SA cat food 'is fine'
2007-04-12 14:45
Cape Town - Premier cat food manufacturing company Hill's Pet Nutrition says all its cat food in SA is safe for pet consumption.
This follows after earlier news reports stated that the company had recalled all of its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food.
Fears in the US were raised that this specific Hill's product could be contaminated.
According to the South African Veterinary Association's Gerhard Steenkamp, the recall of Hill's in SA was a precautionary measure.
Dr Guy Fyvie, spokesperson for Hill's, said that the potentially affected product Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food had been recalled and had never been released from the warehouse for SA vet shops.
He assured cat owners that even if they had bought of the Prescription Diet food weeks ago, it would be safe for use.
According to the Hill's website, the company voluntarily recalled Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food as wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods.
AP reported that on March 16, Menu Foods recalled 60 million cans of dog and cat food after at least 16 cats and dogs that ate its products died.
The US Food and Drug Administration said tests indicated the food was contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.
Menu Food manufacturers brand names such as Eukanunba, Iams and Science Diet.
After the FDA identified the contamination source as wheat gluten, additional products were recalled by Hills Pets, Nestle Purina and Del Monte.