Oh, That Food Is Unsafe for Humans? Let’s Give it to Our Pets

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.care2.com/causes/oh-that-food-is-unsafe-for-humans-lets-give-it-to-our-pets.html

by Judy Molland November 21, 2013 4:00 am



Do you know what’s in your pet’s food? If you have ever wondered about what’s really in your pet’s “Classic Chicken Feast,” like I have, you should be very worried. You definitely will be when you discover where this food might come from.

It turns out that there are companies who broker spoiled, rotting foods. In some cases, there are even state regulations governing these businesses. And guess what industry they sell this waste to?

You guessed right.

Pet Food Unregulated

Food that as been “rendered unsafe or unsuitable for human consumption” is salvaged and sold to other industries. It appears that pet food companies will gladly purchase this rotten food.


FULL story at link.

[pipoman]

1. Dogs and cats have completely different

physiology than humans..watch what your dog eats and drinks when let roam the yard..nothing that they eat or drink is safe for human consumption. No, i prefer the borderline spoiled food be fed to cats and dogs and any and all food safe for human consumption be fed to hungry humans..

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. It shouldn't be fed to anything. Should be thrown away.

I'm careful what I buy for my dogs. They get some canned food everyday and it is human grade meat. Open it up and it smells wonderful - like you could just warm it up and eat it.

Their dry food is from a company in the US that makes really high quality pet food. Never a recall and good ingredients.

Dogs can eat stuff that would make us sick but it can make them really sick, too. I'm not taking a chance.

[pipoman]

4. Yeah

some prefer animals eat better than humans and food which is perfectly healthy and nutritious for animals be wasted...I'm not one of them..

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. It's not perfectly healthy or nutritious for animals.

It's rotten. It's full of bacteria. Dogs and cats both can get violently ill from eating that stuff.

It's true that most dogs aren't affected by salmonella. But having infected dog food is dangerous to the humans that handle it. Humans can get really sick from salmonella poisoning. Dogs can eat it and then go over the lick the kids in the face. The food needs to be recalled. It's a health hazard.

All pet food sold in the country should be regulated just like anything else that is consumed. And I think the FDA is starting to move in that direction.

[pipoman]

8. Not to say there isn't probably some product

that would be dangerous for consumption. Essentially all pet food which may have started with questionable meat is cooked to over 165 degrees killing any and all bacteria. It would be technically safe for human consumption, just the ingredients are not to the standard required to be for human consumption. There isn't live salmonella in canned pet foods.

Most domestic produced pet foods are perfectly safe and healthy for pets..what isn't safe or healthy for pets is seasonings used in human food, and morons who put their carnivorous pets on vegetarian diets..

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. Eat it if you want!

I don't want that crap in my dog's diet.

[pipoman]

11. Imagine how many hungry people could be fed

if people quit serving their pets human grade food.

Further, I have no intention of eating it, dogs don't give a shit if the meat was tainted and it has zero effect on them..

[newfie11]

16. I hope you don't have any dogs.

Maybe ya need to talk to a vet about your ideas.

[leftyladyfrommo]

21. Huh. Hunry people need rice and beans and veggies and fruits.

They need staples that won't go bad.

Somehow I don't think feeding myself and my dogs decent food is going to cause starvation in the 3rd world.

Most grocery store dog foods are mainly corn sprayed with chicken fat. They add back in the vitamins that they processed out. Probably 95% of the US dogs are fed that stuff. People can eat dry corn but it's not all that nutricious and you certainly can't live on it for very long.

[MADem]

24. I am one of those "morons."

I have a dog who has liver disease. She's on denamarin and a vegetarian diet. Her liver, under this protocol, is holding its own. She has to be tested regularly but so far, so good. She's thriving and healthy--she just can't eat meat because it makes her very, very ill. She's ten years old and she's had this problem since she was a young pup.

Sometimes, people feed their dogs vegan/vegetarian food because they have dietary or medical issues that mandate it; it's not always about "the poor cows" or "the abused chickens." Dogs, FWIW, are OMNIVORES, not carnivores--and some dogs, like one of mine, can't eat meat or they get very ill because their livers just can't take the load.

