - develop a system
Consider keeping all packaging* - lot numbers may be critical info

*I've taken to washing out the wet food cans, throwing them in a bag under the sink - each week, new bag, with the old one (getting labelled for dates) going to the basement and into a large garbage bag.

-food for thought