Cat food recalled over potential link to rare fatal disease

Sainsbury’s and Pets at Home are among the retailers recalling dry cat food over a potential link to an outbreak of a rare and fatal disease in cats.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Defra are advising cat owners not to give their pets food made on behalf of the brands by manufacturer Fold Hill as a precaution.

It follows more than 130 cases of feline pancytopenia, an illness that can often be fatal in cats, since April, the FSA said.

Pancytopenia is a rare condition where the number of blood cells (red, white and platelets) rapidly decrease, causing serious illness.

The FSA said the current outbreak of pancytopenia was potentially linked to specific cat food products.

A Government spokesman said: “Working with the Royal Veterinary College, the Animal Plant and Health Agency and other Government departments across all four nations of the UK, local authorities and the pet food supply chain, we are investigating a possible link between specific cat food products and feline pancytopenia. There is no definitive evidence to confirm a link at this stage.

“No unsafe cat food has been identified but the manufacturer and brand owners affected, based on investigations so far, are taking the precautionary action of recalling and withdrawing cat food products that have been linked to affected cats.

“There is no evidence to suggest this outbreak of feline pancytopenia presents any risk to human health.”

Cat owners are advised to seek immediate advice from a vet if their pet is unwell and has been fed any of the food listed in the product recall.

Owners are also advised to use an alternative food if their cat’s usual food is included the recall.

Fold Hill Foods said products under the Sainsbury’s Hypoallergenic Recipe range and Pets at Home Ava range are being recalled.

Applaws products, which are sold by Amazon and other pet food shops, may also be unsafe.

Fold Hill Foods general manager, Ben Mankertz, said: “We are alarmed and deeply saddened to learn of reports from the food and veterinary authorities of some health issues in cats. As cat owners ourselves, we fully understand how upsetting and stressful this situation is for families and although diet has not been confirmed as the cause, we would prefer to act now to ensure the absolute safety of cats.

“As one of the leading pet food manufacturers in the UK, ensuring your pet’s safety is our priority and therefore we have chosen to recall the ranges of cat food that we manufacture for the brands who have been identified. We feel this is the safest course of action until an exact cause of the issue has been found.”

A Pets at Home spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the recent rise in feline pancytopenia cases identified by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). The health and wellbeing of pets is our top priority, which is why we are supporting the manufacturer’s product recall of Ava and Applaws dry cat food ranges.

“This is a precautionary measure whilst further investigations are carried out and we are working closely with the FSA, RVC and wider industry to determine the cause.

“In the meantime our store colleagues are on hand to help customers select a suitable alternative.”

The products being recalled are: