Several months ago, my brother lost one of his two cats (Squeakers and Peanut) to kidney failure. His vet said that is could've been related to the melamine tainted food because the timing coincided shortly after the recall but they didn't pursue it further since the other cat didn't have any of the same symptoms. Squeakers passed away this past spring but now Peanut is starting to have kidney problems.
My brother just mentioned to me recently that his teenage son had been giving the cats some fish food as treats. The cats were showing great interest in the fish food when he would feed his fish so he gave them just a little bit and they loved it. It never occurred to him to ask his parents first if that would be an okay thing to do and, since the cats seemed to love the fish food as a treat, he continued on giving them more fish food.
After my brother visited me last week, I started putting two and two together and started wondering if there could possibly be something toxic to cats in the fish food. I tried searching online about this but couldn't really come up with anything. Any information about this from the cat lovers and experts here would be SO very much appreciated!!
Thanks!!
Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
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goldensrock
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:07 am
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
hey goldens.....the only way to know for sure if for your brother to take Peanut to the vet, along with the fish food treats, and let him determine if there is something in the makeup of the food that has caused the failure....
If your brother, or you, can...also write the manufacturer of the fish food and ask them about ingredients...let them know that the cat has been eating it, and take that information to the vet so he can determine the best course of action....
Keep us posted and prayers for {{{Peanut}}}
If your brother, or you, can...also write the manufacturer of the fish food and ask them about ingredients...let them know that the cat has been eating it, and take that information to the vet so he can determine the best course of action....
Keep us posted and prayers for {{{Peanut}}}
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
I'm very sorry about Squeakers. How old was he/she? And, how old is Peanut?
The only way to determine toxicity from the recalled food would have been if the cats actually were eating any of the recalled food and thatthe food had been tested for toxin. Acute renal failure is/was the common in renal failure in cats who ate tainted food (as opposed to chronic renal failure which develops over time, and for many cases, was already present in some cats due to age, health, and nothing to do with the recall). Only proper testing would have determined for certain.
How old is Peanut, and has he/she been examined by a VET and bloodwork done to conclude this diagnosis? This is the only way to determine if renal disease is present, and if it is acute or chronic.
Don't take this wrong, but doesn't your brother have any more common sense than his son? Why did he allow his son to feed this to his cats? Do NOT feed this to any animal except the fish! Cats cannot metabolize many things, and there could be ingredients in the fish food that is not appropriate for cats.
Tell your brother to get Peanut to the vet RIGHT NOW, bloodwork done, take the fish food so the vet can read the ingredients, and tell the son to stop giving the cats this stuff. He needs to be more responsible!
The only way to determine toxicity from the recalled food would have been if the cats actually were eating any of the recalled food and thatthe food had been tested for toxin. Acute renal failure is/was the common in renal failure in cats who ate tainted food (as opposed to chronic renal failure which develops over time, and for many cases, was already present in some cats due to age, health, and nothing to do with the recall). Only proper testing would have determined for certain.
How old is Peanut, and has he/she been examined by a VET and bloodwork done to conclude this diagnosis? This is the only way to determine if renal disease is present, and if it is acute or chronic.
Don't take this wrong, but doesn't your brother have any more common sense than his son? Why did he allow his son to feed this to his cats? Do NOT feed this to any animal except the fish! Cats cannot metabolize many things, and there could be ingredients in the fish food that is not appropriate for cats.
Tell your brother to get Peanut to the vet RIGHT NOW, bloodwork done, take the fish food so the vet can read the ingredients, and tell the son to stop giving the cats this stuff. He needs to be more responsible!
..........Traci
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goldensrock
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:07 am
Thanks Tambrey and Traci.....
As soon as my brother found out last week about his son feeding fish food to the cats, he told him to stop immediately. The boy is very intelligent and my brother hasn't clue what on earth made him think that feeding fish food to the cats would make any sense at all, other than the fact the the cats would go crazy every time he'd feed his fish and thought maybe the cats must like it. I know what you're thinking.... dumb, dumb, dumb. He loves the cats and feels miserable since he meant no harm to them.
