Sainsbury's, Wilko and Pets at Home recall cat food linked to 130 cat deaths

25 June 2021, 13:49 | Updated: 22 July 2021, 13:59

A recall on a number of cat food products has been released amid concerns it is linked to a rise in cat deaths. Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

A number of dry cat foods have been pulled from sale and recalled amid fears it is linked to a rise in cat deaths.

Sainsbury's, Pets at Home and Wilko have recalled a number of dry cat foods following the death of 130 cats.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have warned cat owners not to give their pets food made at Fold Hill Foods after an alarming rise in the number of feline pancytopenia cases since April 2021.

Feline pancytopenia is a condition that caused the production of red blood cells to slow down and it can cause a loss of appetite, bleeding gums, bruising, fever and nosebleeds in our beloved cats.

Sainsbury's and Wilko are among retailers who have pulled the cat food from shelves. Picture: Getty

One cat owner who tragically lost her pet to the condition is Alex Padovano, 26, from Tooting, London.

Alex bought a three-month-old kitten, Penelope, last year, but sadly lost the feline only five months later.

She was feeding her pet AVA food from Pets at Home for some time without a problem, but then later discovered Penelope had developed a bone marrow condition.

The Applaws products being recalled are those with best before dates with the site code GB218E5009. Picture: Applaws

Alex took the kitten to the vet after she started bleeding out of her ears and mouth, and had to pay £3,5000 for a blood transfusion.

However, the treatment did not work and the kitten died.

Alex said: "It was absolutely devastating as Penelope was my first pet who I saved up and paid for. She was such a little bundle of energy. I felt really cheated when I found out it may have been her diet that caused her (Penelope's) death.

"It's just devastating and horrific. It's not going to bring my little kitten back."

The cat food has been linked to over 130 cat deaths. Picture: Getty

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) issued a warning on Monday this week after they found 278 feline pancytopenia cases with a 70 per cent mortality rate.

They said in a statement: "From the data shared most cats show some non-specific signs for around two days before being seen by a vet.

"Common signs include lethargy and loss of appetite although in some cases there are signs of spontaneous bleeding or bruising. We encourage owners to contact their veterinary practice if they are worried that their cat may be affected.

"Given this apparent association with diet, we welcome the FSA's product recall notice. While we have not definitively established diet as the cause of pancytopenia in these cats, we are continuing to liaise with the pet food industry and regulatory bodies to investigate the matter and identify the possible underlying causes of this extremely serious condition."

Fold Hill Foods general manager, Ben Mankertz, said on the matter: "As cat owners ourselves, we fully understand how upsetting and stressful this situation is for families and although diet has not been confirmed as the cause, we would prefer to act now to ensure the absolute safety of cats."

The cat foods that have been recalled

For Applaws, it is all best before dates with the site code GB218E5009:

Applaws Cat Dry Chicken 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Cat Dry Senior Chicken 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Salmon 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Kitten Dry Chicken 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Lamb 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Cat Dry Chicken & Duck 400g, 2kg and 7.5kg
Applaws Cat Dry Ocean Fish 350g, 1.8kg and 6kg

For Sainsbury’s products, it is all batches and best before dates, including:

Sainsburys Hypoallergenic Recipe complete dry cat food with salmon 1+years 800g
Sainsburys Hypoallergenic Recipe complete dry cat food with chicken 1+years 800g

For AVA from Pets at Home, it is all batches and best before dates, including: