Pet Food Recall: Wellness Canned Cat Food

Wellness announced a recall due to possible inadequate levels of thiamine (B1). The products affected by the recall are:

Wellness Canned Cat Food

  • All flavors & sizes:  best by dates 14APR 13 – 30SEP13
  • Chicken & Herring (all sizes):  best by dates 10NOV13 or 17NOV13

Only cats who were feed only food from the affected lots are at risk for thiamine deficiency. Symptoms include:

  • Ventroflexion (bending in a downward position) of the neck
  • Muscle weakness
  • Ataxia (wobbly walking)
  • Seizures
  • Fixed, dilated pupils
  • Paralysis of the muscles around the eye

Interestingly, they are recalling all product manufactured during the time in question in order to avoid confusion.  They also made the announcement on a Monday instead of pulling a “dump & run” —a trick a lot of companies use of issuing a press release late on a Friday so the story gets lost in the news cycle.  And I’ll give them points to for having a link to the recall info. on the home page.  Some companies just file their recalls under “News”.

If you have cat food from these lots, you should stop feeding it to your cats. Call WellPet at 1-877-227-9587 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.