Cat Food and Mad Cow Disease

frlpwr wrote:

PawsForThought wrote:

(snip)

Hey, don't feel bad, Steve. I had no idea myself that cats could get BSE.

Though I can't find a citation now, shortly after reports of feline
vulnerability to TSEs surfaced, there was speculation that mink flesh
was the culprit. Since AAFCO regulations define "meat by-products" as
the flesh of any mammal, there was/is the possibility of mink carcasses,
for which there is little commercial value other than fertilizer and
animal feed, ending up as low quality catfood. Mink are very
suspectifible to TSE, though the young age at which they are slaughtered
forestalls the appearance of symptoms in the mink, themselves.

So I wonder how one can avoid such foods, since all of the
credible commercial foods contain byproducts? The chicken etc.
still contains animal byproducts. I guess, then, that one just
assumes that the likelihood of any particular cat getting TSE is
extremely small, just as the chance of our getting it is small.
Still, it is not a comforting thought. It seems easier for me, as
a human, to avoid possibly contaminated foods than it is to
protect my feline friends.
--
Jean B.

One buys premium cat food with recognizable ingredients, or else one cooks
for ones cat. I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
frlpwr wrote:

PawsForThought wrote:

(snip)

Hey, don't feel bad, Steve. I had no idea myself that cats could get
BSE.

Though I can't find a citation now, shortly after reports of feline
vulnerability to TSEs surfaced, there was speculation that mink flesh
was the culprit. Since AAFCO regulations define "meat by-products" as
the flesh of any mammal, there was/is the possibility of mink carcasses,
for which there is little commercial value other than fertilizer and
animal feed, ending up as low quality catfood. Mink are very
suspectifible to TSE, though the young age at which they are slaughtered
forestalls the appearance of symptoms in the mink, themselves.

So I wonder how one can avoid such foods, since all of the
credible commercial foods contain byproducts? The chicken etc.
still contains animal byproducts. I guess, then, that one just
assumes that the likelihood of any particular cat getting TSE is
extremely small, just as the chance of our getting it is small.
Still, it is not a comforting thought. It seems easier for me, as
a human, to avoid possibly contaminated foods than it is to
protect my feline friends.
--
Jean B.

One buys premium cat food with recognizable ingredients, or else one cooks
for ones cat. I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
frlpwr wrote:

PawsForThought wrote:

(snip)

Hey, don't feel bad, Steve. I had no idea myself that cats could get
BSE.

Though I can't find a citation now, shortly after reports of feline
vulnerability to TSEs surfaced, there was speculation that mink flesh
was the culprit. Since AAFCO regulations define "meat by-products" as
the flesh of any mammal, there was/is the possibility of mink carcasses,
for which there is little commercial value other than fertilizer and
animal feed, ending up as low quality catfood. Mink are very
suspectifible to TSE, though the young age at which they are slaughtered
forestalls the appearance of symptoms in the mink, themselves.

So I wonder how one can avoid such foods, since all of the
credible commercial foods contain byproducts? The chicken etc.
still contains animal byproducts. I guess, then, that one just
assumes that the likelihood of any particular cat getting TSE is
extremely small, just as the chance of our getting it is small.
Still, it is not a comforting thought. It seems easier for me, as
a human, to avoid possibly contaminated foods than it is to
protect my feline friends.
--
Jean B.

I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

Yeah, but it only takes a little beef stock, beef extract, whatever to cause
CJD. You can't know what's in any cat food or what's in your own food. Go to
a restaurant, they might have beef stock in a dish that doesn't even have meat
in it. Cripes, I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I know full well that
when I go to restaurants, there most likely is beef or chicken stock in any
number of "vegetarian" dishes: soups, all sorts of things. No one knows for
sure what they are eating.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

Yeah, but it only takes a little beef stock, beef extract, whatever to cause
CJD. You can't know what's in any cat food or what's in your own food. Go to
a restaurant, they might have beef stock in a dish that doesn't even have meat
in it. Cripes, I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I know full well that
when I go to restaurants, there most likely is beef or chicken stock in any
number of "vegetarian" dishes: soups, all sorts of things. No one knows for
sure what they are eating.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

That's scary isn't it? After reading the excellent post from Paws for
Thought (Lauren?) I'm reconsidering a lot of what I eat. My new year's
resolution was already to eat only foods cooked at home--to save money! Now
I have another even more compelling reason!

Meanwhile, I've been discovering some more premium pet foods. Anybody have
any experience or knowledge about:

"Precise"
"Verus"
"Chicken Soup..."

They look good, smell good, & the cats actually love them. I also bought a
bag of Innova Lite which they won't touch. Go figure.

