Foreign Metal Object in Canned Food!

I am sharing this experience with you all because I don't want anybody else living my nightmare.

I feed my cats Natural Balance Ultra canned formula. Last night, I split my cats' food into two servings. One for my Mau, Bailey, who is on a bit of a diet, and one for the other two. After feeding Bailey, as I mushed up the other half of the can, I found a metal shard in the food. It was embedded so that I could not initially see it. Imagine my shock and horror as I rush over to my boys, who have just cleared off the plate. . .

I contacted Natural Balance. The customer service rep more or less assured me it was an unusual occurance and offered me a free case of cat food. Now, material things don't mean too much to me considering exactly what is at stake here; feline lives. I am far more interested in what will be done to save other cats from ingesting sharp metal shards.

I had to take my three boys in to the vet today. Otto, our turkish van, was vomiting violently. He's never vomitted before, and it's a terrible coincidence that he would start hours after I find that shard in the food he ate. He was x-rayed, and while there were some bright sports that could have been smaller metal shards, they were nothing that would be worth performing an endoscopy to find. If he does not improve, we will be taking him back for a series of blood tests.

Natural Balance will be seeing a bill from me for this. I suppose I will also have to find a lawyer.

I will be contacting the FDA, USDA, and the major papers in my area. The FDA will be getting back with me tomorrow. While Natural Balance wants me to send them the metal shard, I think I will honor the FDA's request that I keep for them.

I hope your kitty is ok! Keep us updated.

Manda

OMG how Scarey! I hope Otto will be okay! I would for sure get a Lawyer!!!


I think I'm going to return the cans of NB I bought today!

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

Natural Balance will be seeing a bill from me for this. I suppose I will also have to find a lawyer.

I will be contacting the FDA, USDA, and the major papers in my area. The FDA will be getting back with me tomorrow. While Natural Balance wants me to send them the metal shard, I think I will honor the FDA's request that I keep for them.

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Absolutely, I hope you still have the can, shard and batch number. That will be big trouble.
I hope Otto will be ok.

How scary! Sending lots of for Otto!

This is a WATCH what your feeding before feeding it ... THIS GOES for all foods

Thats crazy! very scary, i hope your kitty is okay! and yes, def get a lawyer...

This isn't completely uncommon. Dry food is ran under a metal detector, but obviously can and pouches can't be.
Unfortunately this doesn't find glass or plastic.

I know the local Mars plant here has recalled food more than once just in case glass did get into it. Accidents happen, usually it might slip by because someone messes up and is afraid to say anything. Mistake = write up, covering up mistake until several thousand tons of food is made and ready to be shipped = fired.

As sharky said, look at what you're serving before you put it down. It would be good to remember this with our own food as well.

Here are some images of the object:





Thank you for all your support

Oh my gosh! That's a big shard. That would easily slice the insides of a poor unsuspecting cat. I will be very anxious to know what you find out from NB. From others I've spoken to who have dealt with them, I would suggest that you get a lawyer.

My prayers are with you and your kitties.

Omigosh, Ferris! I am SO SORRY you and your sweet three have been going through this nightmare -- thank you for sharing the information with us and please keep us updated, won't you? Sending out prayers and best thoughts to you all!

take to the LAB and see what else is in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could these also be in those cans???

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Cyanuric Acid
Melamine
Salmonella

ugggggh I can't believe that!! My cat would have ingested that for sure considering I can throw an antibiotic larger then that into his wet food and he downs it without a second thought or chewing for that matter.......
Scary stuff

I'd say it's just good advice to go through all food, especially the wet, with a fine tooth comb.

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

Here are some images of the object:





Thank you for all your support

Click to expand...

Hunny, thats not a shard...... It's a piece of shrapnel

I know bit of an exaggeration, but heck, could you imagine the damage, that could have done. At least I can say I wasn't nuts to go through picking out large bones and complaining at the companies.
I'd hate to be the CEO of that company.

Good luck with your course of action.

That is a big ugly piece of metal and a reminder to everyone that you should mush up any canned food before kitty eats it. The food is made in a large scale industrial plant and unfortunately you'll never completely eliminate this kind of thing.

Luckily (or unluckily as you see it) my cats need to have L-lysine mushed into their wet food, so I always have the opportunity to root around in their meals, specially pate style foods.

I did once find a small plastic piece in a can of merricks...sad that that is such a common occurance.

Good for Otto, I hope he's feeling better soon .

Horrifying! How sad that it is necessary to check food so closely now. It's ridiculous. I'll be inspecting food closely from now on, so thanks for the warning. Hope the kitty is okay.

That's so scary! I was extra careful getting my kitty's food ready this morning. I hope your kitty is feeling better soon.

Holy cow ... that is downright frightening!! Good for you to pursue it with the authorities. I use NB is rotation, too, so it hits right to home. I mush up my wet food before feeding it, but you can bet I'll be looking at it a lot closer from now on. Thanks much for alerting us!!