Phooey.  No luck catching Mama Cat; somehow she managed to knock the trap out of her way and escape.  Now she is in the backyard hissing venomously at us every time we walk out the door.  I do feel bad for stealing her babies, but they don't usually survive (too many coyotes & owls in our area) so I am happy these will make it.  They are now in their big rabbit cage home, hissing & spitting their little hearts out, but they are eating like crazy so I think they will warm up to me soon. 

p.s. They think raw food ROCKS, so starting them early seems to be the trick.  Wish I had done that with Rufus... 

Well, here we go again.  I just nabbed four feral kittens, six weeks old, out of my next door neighbor's yard.  My last unspayed feral - also Rufus' mom - had them under his house and just brought them out a few days ago.  She is currently under the house and there is only one way out, a hole in the foundation under the porch, and I have a trap set covering the hole so that if she comes through the hole, she'll end up in the trap (in a perfect world, of course... she is quite wily and will probably figure out some way to evade the trap  )  I have been trying to nab her for three years, so please send whatever cat-catching mojo you have my way 

Now I have to find homes for four kittens - anybody out there in Southern California who needs a really cute kitten?

More on cobalt carbonate (from http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/c4917.htm).  Extremely scary. 

COBALT CARBONATE

1. Product Identification
Synonyms: Cobaltous carbonate; carbonic acid, cobalt salt
CAS No.: 513-79-1
Molecular Weight: 118.94
Chemical Formula: CoCO3

2. Composition/Information on Ingredients
  Ingredient                                CAS No         Percent        Hazardous                                 
  ---------------------------------------   ------------   ------------   ---------   
 
  Cobalt Carbonate                          513-79-1         90 - 100%       Yes                                                                   
 
3. Hazards Identification

Emergency Overview
--------------------------
WARNING! HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC SKIN OR RESPIRATORY REACTION. CHRONIC EXPOSURE MAY AFFECT THYROID, LUNGS, HEART, AND KIDNEYS.

SAF-T-DATA(tm) Ratings (Provided here for your convenience)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Rating: 3 - Severe (Cancer Causing)
Flammability Rating: 1 - Slight
Reactivity Rating: 1 - Slight
Contact Rating: 3 - Severe (Life)
Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES & SHIELD; LAB COAT & APRON; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES
Storage Color Code: Green (General Storage)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Potential Health Effects
----------------------------------

Inhalation:
Causes irritation to the respiratory tract, symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath, and nausea. Respiratory hypersensitivity, asthma may appear. Inhalation of cobalt dust and fumes is associated with an increased incidence of lung disease.
Ingestion:
Causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, flushing of the face and ears, mild hypotension, rash, and ringing in the ears. May have cumulative toxic action where elimination cannot keep pace with absorption. Large amounts depress erythrocyte production.
Skin Contact:
May cause dermatitis. Causes irritation to skin. Symptoms include redness, itching, and pain.
Eye Contact:
Causes irritation, redness, and pain.
Chronic Exposure:
Repeated oral administration may produce goiter and reduced thyroid activity. Prolonged or repeated skin exposure may cause dermatitis. Chronic exposure associated with kidney, heart and lung damage.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems, or impaired liver, kidney or respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance. Persons with allergies or sensitivity to cobalt may also be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.
4. First Aid Measures

Inhalation:
Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical attention.
Ingestion:
Induce vomiting immediately as directed by medical personnel. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get medical attention.
Skin Contact:
Wipe off excess material from skin then immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Get medical attention. Wash clothing before reuse. Thoroughly clean shoes before reuse.
Eye Contact:
Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting lower and upper eyelids occasionally. Get medical attention immediately. [/font]
5. Fire Fighting Measures[/color]

Fire:
Contact with strong oxidizers may cause fire.
Explosion:
Not considered to be an explosion hazard.
Fire Extinguishing Media:
Use any means suitable for extinguishing surrounding fire.
Special Information:
In the event of a fire, wear full protective clothing and NIOSH-approved self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece operated in the pressure demand or other positive pressure mode.
6. Accidental Release Measures

Ventilate area of leak or spill. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment as specified in Section 8. Spills: Sweep up and containerize for reclamation or disposal. Vacuuming or wet sweeping may be used to avoid dust dispersal. US Regulations (CERCLA) require reporting spills and releases to soil, water and air in excess of reportable quantities. The toll free number for the US Coast Guard National Response Center is (800) 424-8802.


7. Handling and Storage

Keep in a tightly closed container, stored in a cool, dry, ventilated area. Protect against physical damage. Wash hands before eating and do not eat, drink, or smoke in workplace. Isolate from incompatible substances. Containers of this material may be hazardous when empty since they retain product residues (dust, solids); observe all warnings and precautions listed for the product.
8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Airborne Exposure Limits:
For Cobalt Compound:
-OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):
0.1 mg/m3 (TWA) Cobalt metal dust and fume as Co

-ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV):
inorganic cobalt compounds: 0.02 mg/m3 (TWA) as Co,
A3: Animal carcinogen.
Ventilation System:
A system of local and/or general exhaust is recommended to keep employee exposures below the Airborne Exposure Limits. Local exhaust ventilation is generally preferred because it can control the emissions of the contaminant at its source, preventing dispersion of it into the general work area. Please refer to the ACGIH document, Industrial Ventilation, A Manual of Recommended Practices, most recent edition, for details.
Personal Respirators (NIOSH Approved):
If the exposure limit is exceeded and engineering controls are not feasible, a half-face high efficiency particulate respirator (NIOSH type N100 filter) may be worn for up to ten times the exposure limit or the maximum use concentration specified by the appropriate regulatory agency or respirator supplier, whichever is lowest. A full-face piece high efficiency particulate respirator (NIOSH type N100 filter) may be worn up to 50 times the exposure limit, or the maximum use concentration specified by the appropriate regulatory agency or respirator supplier, whichever is lowest. If oil particles (e.g. lubricants, cutting fluids, glycerine, etc.) are present, use a NIOSH type R or P filter. For emergencies or instances where the exposure levels are not known, use a full-facepiece positive-pressure, air-supplied respirator. WARNING: Air-purifying respirators do not protect workers in oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
Skin Protection:
Wear protective gloves and clean body-covering clothing.
Eye Protection:
Use chemical safety goggles and/or full face shield where dusting or splashing of solutions is possible. Maintain eye wash fountain and quick-drench facilities in work area.
9. Physical and Chemical Properties

Appearance:
Red crystalline powder.
Odor:
No information found.
Solubility:
Negligible.
Specific Gravity:
4.13
pH:
No information found.
% Volatiles by volume @ 21C (70F):
0
Boiling Point:
No information found.
Melting Point:
No information found.
Vapor Density (Air=1):
No information found.
Vapor Pressure (mm Hg):
No information found.
Evaporation Rate (BuAc=1):
No information found.
10. Stability and Reactivity

Stability:
Stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage. May air-oxidize.
Hazardous Decomposition Products:
Burning may produce carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, phosphorous oxides and benzoic acid.
Hazardous Polymerization:
Will not occur.
Incompatibilities:
Strong oxidizers, tert-butyl hydroperoxide.
Conditions to Avoid:
Air, incompatibles.
11. Toxicological Information


Oral Rat LD50: 640 mg/kg. Investigated as a tumorigen.
  --------\Cancer Lists\------------------------------------------------------
                                         ---NTP Carcinogen---
  Ingredient                             Known    Anticipated    IARC Category
  ------------------------------------   -----    -----------    -------------
  Cobalt Carbonate (513-79-1)             No          No             2B

"The profit margin on pet vitamins must be off the charts."


You said it!  I think the profit margins on a *lot* of things are off the charts these days.     Your post on disappearing pet items is interesting too - I've noticed recently that when I walk down the pet food aisle at my local Von's, there are often large "holes" in the stock where certain items are missing.  I'll have to start paying more attention to the items being pulled and see if there's a pattern.  I've also noticed fire sales where they are selling a certain brand for 19 cents a can or something crazy like that, and I always wonder what happens to the pets that eat that food...

This is the same clinic that Rufus goes to.  It used to be Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins' practice, but she recently retired and sold it to another veterinarian who shares her philosophy on nutrition.  I haven't met the new vet yet but her staff are pretty cool.  Yes, they are big proponents of raw diets, but their main issue is NO KIBBLE (i.e., if you don't want to go raw or homemade then high quality canned (!?) is the other option).  I guess the problem is finding "high quality" canned these days.  That is the reason I went mostly raw; it just seemed the last resort to ensure fresh, nutritious, nonpoisoned food for my cat.  I still worry about the vitamin supplements that I buy and which are used in the premade raw food I buy.  It was extremely difficult to transition Rufus to raw (it took about eight months to convince him it was even a reasonably good idea).  In the meantime, the ferals got nice and fat eating the rejects -- they LOVE the raw food and look like pampered housecats now.  Actually, watching their condition improve so much is the thing that sold me on the benefits of raw feeding.  Plus Rufus is looking pretty handsome these days too 

Don, I have been using a powdered vitamin supplement called Platinum Performance Feline formula (they also make human, equine & canine formulas) for over a year now with very good results.  You can order directly from their website and their customer service folks are good about answering any questions you may have.  It's also not terribly expensive (1/2 pound has 170 servings and costs about $10).  You may want to give it a try, and I am thinking (hoping) it is better quality than Hartz (or similar store brand) vitamins. 

"I honestly feel backed into a corner that feels eerily like recall period." 

