Mars Petcare is recalling bags of its Special Kitty Gourmet Bland dry cat food due to possible salmonella contamination. The bags of food were sold in Wal-Mart stores in:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- North Carolina
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
- Vermont
- West Virginia
Here is the information you need to identify the affected bags:
- Best If Used By Date: AUG 11 09
- Best If Used By Date Location: Back of bag
- Production Lot Code: 50 XXXX X (Found on back of bag just after “Best If Used By” date. Consumers should look for “50” as the first two digits of the second line.)
UPC code numbers can be found right below the bar code on the package.
- 3.5 lb. Special Kitty gourmet blend 81131 17546
- 7 lb. Special Kitty gourmet blend 81131 17547
- 18 lb. Special Kitty gourmet blend 81131 17548
If you have a bag of the recalled food, dispose of the contents in a covered trash can and return the empty bag to the store where you bought it for a refund.
Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans. Here is good information on the symptoms & treatment of salmonellosis in dogs & cats. The FDA has information on how to safely handle salmonella contaminated pet food. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has a very informative page on salmonellosis in humans.
You can find out more about previous pet food recalls in the Pet Food Recall Archive.
