JUST TODAY CHANGE OF INGREDIENTS

[Mike]

Hi Lacy,

One of my cats was sick last summer and was doing the lip licking thing.  We took her to a few different vets and they all said that licking the lips was a sign of upset stomach.  We never found out exactly what was wrong with our cat, but they suspected a bacterial overgrowth and she got better after taking antibiotics.

[lacy]

Thank you so much Mike. I really appreciate that info. Looks like Ill be haulin all my guys to vet soon! 
They are not going to be happy babies!

[garypen]

Getting back to the China-sourced ingredients question, when you check Natura's "Philosophy" page, it states, among other things:
"USDA-inspected chicken, turkey and lamb, whole grain rice and barley, fresh fruits and vegetables, and Grade A dairy products. "
Since the USDA doesn't inspect items from China, as far as I know, it would indicate domestically grown sources of those items.

As for rice protein, glutens, and other grains, it seems that there are no grains in CalNat C&R other than whole brown and white rice. No powders, concentrates, glutens, etc:
"Natura uses whole rice, which is the most easily digested grain and the least likely to cause allergic reactions. It is an antidiarrheal and helps lower cholesterol. Natura also uses brown rice, which is the same plant with the bran intact."

It also includes Flaxseed. I will assume, due to Natura's marketing material and recent announcements, that it also comes from the US.

But, of course, Natura could be full of crap, or their suppliers could be. Did ChemNutra and Wilbur-Ellis make their customers aware the crap was from China? Did ANI tell it's customers they were putting RPC into their products?

I'll have to throw a certain amount of trust their way.

[Cindy Nevarez]

Just a suggestion; but I would try dosing them with probiotics first.

[Cindy Nevarez]

So If the USDA only inspects US growers of food, then are they also alerting the FDA if during an inspection they find that the animals have eaten feed that came from a place that had tainted ingredients?

[catmom5]

I called Natura, yet again, after the SPCA's warning.  They assured me that their ingredients are domestically grown and domestically processed, with the exception of the New Zealand venison.  I also asked about their plans for a new facility for their wet food.  She said they are looking into using a different one or building one but at this time will continue to use Menu Foods.  I'm wondering if this "change" is nothing more than a PR ploy ~ but then I've become rather suspicious lately . . .

[lacy]

Cindy,
How do I dose them with Probiotics? Thanks!! 

[Cindy Nevarez]

Get some Acidophilis, or any of the other "friendly" bacteria, or even the kind where they have 8 - 10 different ones combined together. Buy it in a capsule form, from a well-known company like Country Life, or Schiff, or Source Naturals....you get the idea. They also have ones now that are resisitant to stomach acid, which is better to use in this case, as dogs/cats have a lot of acid in their bellies.

Assuming you feed twice per day (if you feed once per day, break up the meal into twice per day), open up one capsule and mix in each meal....don't heat it up, or put it in hot food as the heat will destroy the bacteria. I would continue this for a least a week. If your baby is having trouble keeping food down right now, start with a tiny, tiny amount of food at first, but still mix in a whole capsule with it for her to eat. If she holds that down, do it again 4 or 5 hours later, and continue doing that until she is eating a normal sized ration without throwing it up. Then continue the twice per day for the week routine.

Also, keep the jar of Acidophilis in the frig.

[Sharon L.]

"USDA-inspected chicken, turkey and lamb, whole grain rice and barley, fresh fruits and vegetables, and Grade A dairy products. "

Since the USDA doesn't inspect items from China, as far as I know, it would indicate domestically grown sources of those items

IANAL, but I have worked with a lot of lawyers, and comma placement is everything. The assumed meaning is "USDA-inspected chicken, USDA-inspected turkey, and USDA-inspected lamb, USDA-inspected whole grain rice," etc., but it could mean that only the chicken is  USDA-inspected.

It's hard to know where paranoia begins, but I've been looking at everything coming from pet food manufacturers with a jaundiced eye lately.

Sharon

[Geff]

I called Natura, yet again, after the SPCA's warning.  They assured me that their ingredients are domestically grown and domestically processed, with the exception of the New Zealand venison.  I also asked about their plans for a new facility for their wet food.  She said they are looking into using a different one or building one but at this time will continue to use Menu Foods.  I'm wondering if this "change" is nothing more than a PR ploy ~ but then I've become rather suspicious lately . . .

Thank you for doing this!

[Geff]

Thank you Javas mom. It does put my mind at ease a little. 

Hey Geff. My kitties are doing okay. Everyone is eating, no one throwing up anymore. No more Coop scared of Franks E-collar (monster/lion) since we took it off. It took hime a day or so after we took it off for him to eat again! I am so thankful hes eating! My only concern now is that they are all in the litter box constantly. I am trying to spy on all three of them when they are in there, which is very hard to do!! They think I am playing everytime I sneak a peek around the corner. They are also doing this weird lip licking thing a lot. I have never noticed it before. I am hoping and praying they dont have a UTI or any crystals. I will keep spying on them. I hope I am not crazy worrying about the California Natural. This is just so stressful. They have already had two foods recalled before. Been to the vet too much for tests. Thank you guys for all your support and for always trying to put my mind at ease!!

Lacy, mine is horribly susceptable to uti's, to the point where his male organ was amputated in 2000. On the one hand, I may not notice uti's as quickly now beacuse they're no longer immeadiately life threatining, but on the other hand, when he's gotten them in the past, he's tended to pee everywhere (possibly to let me know). That behavior is not hapening on the CAl Nat.

I do agree, it sounds like a vet visit might be a good idea for your fur family, though!

Just in case you don't know, UTI's in male cats are exteremely deadly, it's essential to get a male cat with a suspected uti to the vet immeadiately. Mine came within inches of dying twice, one time I actually though he was dead & he woke up in the car when we got to the vet's. I learned as a teeenager when my gf's cat died that once a uti progresses in a male cat to a certain degree even moving them will kill them instantly.

[lacy]

Cindy, Thank you so so much for that information!! You are so helpful! Should I do this for the possible UTI or for an upset tummy?

Geff, Wow. That is incredibly scary. Im so glad your kitty made it through all that. Other than the peeing around the house where there any other signs? Gosh thats so scary. Looks like the vet, is definitely a good idea. How do they test for a UTI? Our vet is a good 30 minutes away, so I dont know if we could bring in a fresh sample. And I definitely dont think I could catch one from him!!

[Javas Mom]

Lacy, a number of years ago a cat we had was suffering from a UTI and, providing there's something IN the bladder, the vet just knew where to press and forced him to urinate and ran the test from that sample, finding crystals. Now my daughter's vet last week sent her home with some special kitty litter to use in the litter pan and then you take in the litter to be tested...now I've NEVER heard of that; must be a new thing. (She's a holistic vet.)  For their annual visits, my guys almost never have anything in the bladder so I have to leave them for half a day or so in order to provide a urine sample.

[Cindy Nevarez]

You are welcome.

UTI stands for "uterine tract infection" right?

I use probiotics for any infection, intestinal problems, or to boost immunity. When I use it for infection I find it works faster than antibiotics and leaves my animals without the after effects of lethargy that comes with antibiotics.

[garypen]

Urinary Tract Infection. A male cat has no uteris.