Possible problems with Evo Cat/Kitten

[sherrylynne]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, please move it if it isn't!
Some of the people on one of the ferret forums I'm on feed Evo cat/kitten food in a mix for their ferrets. One of them found some odd things in a bag of the evo. This is cross posted with permission:

When I was making soupies tonight (I usually make all the "kibble soup" and babyfood seperate then combine when needed), I found pieces of something rubber-like!! I don't have a pic, I need to find something to compare it against so you can judge the size.

I have always seen (for the past year, at least) small black bits in their soup just assuming it was part of the kibble. But tonight there was a big black piece in there and when I fished it out, it feels like rubber (very dense and you can't break it apart). At this find, we really looked through the soupies and saw lots of black bits that when examined, were also rubbery.

It is either something in the EVO cat/kitten or Zupreem. We will be going through our food tomorrow taking samples (adding hot water and fully saturating it, then finely going through it) to see what we find. We will then be contacting the manufacturer about this.

I'd like to ask anyone that feeds EVO or Zupreem to do the same.

For the most part the pieces were very small, but could potentially cause a blockage problem if they accumlate with hair in the intestines.

She did narrow it down to the Evo, not the Zupreem. So far, only one other person has found something similar.
I know a cat's not as likely to get a blockage from something like this as a ferret is, but though I should let everyone here know. She couldn't find the lot number, but the date code is Exp. Dec 09 09 2045 2

She did contact the company, and they are sending her some forms to fill out, a coupon, and she's to return the form, along with the "bits". She was also told not to feed it, but return it to the store for an exchange.

[Perseus]

I found pieces of something rubber-like!! I don't have a pic, I need to find something to compare it against so you can judge the size.

sherrylynne, if she could get a picture of the kibble in front of a plain old ruler, that would be best to judge the size.  I've seen other people reporting things found in kibble that way.  If she does that, see if you could post it here then, too.

[sherrylynne]

Unfortunately, I can't seem to copy and paste the picture here, so here's the link. Like I said, the size wouldn't hurt a cat, but could potentially cause a blockage in a ferret, hence the concern. I just thought you should be aware of the potential of foreign bodies in the food. And it does seem to be only a few bags from this particular run.
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi?board=1&action=display&thread=7004

[Bonkers]

  sherrylynne, unfortunately you have to become a member of that forum to view the link that you posted.

[sherrylynne]

Sorry Bonkers! I'd forgotten about that(oops!). This link should let you view it. Like I said- not big enough to bother a cat, but...
http://www.ferretvillage.org/viewtopic.php?t=22503
You don't have to be a member to view on this site. Same poster as the other one.

[Bonkers]

   Lord only knows what that stuff is in the kibble.  I hope that if you learn any more info you will post it here. I do not expect that this person will get any answers from Natura although she will probably recieve some free product coupons. That seems to be the protocol used by most pet food companies, don't give them answers just give em some free coupons.........

[sherrylynne]

I'm with you on that one. I don't think she'll get any actual answers, at least she hasn't as of yet!

[TAZ]

sherrylynne-
The second link you posted is no longer working for me - it's again demanding that I log in.

Strange board...if I just simply go to the main page, I can read anything I want!

Perhaps you could post the name of the section where it appears and the name of the thread.

Thanks!

[sherrylynne]

Thread titled "Black bits in Evo Cat/kitten", in Ferret Diet section. Sorry abou that. They must have changed the rules(again ) It used to be you could read all of it without being a member. Now, who knows