As for pet foods, I agree that most pet foods--even the ones made from asses and elbows--are "safe" for pets. People who have a lot of money like to spend more on their pets, as an indicator of caring, and people who have a lot of time like to make their own food for their pets. As for seasonings, some seasonings, like oregano, have health benefits for pets as well as people. One just has to know what one is doing. The raisin chocolate cake? Not a good idea for Fido. The burger beef stew with carrots, potato, green bean and oregano? That will go down well, so long as there's no onion in it.

[Gormy Cuss]

72. IMHO the real issues with commercial pet food are 1)inadequate nutritional labeling

and 2) too much low nutrition filler. The latter is especially bad in cat food because cats aren't omnivores and don't need a lot of grains in their diet.

[MADem]

73. I agree--cats should eat meat and fish; it's what suits them.

And some foods do have shitty ingredients. Ya gotta caveat emptor.

That said, there are reasons why a dog needs a vegan/vegetarian diet that have nothing to do with hyperventilating owners trying to foist their morality on a pet who doesn't give a crap, but just wants that slice of liverwurst.

[Gormy Cuss]

78. I hear ya.

My cat can't have much fish product (ground bones in particular) nor any dry food because of his history with bladder crystals. Unfortunately the products with fish in them don't specify whether it's flesh and entrails or bones so I avoid most canned food with fish products. I'll bet that many are okay for him but without good labeling I can't take a chance.

I've had well meaning friends say that I'm just coddling him but the vets were adamant that this was the safest approach given the severity of his problem. So far, so good.

[ag_dude]

26. It's not binary.

The food doesn't just one minute go from fresh to rotten.

It's a process and there is a time during that process where the food isn't of a quality sufficient enough for humans but is still just fine for canines.

To illustrate the fallacy of your absolute ("it shouldn't be fed to anything&quot statement, buzzards would lap up the absolutely rotten food in half a second and be just fine.

[Warpy]

28. When a cat or dog will find it nutritious and tasty? No way.

Cats and dogs eat anything that fits down their gullets, including carrion when they get the chance.

I'm sorry, but what you are suggesting is wasteful and just a bit silly.

[leftyladyfrommo]

46. Dogs also eat their own poop.

That doesn't mean it's good for them.

One of the most common complaints seen by vets is garbage itis. Dogs will eat just about anything. That doesn't mean it's OK. They also can die from eating that stuff.

Animals like vultures have to have carrion in order to survive. They need to eat feathers and bone and rotten meat and they are designed for that.

Dogs, unlike wolves, can eat and digest carbohydrates. Eating a diet of all meat isn't good for them. They need to eat a variety of foods. Feeding a dog some raw hamburger that is a little off probably won't hurt them. Feeding them rotten food could kill them.

It's odd to be a position where I'm defending feeding my animals a decent diet. I have working sheep dogs. I want them to stay healthy. And I want them to make it into old age and not be plagued with health issues that are the result of years of eating ground corn mixed with who knows what.

[Warpy]

47. They also eat cat shit

It's high in protein and is bad for the owners more than it's bad for the dog. Doggy breath becomes impossible to live with.

Face it, animals have different digestive structures and different metabolic pathways. They can eat a lot of things that would make us very sick. Dogs and cats have shorter guts that pass along dodgy food too fast for bacteria to take hold in their systems.

Throwing away marginal food just because we find it unpalatable is ridiculous when other creatures can live on it just fine.

[Vincardog]

57. You are so correct. As one of my herding instructors said "There is a amount of cattle shit each

Herding dog has to eat." Not that I recommend adding fresh shit to their diet. I just don't get too upset when they grab a big bite on the way to work.

[Warpy]

60. Yeah, all you can say at that point is tha'll do, dog.

Shit fragranced doggy breath is hard to live with. However, a bit of it won't hurt the dog any more than stuff we consider carrion will, especially after it's been processed at a high temperature and all bacteria killed.

[Vincardog]

61. Since we are generally headed to work, all I say is "Where is the cows Chief?"

[leftyladyfrommo]

64. Border collies love to eat sheep poop, too.

It's not good for them. But what are you going to do.

Parasites are a huge problem out on the farms. Dogs eat cow poop and sheep poop and find old rotten bones in the woods. You have to worm often. Both the sheep and the dogs.

They can get botulism from eating those old rotting bones - gross. Funny, the sheep guard dogs are usually immune to botulism but I know for a fact that the border collies can get it. Not all of the dogs will be affected but some can be.

[Aerows]

18. My cat eats raw lizard

as a delicacy and I've known her to munch on a mouse that is, shall we say, extremely fresh. That said, it does concern me some of the preservatives they put in pet food to combat nearly rotten meat.

She turns her nose up at "people" food. If it is cooked chicken, fish or whatever, it doesn't matter. She looks at me like "I'm not eating that, where's the Fancy Feast?"

[Warpy]

29. I have one just like her.

About the only human foods she'll touch are dairy like yogurt and cream cheese and smoked salmon. I've had to put her on wet food for the last couple of years to boost her fluid intake because she's in renal failure. Her Highness will eat Fancy Feast and turns up her aristocratic nose at everything else. She's in Kitty Hospice instead of Kitty Acute Care so I feed her anything she will eat.

[Aerows]

37. My Her Highness

doesn't even eat dairy, however before I took her in, she was surviving on "bird on the wing", "mouse on the lam" and "lizard that wasn't quick enough". Poor dear was starving. Now she's a spoiled, fat, mostly house cat.

She's piled up asleep on the sofa because it was far too chilly out for her Majesty today (in the 50's LOL). 4 years ago, I started feeding her right before winter, and got her a cat bed so that she could sleep under the porch under a table next to the house. She's never left since, much to my delight .

[Major Nikon]

25. Pet food is regulated by the FDA

The standards are different because of the reasons you state. The idea that food unsuitable for human consumption is still OK for pets should surprise nobody. Domesticated animals have been food recyclers for thousands of years.

[Kali]

55. yep

pretty much HOW and WHY they became domestic

ah first world privilege feeding high grade meat to our dogs while nagging our fellows to give it up

[newfie11]

2. This is why my dogs eat only raw food

Food that I make myself. 4 Newfies and a Pom all eat human grade meat.
I got fed up with recalls on food I was paying 58 dollars a bag for.
That was a year ago and vet is very happy with the results.

[kestrel91316]

7. Feeding raw meat to pets is a major public health risk.

Let alone the pet illness that is almost guaranteed to result.

Human grade meats are horribly contaminated. Meats are NOT STERILE, lol.

[newfie11]

14. Read on grasshopper

Our dogs eat the beef we raise. The same beef we eat. The Evo dog food I was feeding was recalled 3 times for salmonella.
Don't believe everything you hear. I know folks that have fed raw 30 plus years with no problems!

[kestrel91316]

20. I am a veterinarian with over 30 years in practice. I also have a degree in microbiology.

And one of my areas of special interest is zoonoses.

Feeding raw meat to pets constitutes a serious public health hazard and hazard to the pets' health.

By raising and butchering and feeding your own meats, you do decrease that risk, but you in no way make it zero risk.

Don't YOU believe everything you read. The internet is chock full of complete and utter bullshit on the subject, all propagated by a few deranged pet owners, some raw meat pet food manufacturers, and a couple of vets who need their licenses revoked.

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. I don't feed raw because I don't like

working with raw meat of any kind. I think it's a major health risk, too. Unless people are really careful during the preparation and don't have pets that lick them or their children.

But I know lots of people that really believe in the benefits of a raw diet. But I would be afraid the animals wouldn't get a balanced diet. I don't think most people know enough about proper canine nutrition to feed raw. I know one lady who was just feeding her dogs raw chickens. That was their whole diet. That's not good.

I have thought about cooking up some meat - getting the cheaper cuts - and giving it to the dogs instead of their canned food which is expensive. I get the good canned stuff for them.

[newfie11]

34. My vet agrees with raw feeding

I agree with her and multiple people I know that have fed raw for Many many years with no problems. There are other vets that agree with raw.
My dogs are healthy, happy, and I will continue what I'm doing. The proof is in front of me.

[ag_dude]

27. Whereas your food could never be recalled for salmonella...

...because you don't have the same safety tests and standards in place.

[newfie11]

36. I don't care

Salmonella doesn't usually bother dogs and I'm not selling it.

[fadedrose]

45. My deceased brother-in-law

was a butcher and had a neighborhood store. He selected a nice chunk of raw ground meat for Skipper daily, and Skipper was over 21 years old when died. Henry loved that animal, and so did I, he also liked people and only sold the best and freshest meats to his customers, who were also his neighbors.

I buy a bag of either chicken breasts or thighs (boneless) and cook them only a few minutes before I feed the dog to kill bad germs. If you know the source and age of the meat, it's safe, raw or cooked, but nowadays, we don't know.

Not enough Henry's around any more.

[Aerows]

39. I can't thank you enough for pointing out

that giving cats too much fish is bad for them. Mine loves tuna, salmon and whitefish, but she would eat it every day if given the chance. Once I realized the mercury content, she's now a fan of liver & chicken, and other types of Fancy Feast wet and Fancy Feast dry for snacks.

Do the dry foods for snacks have the same problem as the wet foods do with regards to mercury/fish issues? She likes tuna treats, but I've scaled her back quite a bit on those and switched her to some chicken ones, or just plain dry food. She still misses her Whiska's Tuna Flavor treats, though.

[Warpy]

30. I used to treat my cat to raw chicken liver once in a while

She'd sit and growl at it for a good half hour before it dawned on her it might be edible.

[frogmarch]

5. Newman's Own is suitable for humans too.

My dogs love it. I'd try it too, but I'm a vegetarian.

[hunter]

15. Yeah, Newman's certainly smells fine enough for human meals.

Our dogs love it too, but we can only afford it as a treat. Mostly they eat very high-rated dry food.

But, being dogs, they'll also eat gophers and other rodents, flies, and other disgusting things they find for themselves.

[frogmarch]

17. My poodle makes friends with

all other animals, or tries to, anyway. He literally wouldn't hurt a fly. My Boston terrier is blind, so she doesn't go after other animals either. They don't eat disgusting things since they're not outside much because of all the mountain lions in our area.

I give them Newman's Own because it's the only dog food they both like and that doesn't make them sick (the poodle has lots of allergies). They're small dogs, so they don't eat a lot, which means that as long as we don't eat it ourselves, we can afford it.

[hunter]

22. All our dogs are from the animal shelter and experienced longer periods of homelessness.

They do not pass up free "meals." I work on "leave it" with strange foods, but it's especially difficult with the one dog who was feral for a long time. Her excellent hunting and scavenging skills are the only reason she survived. She disappears when she hears air gun or shotgun blasts. I suspect farmers shot at her.

We live on the edge of town. Coyotes are the problem here, and even raccoons can do serious damage to cats and small dogs.

Our dogs mostly live in the house.

[Aerows]

42. Raccoons are a major problem here

My cat comes in before it gets dark, though to be honest, she stays in most of the day, too. She likes to go out when it is sunny, but she doesn't stay out much anymore. I rescued her from starving to death several years ago, and she is literally sweeter than 90% of indoor bred cats. She has claws but wouldn't scratch the furniture, claw or bite, and knows what a litter box is for. She's hell on a mouse or a lizard, but would cringe if I said boo. I fussed at her when she was after some wrens nesting in the eaves of the garage, and she won't touch them now.

She ALWAYS has her shots, she's chipped and I just love her more than anything. I don't know about your area, but our raccoons come out when it gets dark, so as long as she is in before then, she's okay. It's best, though, if you can keep them inside 24/7. Mine just has to go outside a few hours a day.

[leftyladyfrommo]

48. Cats and raccoons do OK together.

They don't mix it up but they don't bother each other.

I was taking care of some cats at a house where the owners fed the raccoons. After dark there would be a bunch of them on the deck (and that is not a good idea but they liked to watch them all). The cats would just be sitting on the sides of the deck watching all of the commotion because raccoons are pretty cranky when it comes to their food and they fight over it a lot.

The raccoons never tried to hurt the cats. And possums would come, too. And they all just kind of had a mutual respect for each other.

It's still a very good idea to bring the cat in before dark. We have coyotes around here and they will kill cats and small dogs - or even bigger dogs if they gang up on one. And we also have bobcats and foxes. Too dangerous for cats to be out.

[Aerows]

54. Oh no, they don't, not here.

Last edited Sat Nov 23, 2013, 09:35 PM - Edit history (2)

That's completely false. A pair of 30 Lbs. raccoons can take out a cat over their food bowl in a second. A wily cat can evade them for a little while, but during the run up to mating season, late October, November and early December when they are ravenously feeding? If you do not protect your cats and dogs at night, you are asking for heartbreak and trouble.

I was looking at my laptop, (cat was in), flipped on the light and opened the sliding glass door. I intended to go out on the porch to smoke a cigarette (I know, nasty habit). Two raccoons the size of medium dogs rushed the door before I even got it open. I had to drop the laptop to close the glass door. Um, they weren't small, they weren't shy, they rushed the patio door and were easily the size of a spaniel with some damn teeth. I couldn't get the door closed quick enough and they were growling and huffing to come in.

I thought they were cute, but they are nothing of the sort and dangerous, when they get to be 30 FUCKING pounds with teeth like a damn lion. They don't go alone. The go in groups. That should scare the shit out of you, and does me, since I have experienced it.

EDIT: Stupid people (and I'm one of them that has done so) that feed raccoons cause a fucking plague of them. It took me about 2 months to see that. They get extremely dangerous (one grabbed my leg when I was rushing into the house to keep me there, and it was only about 13 lbs (larger than my cat).

Big ones come then, like the fucking 30 lbs. ones that charge the door at night so that you can't even go outside at night come.

I love animals. I love nature. It's not fucking natural to have fucking 30 lbs. raccoons charge the door because you were so stupid that you didn't take the cat food in at night.

I do now. And they still hang around, but I am trying to discourage them.

[gollygee]

10. I agree with Pipoman here

There is unsafe pet food out there, but there is plenty of food that is unsafe for human consumption that is fine for pets. And to use it for pets is to keep it from being wasted, and to keep food suitable for human beings available for human beings.

[magical thyme]

12. aside from pilfering rotting garbage from my compost heap, scarfing dead mice before I

can pull them away, not to mention poopcycles in the winter and fresh steaming piles they drool at while dropping from my horse, and litter-covered cat poos, my one dog actually tried to eat a dead porcupine. I was torn between cringing and laughing on the way to the vet. Whenever I looked in the rear view mirror, I was treated to the sight of his pierced tongue. I couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to outdo his big brother's "tatooed" chow tongue.

If the food is thoroughly cooked, the bacteria are killed. Yes, incompletely cooked food may rarely slip through QC, but that is true of human food as well.

I used to feed my 1 rescue dog the highest quality, all ingredients US human grade, etc. Then I made a decision to switch to a less expensive food so I could afford to take in a 2nd rescue. Both were out of time on death row in high kill shelters. Feeding less perfect food saved a life. And I think Jakey prefers taking a tiny risk and having a brother to being lonely while I'm at work. They are true BFFs.

[hunter]

31. Kirkland Dry Dog Food from CostCo is rated highly.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/kirkland-signature-dog-food

Two of ours were difficult, likely "death row" dogs, and yes, I'm sure if I could ask them they'd say any food is good and they'd be very happy to scrounge up any "nutritional" supplements they needed on their own. We feed them appropriate leftovers too. Leftovers have been part of the dog-human relationship for thousands of years. It's the deal dogs made with us.

On trash day I can't take our worst dog walking on public streets. To her every garbage can is a potential feast.

The last "treasure" she found (that I know about...) was a road-kill snake in the gutter.

[magical thyme]

32. you have no idea how much I wish there was a Costco near me.

None in the state, the last time I looked (which wasn't that long ago).

[Omaha Steve]

40. There is ONE in Omaha

It is 20 miles one way by interstate. It is just to much hassle to go there regularly. I wish there was one down here in Sarpy County. And you know we don't go to Wal-mart, and it is just down the street!

[Major Nikon]

62. Dog food that costs less doesn't necessarily lower your costs

You have to take into account how much you have to feed them in order for them to maintain a consistent weight. Dogs need much higher levels of protein than humans, so if you feed your dog food that is lower in protein you wind up having to give them more. My female border collie weighs 35 lbs and she only gets 1 cup of dry dog food per day(1/2 cup twice). If I feed her any more than that she will start to gain weight. When she was on a lower protein dog food I had to give her a lot more. The dog food I give her costs about $75 per 30lb bag by the time I have it shipped, but one bag will feed her for 98 days which means my cost is only 75 cents per day to feed her. This is pretty close to what it was costing me to buy her cheaper dog food locally when she was eating twice as much. It makes even more sense if you are mail ordering your dog food because your shipping costs go down.

[leftyladyfrommo]

65. And you get a lot less poop.

Dogs that eat that mostly all corn food just poop it all back out again.

[Major Nikon]

67. I was amazed at how dramatic the difference was

When I switched to a high protein dog food I was initially feeding my dogs the same amount (which I discovered was a mistake). Both of them gained a lot of weight before I noticed. I feed my dogs twice per day with separate food bowls which I always measure out so I know exactly how much they are getting. It took me a while to adjust their food levels to a point to where they maintained a consistent weight. This isn't so much of an issue with lower protein dog foods because the dogs will fill up faster and stop eating.

[fadedrose]

13. A couple of good links

Interesting website:

http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/truthaboutpetfood.htm

They sell some dog food, but the information about all foods is pretty complete.



Here's one with dog food ratings that you may find useful.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dry/

[LWolf]

33. Dog food ratings

My dog's kibble gets a rating of 4.5 out of 5, which is good. She's been eating it almost 2 years now; I decided, because of her allergies, to move her to a grain-free diet and she's been healthier and more energetic, at almost 11, because of it.

[newfie11]

38. The one I used to feed was EVO

It had 3 recalls for salmonella. I wasn't concerned about the salmonella but I was concerned that P&G had bought the company.
I was paying 58. A bag and my dogs got hot spots, dull coat, and itching.
That is why I switched and I will never go back!
It works for me but not for everyone.

[leftyladyfrommo]

50. I tried Evo once because it was supposed to have a really high

rating. One of my dogs got horrible diarrhea from it.

I feed Fromm which is family owned and run and has never had a recall.

[Major Nikon]

58. Dogs will sometimes have problems when you switch their diet

It may not be an issue with the feed itself. I have to feed my male border collie the same food every day or he gets a case of the shits.

[leftyladyfrommo]

63. That was a while ago but I'm sure I changed food gradually.

I think Evo is really rich. The other dogs were ok but poor Ellie really got sick.

And I know other people who feed Evo and who love it.

[Major Nikon]

66. I feed my dogs Orijen Adult

I've heard about other people having problems with it, most likely because it is very high in protein. Most dog food out there is very low in protein because protein is expensive relative to carbs. Going from a diet that is low in protein to one that is high in protein (or vise versa) is going to be problematic because it's going to take time for liver enzyme levels to adjust to the new diet. Some dogs may be fine and others are going to get sick. It's also possible that there's just some ingredient in the food that a dog never will be able to tolerate. My male border collie absolutely loves bread. He is very well mannered and never gets up on the counters or table, but the exception is when I bake bread. The smell drives him nuts and if he can get to it he will. He has stolen two of my loaves so far when I didn't put it far enough out of his reach. It gives him the shits every time.

[leftyladyfrommo]

68. One thing I thought about.

You need to check the package of your food. If it says to feed a 30 pound dog two cups a day then that also means that in order for your 30 pound dog to get all the nutrition it needs from their product you need to feed two cups.

If you are feeding half that because your dog is an easy keeper you migh want to supplement with a daily vitamin.

I used to feed Orijen. I can't remember why I changed. Either the store I go to quit selling it or it was sold or something.

Now I feed Fromm and I've been happy with it. My border collies coats are beautiful and shiny and they have lots of energy.

[Major Nikon]

69. Actually they list that as the initial feeding guide

If you dig a little deeper they tell you to adjust feeding levels depending on the dog's age and activity and to feed them twice per day which I do. I originally was skeptical of the feeding amounts, so I spoke to my vet about it and he said as long as the dogs are maintaining a consistent weight, I should not worry. They go to the vet once per year and I have blood work done on them every other year. They are both quite healthy after two years on that chow.

http://www.orijen.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Orijen-Feeding-GuidesREVISED.pdf

[leftyladyfrommo]

70. I think Orijen is a really good food.

I think I just couldn't get it any more.

As long as the dogs look healthy and have lots of energy they are probably just fine.

I just looked up the FDA regs on pet food and they basically don't regulate much right now - but after that whole deal with the jerky treats made in China that have sickened and killed dogs in the US since 2007 they have proposed some big new changes. They are currently under consideration but not in force yet.

You can just out to FDA website under pet food regulation and read it. No regulation that pet food products have premarket approval by FDA. Many ingredients such as meat, poulty, grains are considered safe and have an appropriate function in the pet food.

From another source: Until now there's been no requirement that companies analyze the potential food safety hazards of their products or that they follow current good manufacturing practices.

[Major Nikon]

71. I get it via mail order

I shop around a bit because it seems like the online retailers take turns offering specials. When I find a good deal I order 2 bags at a time and store the 2nd bag indoors in the summer so it doesn't go bad. The bags are high quality and are vacuum sealed.

[newfie11]

19. Raw food info

rawfed.com/myths/research.html

[Logical]

35. There are like a million things we can worry more about than pet food. Things that help humans. n-t

[flvegan]

52. A single track mind is such a terrible thing to have. n/t

[Logical]

53. Then I am terrible. How about we actually regulate the human food better first?? n-t

[flvegan]

59. Why not do both?

Simultaneously, even?

Nutrition is a funny thing, except it isn't.

[BainsBane]

41. The good pet foods have ingredient lists you can understand

and the list should start with chicken or lamb, not a grain or some meat product.

[Aerows]

43. It's useless if you pet won't eat it

I know someone that worked for an organic pet food company. My cat wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, even though I got a case of it to try with my cat. I tried to get her to eat it (different cat than I have now, though the one I have now would definitely turn her nose up at it).

At some point, you have to accept that if the cat wants Fancy Feast in a can instead of "hoity-toity organic blend" or "I'm going to go eat lizards outside", you buy Fancy Feast in the can.

[BainsBane]

44. I feed my dog dry food

None of it is particularly appetizing to them, but she eats it when she's hungry. I want her with me a good, long time.

[Aerows]

49. If it looked completely nasty to me

and my cat wouldn't eat it, I refused to force it on her.

My cat today, very different and a rescued feral instead of a pampered long-hair, she will eat lizards on her own before some of that mess, so why bother? She is a feral that was starving and is the sweetest cat in the universe. If she isn't eating something labeled as organic, as much experience as she has with "eating organic" it's not fit to eat.

[leftyladyfrommo]

51. Cats imprint on their food at an early age.

Once that happens it is really hard to get them to eat something new.

I had a diabetic cat that really needed to eat good, wet food. I tried every brand out there and she wouldn't touch it. There was one kind of Fancy Feast that I could get her to eat. She would have done a lot better if I could have gotten her to eat a better diet.

[Aerows]

56. Mine imprinted on lizards, mice and birds

before I took her into the house and she became part of my family.

She won't eat people food, but she does eat cat food designed for creatures that typically hunt and eat rats, mice, birds whole, and lizards.

[bettyellen]

74. you can get them to switch over to almost anything, if you mix it in their favorite food in ever

increasing increments. It will waste quite a bit of food on the way, but mixing in a teaspoon at a time, everyday slightly increasing the percentage slowly takes 4-6 weeks max before they are totally switched over. I had to do it with a cat that was "dying" of kidney failure and almost euthanized, because a very knowledgable friend strongly recommended the switch. She lived another eight years, needed no saline drips, special treatment and her kidney function was normalized after 6 months.

While it's cute to think they are the bosses of us, and it often feels that way too, sometimes you have to trick them into doing (or eating) the right thing. And, with a LOT of patience, it absolutely can be done.

[Aerows]

75. Thanks for the tip, BettyEllen

I appreciate it! Mine is so finicky, but I love her dearly

[bettyellen]

76. yes, my little girl was totally repulsed by the food at first, I thought it was hopeless!

And I did have to toss a lot out because I was mixing in so little at first. But, six weeks later it was fine, and she got healthier and stronger till she was better than ever.
Mind you, it wasn't the vet that helped, it was all friends and later, online groups for sick felines.
If I listened to my (former) vet, she would have probably died after I spent 4-5 grand on miracle interventions and their super marked up prescriptions for bags of saline. Never again. Their saline treatment costed 60$ a day, but my friend showed me how to DIY for less than a dollar.