Natural Balance Pet Foods, a company based out of San Diego, recently issued a voluntary recall for two of its cat food products due to the potential for Salmonella contamination.
While some product recalls only involve specific geographic areas, the products in question in this particular case sold at retail stores across the country. So if you have a cat at home, you’ll want to check your pet food supply and make sure you don’t have any of the Natural Balance Pet Foods products impacted by the recall.
The products subject to the recall include a 5-pound bag of Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food and a 10-pound bag of the same product. The first has a Retail UPC Code of 2363300233 while the second has a Retail UPC Code of 2363300235. Both have a “Best if Used by Date” of March 10, 2022, and both have a Lot Code of 1008080 06:42N811202:20.
If you have either of the products above, you should throw them away immediately or take them back to the store for a refund. Incidentally, Salmonella poses a risk not just for cats, but also for humans handling the food.
The FDA post on the recall reads in part:
Salmonella can infect cats eating a product contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms of Salmonella infection in cats may include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, fever, or excessive salivation. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. Some cats may not appear sick but can spread infection to other animals and humans in the household.
Salmonella can spread to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not washed their hands after having contact with their cat’s foods, surfaces and/or cats that have been in contact with the contaminated product. Healthy people infected wit Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. People exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product or a cat that has eaten this product should contact their healthcare provider.
It’s worth noting that no other Natural Balance Pet Foods products were found to have any associated health issues.
If you have either of the recalled products in your house, the company says that all questions and reports can be made by calling 1-833-558-0908, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST. The company also welcomes reports via their website over here.
“The health and well-being of the pets that enjoy our Natural Balance pet foods is our priority,” the company said in a statement. “Our company and our team take seriously our responsibility to provide safe, wholesome, nutritious pet foods for dogs and cats.”