He's given the fish food as "treats" for nearly a year now. Squeakers passed away this spring and Peanut has just started displaying the same symptoms now that his brother, Squeakers, did when he first started getting ill. My brother took Peanut to the vet and had bloodwork done and it does look like his kidneys are compromised, but this was all done before my brother knew about his son giving the cat(s) fish food.
Both of the cats were eating the brands of food recalled, but my brother threw out that food as soon as he found out about the recall. Unfortunately, there were no "leftovers" to test. I guess they'll never know if the tainted food had anything to do with poor Squeakers, and now Peanut getting so ill.
My gut feeling..... I'm thinking that the fish food is probably toxic.
As soon as my brother found out last week about his son feeding fish food to the cats, he told him to stop immediately. The boy is very intelligent and my brother hasn't clue what on earth made him think that feeding fish food to the cats would make any sense at all, other than the fact the the cats would go crazy every time he'd feed his fish and thought maybe the cats must like it. I know what you're thinking.... dumb, dumb, dumb. He loves the cats and feels miserable since he meant no harm to them.
He's given the fish food as "treats" for nearly a year now. Squeakers passed away this spring and Peanut has just started displaying the same symptoms now that his brother, Squeakers, did when he first started getting ill. My brother took Peanut to the vet and had bloodwork done and it does look like his kidneys are compromised, but this was all done before my brother knew about his son giving the cat(s) fish food.
Both of the cats were eating the brands of food recalled, but my brother threw out that food as soon as he found out about the recall. Unfortunately, there were no "leftovers" to test. I guess they'll never know if the tainted food had anything to do with poor Squeakers, and now Peanut getting so ill.
My gut feeling..... I'm thinking that the fish food is probably toxic.
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
Again, how old was Squeakers and how old is Peanut? Did the vet specifically diagnose renal disease, or the beginning of renal disease?
If the fish food was fed for an entire year, then of course it is possible that over time, this could cause potential health concerns for the cats. But, the only way to determine that is to take the product/label to the vet so he can review the ingredients, remember please that there are many many ingredients etc that cats cannot metabolize. Please, get your brother to get the product to the vet immediately so he can check it.
Peanut's renal issues could be due to his age (if older), or something else entirely, only the vet can determine that with appropriate testing and providing appropriate treatment to slow the progression of renal disease. Renal disease (i.e., naturally occuring, due to age), is not cured, but rather treatment can help slow the progression. Is Peanut on treatment now?
If the fish food was fed for an entire year, then of course it is possible that over time, this could cause potential health concerns for the cats. But, the only way to determine that is to take the product/label to the vet so he can review the ingredients, remember please that there are many many ingredients etc that cats cannot metabolize. Please, get your brother to get the product to the vet immediately so he can check it.
Peanut's renal issues could be due to his age (if older), or something else entirely, only the vet can determine that with appropriate testing and providing appropriate treatment to slow the progression of renal disease. Renal disease (i.e., naturally occuring, due to age), is not cured, but rather treatment can help slow the progression. Is Peanut on treatment now?
..........Traci
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goldensrock
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:07 am
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
Oops, sorry. Forgot to answer that.
Squeakers was 8 and Peanut just turned 9.
My brother is traveling on the road with his job right now, but I will call him tonight to find out the course of treatment for Peanut. Of course, the vet is still unaware of the fish food issue as of yet.
Squeakers was 8 and Peanut just turned 9.
My brother is traveling on the road with his job right now, but I will call him tonight to find out the course of treatment for Peanut. Of course, the vet is still unaware of the fish food issue as of yet.
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
Well, renal disease can occur in any age cat, but particularly in any cat over the age of 6-7.
If it had been the result of recalled pet food, Squeakers would have more than likely had acute renal failure, the symptoms are more obvious, occur rather suddenly and are almost always of a toxic nature....chronic renal failure develops over time -- by the time chronic renal failure is diagnosed, over 2/3 of the kidneys have lost normal function. Depending on how much of the recalled food was fed between the time of illness (re: Squeakers) and Peanut's symptoms now, would help the vet rule out toxicity regarding Peanut's renal impairment.
If it had been the result of recalled pet food, Squeakers would have more than likely had acute renal failure, the symptoms are more obvious, occur rather suddenly and are almost always of a toxic nature....chronic renal failure develops over time -- by the time chronic renal failure is diagnosed, over 2/3 of the kidneys have lost normal function. Depending on how much of the recalled food was fed between the time of illness (re: Squeakers) and Peanut's symptoms now, would help the vet rule out toxicity regarding Peanut's renal impairment.
..........Traci
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mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
goldens, hi it's mamaB. Did the animals have access to grapes or raisins ove a period of time?
Could child or even brother have given or is giving them as a treat as well or maybe are out on the table/counter and are being eaten that way?
Is kitty indoor only? If not are there Oak trees around, i Know it takes a high dose of foliage or acorns but just trying to see what else might be causeing this. Or any other bushes/shrubs/trees outside that could be poisonous.
What about in the house? Does he have plants and if so what kinds? If he does can he look to see if there is damage there to the plant recently or even long term. Many cats like to rip and eat plants and one would never know it being done.
Does he have the fish food with him? If so there should be a phone number to call on the label. He can call them and get the information faster that way of what the ingredients are.
Please let us know.
((((((((((GOLDENSROCK)))))))))))))))))))
mamaB
Could child or even brother have given or is giving them as a treat as well or maybe are out on the table/counter and are being eaten that way?
Is kitty indoor only? If not are there Oak trees around, i Know it takes a high dose of foliage or acorns but just trying to see what else might be causeing this. Or any other bushes/shrubs/trees outside that could be poisonous.
What about in the house? Does he have plants and if so what kinds? If he does can he look to see if there is damage there to the plant recently or even long term. Many cats like to rip and eat plants and one would never know it being done.
Does he have the fish food with him? If so there should be a phone number to call on the label. He can call them and get the information faster that way of what the ingredients are.
Please let us know.
((((((((((GOLDENSROCK)))))))))))))))))))
mamaB
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
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goldensrock
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:07 am
Hi mamabear!
DB reports that Peanut is skinnier. He will be taking him in for blood work today or tomorrow so I'll post when I hear results.
The cats are/were indoor cats.
Funny you should mention grapes and raisins. We were just talking about that a few weeks ago. I was chopping onions and a few little bits fell on the floor and I swooped them up the second they hit the floor. He laughed at how quickly I tended to them and I told him that I had to get them off the floor before Cali could get to them. He asked why and I told him about cholcolate, grapes, and raisins too. He'd never heard of that. He said that he was curious if the same were true for cats and that he'd check into that, although his cats didn't eat any of those thing,s but just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else that could be toxic to them.
One of the cats, I'm not sure which one though, did tend to mess with the leaves of one of their indoor houseplants. I'll also ask him what type of plant it is.
DB reports that Peanut is skinnier. He will be taking him in for blood work today or tomorrow so I'll post when I hear results.
The cats are/were indoor cats.
Funny you should mention grapes and raisins. We were just talking about that a few weeks ago. I was chopping onions and a few little bits fell on the floor and I swooped them up the second they hit the floor. He laughed at how quickly I tended to them and I told him that I had to get them off the floor before Cali could get to them. He asked why and I told him about cholcolate, grapes, and raisins too. He'd never heard of that. He said that he was curious if the same were true for cats and that he'd check into that, although his cats didn't eat any of those thing,s but just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else that could be toxic to them.
One of the cats, I'm not sure which one though, did tend to mess with the leaves of one of their indoor houseplants. I'll also ask him what type of plant it is.
Re: Can eating FISH FOOD cause feline KIDNEY FAILURE?
You posted this nearly a week ago, why hasn't kitty been seen by a vet by now???
And for future reference, your brother should have been looking into plants and foods that are toxic to cats, he can start here and here.
And for future reference, your brother should have been looking into plants and foods that are toxic to cats, he can start here and here.
..........Traci