Offy, you totally hit the nail on the head!  I am so scared of mass-produced pet food that I have an anxiety attack if Rufus so much as coughs or hiccups after eating it.  But he won't eat homecooked and his willingness to eat raw is sporadic.  He'll eat it for a few days and then will totally refuse it, and I have to trick him into eating it again 

That said, the foods I've fed him that haven't produced any weirdness are:

Raw ground rabbit & turkey (I get it from Hare Today, they seem to be out of rabbit now though)
Feline's Pride raw (turkey, duck & cornish hen)
Oma's Pride raw turkey innards
Wellness CORE dry
Wellness canned (mostly turkey)

I also feed him Beechnut baby food (contains no cornstarch) with Platinum Performance vitamin supplement.  He like the FF gourmet chicken and Friskies ocean whitefish but I'm terrified to feed them to him more than once in a while. 

I wonder if we'll ever have any confidence in the industry again.

The new shape of the Wellness CORE is the same shape as all of its other kibble foods (roundish / pellet-shaped).  It used to be triangular.  According to OMH, nothing else (i.e. formulation) has changed.

Before the recalls, I used to feed it all the time and the cats loved it.  Since the recall, I've fed it once or twice and they still like it, but I can't get past my squeamishness over the Menu connection.  At least it doesn't have the mystery "meat by-products" like so many other canned foods.

Yes, I'm in SoCal, so I should definitely check out the co-ops.  I do have concerns about the amount of thawing & refreezing that happens when food goes through a middleman like that, and I haven't had a lot of time to research what might be available fresh locally - I think I might have better luck if I lived in the LA area instead of the Inland Empire , but it would be worth a try.  Re Hare Today, Tracy's stuff RULES (and my mom's dog thinks the dehydrated rabbit ears are manna from heaven), plus I have only one cat, so if I order 20-30 lbs of food it lasts a *long* time and it's pretty easy to justify the shipping.  At this point I'm still just really happy to not worry about poisoning kitty every time I feed him.  How sad is that.   

p.s. I haven't read all of your history posts, but 50-100 lbs?  How many carnivorous beasts are you feeding?    I have no idea where I'd put that much frozen food!  As it is, my entire freezer is crammed with raw meat with little room for anything else.  We joke around here that kitty's new health food diet is forcing us to eat healthier too since there is no more room for TV dinners, etc.  I keep threatening to cook up some rabbit burgers (bones & organs included).

She also feeds Oma's Pride with the Platinum Performance supplement.  I take my cat to her and have purchased Oma's Pride products from her office (Oma's doesn't provide online shipping on its site), but she doesn't carry a big variety so I generally buy Oma's ground rabbit and the turkey innards (kitty *loves* them) from her, then order turkey, duck, and pheasant from Hare Today (online, located in Pennsylvania).  Shipping costs for the frozen raw food is over double the cost of the food, though, so that stings a bit.  You can also get the Platinum Performance online, 11 or 12 bucks and not so bad shipping costs.  Hodgkins is an awesome vet but don't plan on feeding any kibble if you go to her - she will school you in no uncertain terms on how bad it is    I will say Rufus has been on raw food since June and is doing GREAT - lots of energy and very healthy.

I've been feeding Rufus the Oma's Pride raw ground rabbit and the turkey organs since May, rotated in for about 60-70% of his diet.  It does need to be supplemented (I use Platinum Performance feline formula) but he seems to be doing well on the combination.  I will note that I've tried a bunch of different raw foods and these are the two items he likes the best. 

When Rufus was a kitten (about 2 1/2 years ago and I didn't know any better), I fed him Nutro canned and dry food.  He used to throw up all the time, but I never guessed to attribute it to the food.  At some point he got to the point where he wouldn't eat it at all so I never fed it to him again.  Now I think back on all that upchucking and feel like a giant a-hole for not figuring it out.  I haven't been into a Petco or Petsmart since the recalls began, but I'm sure if I saw a Nutro rep on the street they would probably get an earful.  (not necessarily their fault that the company is so horrible, but there's plenty of sales rep jobs out there so I don't see how anyone could with good conscience continue to work for that company...)

I buy pots of pre-sprouted "kitty grass" at my local grocery store (someone around here does it at home and sells it through the grocery store, along with homegrown catnip and other treats) and Rufus is CRAZY for it.  I think it has a mixture of wheat, barley, oat, and a couple of other grasses that are safe for kitty to eat. I've been buying a pot every couple of weeks (it grows really fast and loses its green-ness once you bring it inside!) for the last year or so - I've also read that grass contains some fiber and nutrients that are very beneficial, so I think of it as "kitty salad", just like kaffe said! 

Actually, she did the full-on otoscope/swab & slide and said there was no overgrowth of yeast or any kind of infection and that his ears were actually very clean -- which is why she diagnosed allergies.   He seems perfectly healthy other than the itchy ears.  I did call the vet and was advised that this vet often recommends Synotic because it's fast & very effective and she's had no problems with it in the past if it's used correctly.  I'm still not 100% convinced but I'm going to start him on it tonight and see how it goes.  She didn't prescribe much - just 1 drop in each ear per day for a week so maybe it won't be too bad.