Smucker recalls cat food for low thiamine

The J.M. Smucker Company expanded their voluntarily of certain lots of 9Lives, EverPet and Special Kitty canned cat food due to possible low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1). The affected product was distributed to a limited number of retail customers from December 20 through January 3, 2017.

Products added to the recall on January 6

The issue was discovered by Smucker’s quality assurance team during review of production records at the manufacturing facility. No illnesses related to this issue have been reported to date and the product is being recalled out of caution.

Thiamine deficiency symptoms in cats

Cats fed diets low in thiamine for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, neurological signs can develop, which include ventroflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures.

Cat owners should contact their veterinarian immediately if their cat is displaying any of these symptoms. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible. No other products of the J.M. Smucker Company are affected by this recall.

Consumers who have cans of cat food from the impacted lots should stop feeding it to their cats and call us at 1-800-828-9980 Monday through Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST or contact us at [email protected]. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The original recall included the following: