There have been numerous posts on the Wellness thread about cats refusing, or in some cases vomiting, the canned food made in December 2007 and January and February 2008/expiration dates Dec 2010 Jan 2011 and Feb 2011.  The problem seems to affect all can sizes and different manufacturing locations, and a number of different flavors.  The problem seems to resolve when people get into lots made in March.

Another poster and I have been comparing notes behind the scenes about our cats suddenly beginning to refuse a different brand of canned food (Azmira) that they formerly ate with gusto.  (It's a small brand, and we are probably the only two people on the forum who use it.)  Our cats started to refuse it about the same time, and coincidentally, the lots refused appear to have been made in January 2008 and the preceding months.  We do not know who cans this food, since the company has said the info is "proprietary" (how I have learned to hate that word), and did not release the info even during the 2007 recalls.  There is suspicion, however, that the food may have production facilities in common with Newman's Own and Wellness canned foods, possibly Menu.  They are similar-textured foods,and other similarities have been noted.  These are also the foods that our cats typically like.

Emails to the Azmira company have either not been replied to, or have cited the usual excuses, like "cats do get tired of food" and "there is variation in natural ingredients."  Formerly this company was very responsive to inquiries and answered promptly.  They say their formula has not changed.

I was able to find some cans of Azmira with exp dates Sept 2010 (manufactured in Sept 2007), and my cats ate that with gusto.  So it can't be that they are simply tired of the food.

When my cats completely refused a January 2011 exp date can of Wellness this AM, it was the last straw for me.  I have begun to wonder if there is something major, affecting different brands and types of food, that happened around January 2008 production.  I would be interested to know if any other posters have experienced patterns of unusual refusals or vomiting of canned cat food manufactured in the US or Canada with expiration dates between Sept 2010 and Feb 2011, specifically pate'-type, smooth-textured foods.

I don't want to start a panic, but I don't want to ignore this, either.

catbird, have no experience with Azmira. Can you post ingredients from the labels
of the time period in question? For comparison with labels from Wellness?

It's good you are bringing this up, catbird.  It does seem on the Wellness thread that there were a lot of Jan refusals, so seeing if there is a pattern is important.  I don't have any statistics to add, but do hope everyone can post problems to figure this out.

 I have been using Wellness less and less now that it is being sold by big box stores, it seems once anything goes big box it eventually turnsd to crap.  Been primarily feeding WERUVA and an occassional Wellness Chicken n' Herring or Beef and Salmon.  But I noticed the last can of C & H I feed them took a lot of encouragement for them to eat it...............................think I am going back to making chicken breasts for one of their meals the problem with my girls is the only wet foods they will eat have to be in the fish family.  SIGH

Mine only eat 1/4 cup of dry at night left out for free feed.

I don't recall exactly but he was an older Dachshund, maybe 10 or 11, otherwise fit and healthy in all respects and the sudden illness/death shocked the owner enough to ask for a necropsy.

LOL, that sounds like "let me think about it, and I'll get back to you."

5CatMom
₌^..^₌

I might also add that if there is a problem brewing, it is not showing up in my cats' recent blood work, urinalyses, or physical exams.  

What size cans are those, Eric?  Mine like C&H, too.  12 FEB 11
7WCHS1 01:47  big cans, plus 5.5 oz cans  08 feb 11/7WCHS4