August 11, 2021 10.35 am This story is over 31 months old

Boston pet food firm recalls cat products amid national feline deaths

Labs are testing the products

A pet food company near Boston has recalled a number of cat products after more than 330 tragic deaths.

Fold Hill Foods in Old Leake said it is fully cooperating with both the Food Standards Agency and the Royal Veterinary College.

This comes after The Royal Veterinary College said on Monday, August 9 it was aware of 539 cats who have contracted Feline Pancytopenia in the UK, with 63% of them dying. There has been a sudden increase in the condition, with key symptoms being lethargy and loss of appetite, and sometimes bleeding.

In a statement, Fold Hill Foods told BBC Look North: “Assisting the investigation is an absolute priority for the business and there are a number of tests on food samples and ingredients being conducted by independent laboratories.

“As stated by the FSA, there is no definitive evidence to confirm a link at this stage between the cat food products and feline pancytopenia.”

The Food Standards Agency is looking at whether there is a link to cat food manufactured in Lincolnshire.

It said last month the presence of mycotoxins were identified in a small number of samples of the recalled cat food tested to date. Mycotoxins are widely found in some types of food and do not, in themselves, indicate they are the cause of feline pancytopenia.

The FSA said at the time that it will continue to undertake wider sampling and also broader screening for any possible toxins.

Cat owners are also urging people to be cautious and to check product recall notices.

Alexandra Padovano had Penelope since she was a kitten, but she died at eight months old, while fellow cat owner Steven Barrett was distraught after the passing of his ‘small, furry family member’ Freya.