If you’ve followed the news as of late, you are probably aware of the concerning chatter happening around certain cat food recalls. Your concern is wholly understandable, and here we are going to add a bit of clarity for those who may be overwhelmed and confused by the situation.
The Royal Veterinary College flagged an unusually high number of cases of a feline disease called pancytopenia. Pancytopenia is a rare blood marrow condition that can cause serious illness. With this condition, the number of platelets and red and white blood cells quickly drop leading to anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia.
The Royal Veterinary College has reported a 63.5% mortality rate in cats diagnosed with the bouts of pancytopenia, which has since led to the recent cat food recalls. According to the Royal Veterinary College website, “The RVC is aware of 565 cats that are known to us based on cases treated at our own hospitals and information provided by some vets in the UK.” It is worth noting that other causes of illness such as disease, toxins, or vitamin deficiencies have been ruled out.
There is an ongoing investigation into the rise of pancytopenia. Amidst that investigation, Fold Hill Foods has found unusually high levels of mycotoxins in the cat food they have distributed under multiple brand names.
Following this, the Food Safety Administration reported,“Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain moulds. Mycotoxins are widely found in some types of feed and food and do not, in themselves, indicate they are the cause of feline pancytopenia.”
Fold Hill Foods has responded with an abundance of caution and a voluntary recall of all potentially affected cat food. They stated, “We are voluntarily recalling the dry products we manufacture as a precautionary measure. We are also supporting an investigation by the food and veterinary authorities into a possible safety issue affecting cats.”
A full list of recalled cat food is available on the Food Standard Agency’s website, which we will link here. You have the right to a refund if you have purchased any of the recalled cat food under the Consumer Rights Act. You must simply bring the remaining cat food in its bag into your local supermarket for a full refund. In such a case, it would also be wise to keep an eye on your cat for a while for possible symptoms.
The signs of pancytopenia include: fatigue, pale gums, bruising, spontaneous bleeding such as of the nose or gums, loss of appetite, and a rash of blood spots. Anyone concerned for their cat should see their veterinarian, especially if they exhibit any symptoms of pancytopenia.
The Cool Cat Club’s food is not part of this risk and has not been recalled, however we understand how valuable this information is for cat owners across the UK. Our cats are family, and keeping our family safe is important to all of us.