Anyone Here Ever Feed "rad Cat Raw Food" Brand?

[yeva2292]

I wonder if this is a case of "beware what you ask for". I wonder if the FDA is taking a stronger stance in response to the cry for them to more tightly regulate pet foods after the melamine debacle.

The pessimist in me wonders if the FDA coming down hard on raw food companies is due to the shift in consumer spending, as in, more people buying raw food is cutting into the profit margins of big pet food companies. Then again, it could just all be my inner conspiracy theorist .

 

[mschauer]

The pessimist in me wonders if the FDA coming down hard on raw food companies is due to the shift in consumer spending, as in, more people buying raw food is cutting into the profit margins of big pet food companies.

Why would the FDA care?

 

[MargoLane]

The pessimist in me wonders if the FDA coming down hard on raw food companies is due to the shift in consumer spending, as in, more people buying raw food is cutting into the profit margins of big pet food companies. Then again, it could just all be my inner conspiracy theorist .

Haha! I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, though you never know! It seems like a case of measuring two completely different things with the same ruler, if you know what I mean. I'm sure there's a true metaphor for that, but I can't think of one right now.

 

[mschauer]

Seems to me it should be more about the types and levels of bacteria and whether they will actually harm pets or not.

Me too. I wonder if part of the problem is that there is much information available for what levels of bacteria are tolerated by humans but no so for cats so they don't know how much should be allowed in pet foods??

 

[mschauer]

It seems like a case of measuring two completely different things with the same ruler, if you know what I mean. I'm sure there's a true metaphor for that, but I can't think of one right now.

I like that metaphor!

 

[lisamarie12]

I've been wary of commercial raw products that contain bone ever since I noticed several that claim to have 10% bone content but I knew that wasn't possible given their ingredients. I also think many manufacturers claim to follow the 80/10/10 prey model ratios even when they actually don't, or least don't really know, because they know that is what people want. Or maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age.

No -- you are absolutely right. I remember having phone discussions re bone percentages with various raw manufacturers, especially when I worked at an indy pet supply retailer, and we were looking to include more commercial raw products at the store. One such company was Vital Essentials, excellent as far as the quality of the ingredients but basically parroting the same 10% bone percentages as other companies, however utilizing, as you mentioned previously, very bone dense ingredients such as necks / backs.

It's a pity because commercial raw is very convenient and a time saver to homemade, however, these companies that are using excess bone need to get on board and lower their bone percentages for cat food.

 

[Ardina]

I'm so upset they're shutting down. I fed homemade raw to my cats for over a year until circumstances and time constraints made it difficult, and radcat was the only commercial product that was even close to matching my homemade food. Arrrgh, now I'll have to find an alternative raw food. Any suggestions? Or maybe I'll switch to prey model raw if I can get my cats to eat organs separately...

 

[lisamarie12]

The pessimist in me wonders if the FDA coming down hard on raw food companies is due to the shift in consumer spending, as in, more people buying raw food is cutting into the profit margins of big pet food companies. Then again, it could just all be my inner conspiracy theorist .

Actually, even though commercial raw food sales for pets have gradually increased over the years, it remains a very, very small percentage of overall sales compared with big pet feed companies.

There's a piece of pie for commercial raw and processesed diets but big pet feed wants the whole pie for themselves.

 

[Azazel]

I’ve had some raw food companies flat out refuse to give me information about bone content because it’s “proprietary.” So frustrating!

There are some connections between the FDA, AAFCO, and pet food companies that we know of.

For example, Purina has invited high ranking individuals from the FDA to give talks at their marketing events. FDA employees have taken senior roles on the AAFCO board.

I believe I also read somewhere that pet food companies often give donations to Univerisites that are tied to departments of agriculture in several states.

Could be conspiracy, but there are also some ties between the FDA and the big pet food companies.

 

[Tobermory]

I believe I also read somewhere that pet food companies often give donations to Univerisites that are tied to departments of agriculture in several states.

Yes, true. I worked in fund raising at a major research university, and pet food companies give to both vet and ag schools.

 

[mschauer]

For example, Purina has invited high ranking individuals from the FDA to give talks at their marketing events. FDA employees have taken senior roles on the AAFCO board.

We could round and round on what, if any, significance there is to that but it would all be speculation so...

 

[Azazel]

We could round and round on what, if any, significance there is to that but it would all be speculation so...