"MacCandace" wrote in message
...
I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

Yeah, but it only takes a little beef stock, beef extract, whatever to
cause
CJD. You can't know what's in any cat food or what's in your own food.
Go to
a restaurant, they might have beef stock in a dish that doesn't even have
meat
in it. Cripes, I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I know full well
that
when I go to restaurants, there most likely is beef or chicken stock in
any
number of "vegetarian" dishes: soups, all sorts of things. No one knows
for
sure what they are eating.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye
other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

That's scary isn't it? After reading the excellent post from Paws for
Thought (Lauren?) I'm reconsidering a lot of what I eat. My new year's
resolution was already to eat only foods cooked at home--to save money! Now
I have another even more compelling reason!

Meanwhile, I've been discovering some more premium pet foods. Anybody have
any experience or knowledge about:

"Precise"
"Verus"
"Chicken Soup..."

They look good, smell good, & the cats actually love them. I also bought a
bag of Innova Lite which they won't touch. Go figure.

"MacCandace" wrote in message
...
I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

Yeah, but it only takes a little beef stock, beef extract, whatever to
cause
CJD. You can't know what's in any cat food or what's in your own food.
Go to
a restaurant, they might have beef stock in a dish that doesn't even have
meat
in it. Cripes, I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and I know full well
that
when I go to restaurants, there most likely is beef or chicken stock in
any
number of "vegetarian" dishes: soups, all sorts of things. No one knows
for
sure what they are eating.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye
other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

So does anyone recomend any type of cat food when price is not a problem.
My kittie just got spayed and is running around like she has a
firecracker in
her butt (excuse the refrence). She is a hi energy cat, however my sister's
tabby, who also lives here, does not have a much energy. We had been
feeding them
Science Diet for kittens and we switched to Nutro Max Cat kitten...has
anyone had
any experiences or is the a better quality food. They are both healthy
and deficate
regularly with no problems. They are both spoiled rotten as they should
be...


Betsy wrote:
One buys premium cat food with recognizable ingredients, or else one cooks
for ones cat. I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

"Jean B." wrote in message ...

frlpwr wrote:

PawsForThought wrote:

(snip)


Hey, don't feel bad, Steve. I had no idea myself that cats could get

BSE.

Though I can't find a citation now, shortly after reports of feline
vulnerability to TSEs surfaced, there was speculation that mink flesh
was the culprit. Since AAFCO regulations define "meat by-products" as
the flesh of any mammal, there was/is the possibility of mink carcasses,
for which there is little commercial value other than fertilizer and
animal feed, ending up as low quality catfood. Mink are very
suspectifible to TSE, though the young age at which they are slaughtered
forestalls the appearance of symptoms in the mink, themselves.

So I wonder how one can avoid such foods, since all of the
credible commercial foods contain byproducts? The chicken etc.
still contains animal byproducts. I guess, then, that one just
assumes that the likelihood of any particular cat getting TSE is
extremely small, just as the chance of our getting it is small.
Still, it is not a comforting thought. It seems easier for me, as
a human, to avoid possibly contaminated foods than it is to
protect my feline friends.
--
Jean B.

So does anyone recomend any type of cat food when price is not a problem.
My kittie just got spayed and is running around like she has a
firecracker in
her butt (excuse the refrence). She is a hi energy cat, however my sister's
tabby, who also lives here, does not have a much energy. We had been
feeding them
Science Diet for kittens and we switched to Nutro Max Cat kitten...has
anyone had
any experiences or is the a better quality food. They are both healthy
and deficate
regularly with no problems. They are both spoiled rotten as they should
be...


Betsy wrote:
One buys premium cat food with recognizable ingredients, or else one cooks
for ones cat. I've been trying to educate friends and family and whoever
will listen for YEARS that mystery meats in pet food are bad news, Steve
Crane & Hills to the contrary!

"Jean B." wrote in message ...

frlpwr wrote:

PawsForThought wrote:

(snip)


Hey, don't feel bad, Steve. I had no idea myself that cats could get

BSE.

Though I can't find a citation now, shortly after reports of feline
vulnerability to TSEs surfaced, there was speculation that mink flesh
was the culprit. Since AAFCO regulations define "meat by-products" as
the flesh of any mammal, there was/is the possibility of mink carcasses,
for which there is little commercial value other than fertilizer and
animal feed, ending up as low quality catfood. Mink are very
suspectifible to TSE, though the young age at which they are slaughtered
forestalls the appearance of symptoms in the mink, themselves.

So I wonder how one can avoid such foods, since all of the
credible commercial foods contain byproducts? The chicken etc.
still contains animal byproducts. I guess, then, that one just
assumes that the likelihood of any particular cat getting TSE is
extremely small, just as the chance of our getting it is small.
Still, it is not a comforting thought. It seems easier for me, as
a human, to avoid possibly contaminated foods than it is to
protect my feline friends.
--
Jean B.

Betsy wrote:

One buys premium cat food with recognizable ingredients,

Exactly right. What little regulation there is for pet foods is mostly
involved with labelling. If the contents are beef, chicken, fish,
whatever, the label must say so. It is the mysterious "meat
by-products" that can legally contain the flesh or rendered flesh of any
mammals, including mink, marine mammals, zoo animals and, as shown by
some well documented instances in the past, euthanized pets.