Cat Food Recall Weruva Best Feline Friend (bff) Product Recall - Australia

[moorspede]

Actually, Petbarn emailed wirh a different version. They said a small sample had been cleared by an independent toxologist and they were carrying out further tests. I would not feed my cats Wevura fish products at this time.

 

[Mia the Siberian]

To date, Weruva have reported that they have only tested for heavy metals.

There are a number of other elements that could contaminate food and make an animal very ill. I wouldn't be so relieved just yet until a full report is released.

 

[tracie hotchner]

The ONE Australian vet who had a cat who seemed to be sick from the food said the cat tested high for mercury - that's why the food was tested for that. There were no other symptoms or reasons to suspect anything else - if food was even the cause of this kitty's illness. This is exactly why online speculation can be like the "telephone game" - whispers that get distorted and exaggerated. This food is all made in a facility where human food is also made to the E.U. standards of ingredients and handling. It really doesnt get any better than that.

 

[moorspede]

Tracie, looking at your four posts, forgive me but you sound like you have something to do with Wevura.

I will suspend judgement until after the results come out but I would be a fool to feed my cats Bff at this time.

In case you are being paid by the company, I'd like you to know that how the company addresses the issue will affect my (and a bunch of other people) decision to buy Wevura product again.

 

[tracie hotchner]

I've been totally transparent about my relationship with Weruva from my first post here and on other Australian cat forum sites. I'm sorry you didn't see that somewhere. I have received no money nor request from the company nor would I have accepted it. I am very well known in the US as a pet wellness advocate and as such, have spent a good part of the weekend following this - and following the apparent insistence by some in your country that there is something being kept from you- when it is the store(s) that was selling the product and then communicating with customers that did not seem to have been helping Weruva get any information or hard facts. They immediately sent two representatives down to Australia and have been working around the clock just to get any sort of concrete evidence on which to move forward effectively on everyone's behalf.

 

[Mia the Siberian]

Tracie, do you work in the Thailand facility that manufactures their product?

No?

I thought so.

Please don't be so naive.

 

[moorspede]

Anyone with commom sense would wait for testing to be concluded but thank you for taking us by the hand and leading us to the light.

And excuse me for being suspicious of your good intentions. I've seen academic sites having to shut down for short amounts of time to clean the paid trolls out.

 

[kittycity16]

Are people still feeding their cats other Weruva brands (besides BFF)? I'm not in Australia, but am displeased with how they are handling the situation. Their tests are limited, and they've been trying to eliminate blame. Losing faith in the brand, but not sure what else to feed my cats?

 

[tracie hotchner]

If you're not in australia then you have the same challenge that Weruva did- they are in the U.S. and the store in Australia gave them little information- and the vets gave them even less, despite many efforts to find out what was believed to be the cause. WHen the 1 vet said it might be mercury or heavy metals, they tested for that. You have to know what you're testing for in testing a food. On their own they are testing for vitamin content but the tests are slow to come back. Weruva has made themselves totally available by telephone or email to anyone - no one is trying to "eliminate blame," they are trying to eliminate the possible cause of the illness in the cats. but they were only told of 2 sicks cats and even then could not get information. They are going above and beyond- yet there are still people trying to make them the "bad guys." It baffles me completely. This is a small private company, family owned and run with no outside investors - these are not the big pet food companies people seem to want to be angry with! They are totally dedicated to the quality of their foods and to their customers. Only a few flavors of BFF in cans were eaten by these cats (and nothing has been found wrong with these foods, either)- so all the other flavors of BFF and other Weruva foods have no part in this. There's no reason to lose faith- only reason to support a fine company and products.

 

[wendy r]

Regarding our recent announcement (goo.gl/fxDcy8), all tested foods have come back clear.
Per veterinary guidance, initial testing focused on heavy metals (mercury and arsenic). All foods tested have shown levels well below industry required standards for human and pet consumption. We remain committed to our customers and their pets’ well being. We will continue to provide updates as they are available.