This is true but I was thinking that maybe it was a conflict of interest to have the FDA at a marketing event since the FDA is supposed to be an “authority” that regulates or at least inspects pet food companies. If they start advocating for a certain brand then will they want to later investigate that brand and potentially be involved in a recall situation?

All I know for sure is that I’m about to buy out all the Rad Cat in local pet shops and stock up!!!

 

[mschauer]

This is true but I was thinking that maybe it was a conflict of interest to have the FDA at a marketing event since the FDA is supposed to be an “authority” that regulates or at least inspects pet food companies. If they start advocating for a certain brand then will they want to later investigate that brand and potentially be involved in a recall situation?

You've gone from

Purina has invited high ranking individuals from the FDA to give talks at their marketing events.

to the FDA advocating for a brand. That's quite a leap isn't it?

You're assuming that in the relationship the pet food industry has some influence over FDA actions. Is there really any reason to believe that? Is there really any reason to think the FDA won't just tell the pet food industry to buzz off if it tries to influence the FDA to do something other than what it thinks is the proper thing to do?

Isn't the reality that we really don't know what pet food industry and FDA interactions are like and that we are simply assuming the worst?

 

[daftcat75]

You've gone from to the FDA advocating for a brand. That's quite a leap isn't it?

You're assuming that in the relationship the pet food industry has some influence over FDA actions. Is there really any reason to believe that? Is there really any reason to think the FDA won't just tell the pet food industry to buzz off if it tries to influence the FDA to do something other than what it thinks is the proper thing to do?

Isn't the reality that we really don't know what pet food industry and FDA interactions are like and that we are simply assuming the worst?

There may not be some grand overarching conspiracy or even a conflict of interest (though this I highly doubt), but in specific terms of Rad Cat, the FDA was negligient, hypocritical, and abusive, to pick only the polite words out of my mouth. If you read their blogs on the issues, the FDA knew back in March that there was a potential pathogen but didn't say a damn thing until they could get them on inspection. There's more, but my blood boils thinking about the FDA suggesting they are acting in the interest of public health when they sat on that information. If it was human food, the FDA would be answering to congressional inquiries right now on why they sat on information about a suspected pathogen and allowed so many potentially contaminated lots to continue to be sold, for what? So they could grind an axe with raw food and swing it down on the company they should have been working with, "in the interest of public health"? Gah!

And then the distributors withholding money from Rad Cat. What's up with that?

It sounds like they have a few lawsuits they would be justified in filing if only they had the resources to do so.

 

[mschauer]

If you look at all my posts you'll find this line of discussion started with me simply asking why the FDA would care if raw food sales were cutting into the sales of processed foods. I haven't defended the FDA's action against Rad Cat.

 

[Azazel]

Well here’s the question I have... why is the FDA attending and speaking at a marketing event? The purpose of which is to market a brand of food? Why not use resources to investigate the allegations against pet deaths from kibble companies (which have remained unaddressed for about a year now).

I know this is all speculation but you have to admit that it has some basis. We don’t have all the facts but we have some good reason to be skeptical of the FDA’s priorities.

 

[mschauer]

Well here’s the question I have... why is the FDA attending and speaking at a marketing event? The purpose of which is to market a brand of food?

Because they were asked to speak during a session titled “The Role of Regulation in Pet Food”. Who do you think should have been asked to speak, officials from NASCAR perhaps????

 

[Azazel]

Because they were asked to speak during a session titled “The Role of Regulation in Pet Food”. Who do you think should have been asked to speak, officials from NASCAR perhaps????

I’m not sure that the title really answers the question of why they were there or whether it’s a conflict of interest. This wasn’t a conference on pet food safety, it’s a marketing event for Purina. Don’t you think that it would also be a stretch to assume that the FDA always acts in the best interest of consumers and has no competing agendas without the full facts? Why are you so certain of your position? I’m not saying I know for sure either way, but I’m not discounting the fact that the FDA does have some connection to pet food companies and the AAFCO.

 

[mschauer]

I haven't stated a "position". All I have done is question the assumptions of others.

Don’t you think that it would also be a stretch to assume that the FDA always acts in the best interest of consumers and has no competing agendas without the full facts?

I have NOT said anything remotely like that. DO NOT MIS-REPRESENT MY WORDS TO SUPPORT YOUR ARGUMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Azazel]

Okay I’m going to stop responding because for whatever reason you’re getting really upset and I was intending on just having a calm conversation.