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The feeding of cat
food which is incomplete (not nutritionally
balanced) will cause disease. Taurine deficiency
leads to blindness and, if not rectified, death.
Taurine-deficient cat foods occur because animal
protein ingredients are decreasing and
carbohydrates are increasing. Cats cannot make
taurine in their own bodies and taurine comes from
meat. Hyperthyroidism in cats is on the increase
and may be linked excess iodine in cat foods.
There are claims that hyperthyroidism first
surfaced in the 1970s when canned food arrived.
How is Cat
Food Tested?
In the USA, feeding
trials are no longer required for a food to meet
the requirements for labeling a food
"complete and balanced". Most
manufacturers perform palatability studies when
developing a new pet food. Some companies do use
feeding trials; these provide a more accurate
assessment of the actual nutritional value of the
food. The manufacturer may have several colonies
of cat including neutered and unneutered cats and
a wide age range. Some companies contract this
work to laboratories, those laboratories may be
involved in other forms of animal research
(medical or cosmetic) and some kill and dissect
some of the cats after the feeding trial to assess
the condition of the gut.
One by-product of
food testing trials is kittens. Feeding levels for
pregnant or lactating cats, and for their kittens
when weaned, must be established. Though the cats
are not bred inhumanely (it is not a kitten mill),
those litters of kittens contribute to the
increasing pet overpopulation problem; even if
homed to staff or their families, they are
depriving a shelter kitten of a home. There may be
a problem of inbreeding after several generations.
In recent years,
some European cat food manufacturers have
consolidated their operations in one country,
closing their manufacturing and testing plants
elsewhere. This means that entire colonies of
indoor cats (British and European cats are
normally indoor/outdoor pets) must be rehomed or
euthanized.
Fungal and Bacterial
Contaminants
By-product meal and
slurries may be contaminated with bacteria,
especially if the raw ingredients includes animals
which died because from disease, injury or natural
causes. The carcass might not be rendered
immediately on arrival at the plant; decomposition
might have begun and bacteria such as salmonella
and escherichia coli may be multiplying. Cooking
may kill bacteria but may not eliminate the toxins
those bacteria produce. In the US and Canada, the
Salmonella Education/ Reduction Program was formed
under the auspices of the National Renderers
Association. Despite this, renderers continue to
ignore the salmonella issue and it may require
government enforcement and inspections to reduce
the incidence of salmonella in their products.
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