[/QUOTE]
UPDATE FROM WERUVA MY VET IS GIVING MY SICK BOY THIAMINE INJECTION TOMORROW IT IS BEST TO FEED THEM NORMAL CAT FOD NOT HUMAN CHICKEN AS THEY NEED AT FOOD AS IT IS LOADED WITH THIAMINE. THIAMINE DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS ARE VOMITTING NEROLOGICAL SIGHS PROB HAVE HEADACHE AND DOUBLE VISION WHICH EXPLAINS WONKINESS IN WALKING IT IS REVERSIBLE BUT GET ON TO IT ASAP

Dear Valued Best Feline Friend (BFF) Customers:
The Weruva family and I are deeply concerned with the health and well-being of cats everywhere, and we are especially
mindful of the many pet parents who have expressed concerns for their companions in Australia.
Initial veterinary guidance in Australia suggested that efforts focus on testing for heavy metal presence in our BFF canned
foods (exclusive to Australia). Over 50 batches have been tested, and those results have indicated heavy metals are not the likely cause of the symptoms these cats are presenting.

Further veterinary consultation has shown that thiamine deficiency may share many neurological symptoms with heavy
metal toxicity. We have initiated tests to determine thiamine levels in these foods as we continue to pursue all possible
causes. Veterinarians may consider thiamine supplementation as part of their treatment plan when neurological symptoms are present, irrespective of diet.
We remain committed to working closely with the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the veterinary community
as we seek to understand and resolve the concerns affecting cat households in Australia. We will continue to update you
as the situation develops.
Customers may contact Weruva directly at [email protected] or by calling 1800 108 382.

 

[moorspede]

Are people still feeding their cats other Weruva brands (besides BFF)? I'm not in Australia, but am displeased with how they are handling the situation. Their tests are limited, and they've been trying to eliminate blame. Losing faith in the brand, but not sure what else to feed my cats?

I bought a 24 can slab of one of the products in the "Cats in the Kitchen" line an hour before the product recall, I wasn't concerned about feeding it to her firstly because it was chicken and secondly because it hadn't been recalled.

It can take months when a product is recalled to get results back, I can't see that they have behaved in a disreputable way at this stage. What have they done that concerns you?

It's just a matter of waiting to see how things pan out.

 

[moorspede]

... but they were only told of 2 sicks cats and even then could not get information.

You don't recall a product over two cats, tracie.

 

[maggiedemi]

Maybe there's just too much fish in it, if they are feeding this every day. Can too much fish cause Thiamin deficiency?

 

[destinyz12]

Too much fish can definitely cause Thiamin deficiency. Especially Tuna, which seems to be in most of the BFF line, at least here in the U.S., not sure about their Australia line. I feed Weruva sometimes but I stay away from anything with fish most of the time, especially tuna. I like their cats in the kitchen line but i've never even bothered to try BFF because of the tuna.

 

[Miffysmum]

I rang the 1800 number this morning because I was trying to find out if any of the pouches seem to be affected. It seems most of the problems are with the canned food. Apparently the pouches are processed at a different facility and are ok to feed your cat. My cat loves these and for a 16 year old girl, she is in pretty good nick but very fussy and wont eat a lot of other wet food. I am in 2 minds whether to give it to her. Has anyone who has been feeding their cat the pouches had any problems?

 

[Mia the Siberian]

I rang the 1800 number this morning because I was trying to find out if any of the pouches seem to be affected. It seems most of the problems are with the canned food. Apparently the pouches are processed at a different facility and are ok to feed your cat. My cat loves these and for a 16 year old girl, she is in pretty good nick but very fussy and wont eat a lot of other wet food. I am in 2 minds whether to give it to her. Has anyone who has been feeding their cat the pouches had any problems?

There have been reports that cats have also become ill consuming the pouches.

In my opinion, I would steer clear of this company until a full laboratory report is released outlining exactly what products were tested, exactly what the products were tested for, and the findings of those tests.

 

[shadowplay]

I'm in the US, but I'm definitely concerned about buying Weruva for now. It scares me how risky it can be to feed our pets at times, even with "good" brands.

 

[moorspede]

My cat loves these and for a 16 year old girl, she is in pretty good nick but very fussy and wont eat a lot of other wet food. I am in 2 minds whether to give it to her. Has anyone who has been feeding their cat the pouches had any problems?

Argh my phone! Please see my answer below

 

[moorspede]

Personally, I wouldn't until the results come back, particularly since she is an older cat. Could you try her on the Cats in the Kitchen range? If she likes her dry you could try her on the Applaws range? It's quite expensive but very good quality. Just be aware that the wet food does not meet a cat's nutritional needs by itself.

 

[valentine319]

There are comments a few posts down 500+.
Recalls don't happen with a couple ill cats. They happen when our beloved pet passes.