Nestlé Purina PetCare Company is recalling approximately 870 bags of dry cat food shipped to Colorado, Idaho and Oregon. This is being done because the product has the “potential” to be contaminated with Salmonella. Only the following products with both the “Best By” date and production codes shown are included in this recall:

*”Best By” Date and Production Code is found on the back or bottom of the bag.

Pets with Salmonella infections may exhibit decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or to obtain a product refund, please call Nestle Purina PetCare toll-free at 1-800-982-6559 weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time, or visit www.purina.com.

Not quite the end of the story

Normally, I would end the article here.

As someone who feeds and cares for cats, I feel it is my duty to give you my opinion of these two Purina brands whether you like it or not.

But, before I do that, I would like to apologize beforehand for offending anyone who buys Purina pet foods, because I am sure to do just that.

Like many of you, I bought Purina before I knew better. And now that I know better, I want to help others discover the reason not to buy these pet foods (and pet foods like them).

My objection lies with one simple premise: Cats are obligate carnivores. They are not meant to eat grain. Period. Full stop. Therefore, when I see grain-based cat foods with ingredients like the ones in these brands, I shudder.

As example, the first five ingredients of recalled Friskies Grillers dry cat food are: Ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, ground wheat, chicken by-product meal and soybean meal. In other words, crap, crap, crap, crap and more crap.

The first five ingredients of the recalled Purina Cat Chow Naturals are equally unhealthy: Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice and animal fat.

The last time I checked, cats are neither herbivores or omnivores. Therefore, what consumers who buy grain-based pet foods need to know are two, very simple things: One, they are wasting their money and two, they are very likely unknowingly harming their cat’s health with a species inappropriate food made up of mostly grain by-products.

There, I said it. I hope you understand that my goal is only to help animals, and if all you can afford is a low quality, inexpensive pet food I understand, but may I suggest supplementing their diet with meat, poultry, and eggs that you yourself eat.

Source: Nestlé Purina’s recall notice