I tried to login to the Cat Forum in Australia, but I keep getting error messages to that Orijen Topic once I'm there. I wanted to ask the one person who recommended pumpkin for the cat that was having hard poop if pumpkin works different in cats....I use it with my dogs to firm their stool if they get loose stool. The cat in question is having a very difficult time and I just hated to see if something like this would make it worse for the poor cat, unless of course pumpkin acts differently in them.
If anyone has a connection there or can post, can you either PM the person or ask that question?
Thanks!
Robert

You know, I have been feeding this treat to my dogs and last night was first time I realized the Carolina Prime  was Made in China and had an Irridation logo. When I saw Carolina Prime I just assumed it would be made in the USA.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3089948

I have emailed the company for further information about the irridation, at what levels and what tests are done to ensure the product chemical makeup has not been changed. As well what the irridation label requirements are.

You know McDonalds has healthy options these days from fruit and walnut salads to regular salads with chicken :-)   So - was this the oldest living cat on record that ate wet or raw? Can you provide a link to the study that shows cats that eat raw or wet as opposed to dry kibble only live until they are 30 and have a happier and healthier life?

So we could have been feeding irridated pet food and treats without even knowing it since there is not labeling on the bag that says "irridated"

Did Dr. Childs say why there is a protocol for vitamin treatments if there is no deficiency? Did Dr. Childs provide any reason as to why the white matter could be lost? I do hope Hunter will heal 100%. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Robert Davis

The vet said the cats were not being fed Orijen exclusively....so it could be a combination of things. But we do know that there was Vitamin deficiency in the food after irridation. If no longer on the food some cats got better, then we know a common denominator was the food that had been adulterated by the irridation.

You know he makes some really excellent points in the research shown. The only question is, if kibble is all that bad, then why in the last 13 years of me owning cats have I never had any problems with struvite crystals or any other major medical? Other than Mary who just died of cancer. Knock on wood, but my cats have gone from Cat Chow to Iams to Eukanuba to Kumpi Kat to Orijen to Friskies dry foods to also mixing in some wet as well. Some months went by with not wet food and then I might feed wet daily with dry left out. My cats have always drank well. I just haven't seen or had the problems so many have seen. Maybe I'm lucky?

If anything you can eat the Three Dog cookies yourself - they are not bad :-) Just feed any treat in moderation.....if carob was deadly to dogs I think we would have already heard of dogs kicking the bucket on these treats or other bakery goods for dogs.

Welcome to itchmo classictabby.   

Personally....I think they did an outstanding job at pulling the product, looking for the root cause and then made a choice that is not so good for their projected earnings for that market. 

Thanks!
Robert

I am sorry I missed this thread on October 8. I would have posted well wishes to you and your family. I'm glad Kaffe is not suffering but I do know you miss Kaffe greatly. I wish you much peace through the season. And thank you for sharing such wonderful photos. They brought tears and smiles to my face.

Was this ruled out in the cats?

from: http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/catneuro.html

"Another possible explanation
for wobbliness in the rear limbs is hypokalemia (low blood potassium),
which is a part of many lab profiles, but not all of them."

It doesn't say it would cause death, but if they continued to have low blood potassium, could they eventually die?

Thank you so much for including Mary Elizabeth in your photo. Brings tears of sadness but also good thoughts to mind.

Robert

Carol -  you made me laugh - thank you!!!! "they spend more time licking the empty bowl than eating it!"  I needed a good chuckle!

Happy  Turkey Day!

Wow - what an eye opener when reading that study. I was wondering why other foods had not been impacted. I found out as I read that Australia requires this based on the temperature and time of cooking and Orijen has a lot of fresh ingredients and at low temperatures....so the government requires irridation before coming into Australia. If irridation is to blame I wonder how the Australian government will respond as it would appear their requirement would then be the culprit and be to blame for the cats sickness and death.

I wonder if this mean that dogs could also be at risk? The study was on cats and only cats seem to be impacted right now.

Thanks for the post Carol. I read through the article. The issue of nutrient loss is pretty scary. I just read one link about Thiamine loss in cats and this article mentions this. Have my eyes been opened today about food irridation. Doesn't appear to be as simple as killing a few bacteria or as harmless as other articles made it sound.....