(Natural News) Three separate brands of cat food manufactured by the J.M. Smucker Company have been recalled after tests discovered that they were dangerously low in an essential nutrient, the company announced in conjunction with the FDA.

Cat food has been recalled from specific varieties and lots of the brands 9Lives, EverPet and Special Kitty. The cat food was sold between December 20 and January 3, and should not be fed to animals. Cats eating the defective food could start to develop gastrointestinal and neurological abnormalities within a few weeks.

The FDA said it has not received any reports of animals made ill from the nutrient-deficient food. The company declined to reveal how much of the defective cat food has been sold.

May cause seizures

According to the company, a routine review of production records revealed that thiamine (vitamin B1) had not been added to the affected lots of cat food. Failure to fortify the food with thiamine means that the food is deficient in this essential nutrient,

According to the FDA, cats fed a thiamine-poor diet can develop deficiency within a few weeks. Early symptoms are typically gastrointestinal in nature, and include decreased appetite, weight loss, excessive salivation and vomiting. In more advanced cases, neurological symptoms start to manifest, such as bending of the neck toward the floor (ventroflexion), wobbly walking, circling, falling and seizures.

The FDA warned that any cats exhibiting these symptoms should be seen by a vet immediately. With quick intervention, thiamine deficiency and its symptoms can be fully reversible.

The recalled products are:

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Chicken and Tuna, 7910052238, 6354803, 12, 13 oz, 7910052228

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Seafood Platter, 7910000402, 6356803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910000402

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Seafood Platter, 7910000367, 6355803, 6 4pk 5.5 oz each, 7910003670

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper, 7910000327, 6358803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910000327

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper 7910000286, 6358803, 6, 4pk, 5.5 oz each, 7910002860

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper, 7910052239, 6355803, 12, 13 oz, 7910052229

• 9Lives Meaty Pate Super Supper, 7910052239, 6364803, 12, 13 oz, 7910052229

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Chicken and Seafood, 7910000364 (793641) 6356803, 6, 4pk, 5.5 oz each, 7910003640

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Chicken and Tuna, 7910000324, 6356803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910000324

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Chicken Dinner, 7910000410, 6356803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910000410

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Liver and Chicken, 7910000312 (793121), 6355803, 6, 4pk, 5.5 oz, each, 7910000312

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Ocean Whitefish, 7910000420, 6358803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910000420

• 9Lives Seafood Poultry Variety Pack, 7910053377, 6307803, 24, 5.5 oz, 7910053377

• 9Lives Meaty Pate with Chicken & Tuna, 7910000366, 6357803, 6, 4pk, 5.5 oz each, 7910003660

• EverPet Mixed Grill Dinner, 7910053114, 6356803, 12, 13 oz, 7910053114

• Special Kitty Beef and Liver Dinner, 8113112120, 6355803, 12, 13 oz, 8113112120

• Special Kitty Classic Tuna Dinner, 8113112157, 6358803, 12, 13 oz, 8113112157

• Special Kitty Mixed Grill Dinner with printed wrap, 8113109609, 6355803, 1, 12 pk, 13 oz each, 8113109609

• Special Kitty Mixed Grill Dinner without printed wrap, 8113112119, 6356803, 12, 13 oz , 8113112119

• Special Kitty Super Supper, 8113179041, 6355803, 12, 13 oz, 7910079041

Customers who have purchased recalled products should contact the company directly at 1-800-828-9980 or [email protected]

Do you really want to feed your pet that?

The recall raises the question, of course: why does failure to fortify cat food with thiamine result in food that gives cats thiamine deficiency? The answer is easy: because the actual “food” ingredients contained in the cat food are nutrient poor and terrible for your pet’s health.

For example, meat and poultry “byproducts” are two of the major ingredients in the 9Lives products recalled. This can include any animal matter, including parts of food animals not approved for human consumption, or even ground up zoo animals, road kill or euthanized pets. “Meat” from these different sources is typically tossed together into a large grinder, sometimes even along with expired meat from grocery store shelves, along with the plastic and Styrofoam packaging. (RELATED: Learn more about bizarre food ingredients at Ingredients.news)

There are almost no rules enforced about the contents of pet food. Along with ground up and euthanized animals, cat food from big brands almost certainly contains antibiotics, hormones, and even euthanization chemicals.

Consult a reliable vet for recommendations on brands of pet food made from real ingredients with minimal additives.

Sources:

FoxNews.com

FDA.gov

9lives.com

NaturalNews.com