Did TOTW change ingrediants?

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
I've seen peas on the ingredient list as second for as long as I've used TOTW. While cats can develpe allergies to peas, its unlikely all of them would at the same time.

There's been no changes in the bags I've had, I check everytime and am sometimes slow about tossing the last empty bag.

Those having problems or claiming the ingredients have changed, can you post the production code (not the best by date, the code above it)? This may be a problem with a batch from one shift due to human error.

And I'm not concerned over $1. Even taking it back to the store would cost more in gas.
It was a simple harmless production error (timing issue of some sort I'd guess). Better that a can be missing food than have something in it that shouldn't be and that I might not have seen.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
Well Pets Supply Plus took the bag back and the new bag has a Jan 2012 date.

I should have written down the numbers on the bag I returned. But I think that date was the same?

But the boys are not eating this bag either. I saw Grizzlie eat the bit of food left from the Tues bag. I'll give it till Sat morning and if they aren't eating this I'll return it again and pick up another food entirely.
 

Docs Mom

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
598
Purraise
984
Location
Lafayette, IN
Bex, like strange wings said, peas are second in the list. Here is the lot number info:

Old bag - TCR 1101 MD(?)
Best by 16 Nov 2011
17:41 MBB

new bag-TCR 1204 MD
Best by 22 Dec 2011
00:35 JEC

so far they are eating it like usual....

Lisa
 

alicatjoy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Messages
1,662
Purraise
66
Location
Northeast Ohio
I don't know why I just noticed this thread, but I'm glad I did. I was going to start one of my own about this very same topic.

Three of my 4 cats eat a 75% wet/25% dry diet. Their dry food is TOTW. The other cat has allergies and eats Royal Canin's Hypoallergenic 23 dry food along with Hill's Z/D wet. I bought a new bag of TOTW last week and all 3 of my cats on the food went off of it within 24 hours. There was no vomiting, but some diarrhea from one of the kitties. I waited a day and then tossed the contents and bought another bag from another store. This time, the same thing happened and included two vomiting cats. I didn't wait at all this time and threw out the contents (I should have kept the original bags, but didn't -- admittedly, this was not a good idea as I now no longer have access to the lot numbers). Since my other cats occasionally eat the RC Hypo 23, I have had them on that. I will be looking into other options later on today, but I wanted to let others know that I had this issue. And, interestingly enough, I found this thread when I came here instead.

I have called TOTW, but without the bag information, there's not much anyone can do. But, I did report an issue, so, that's a start.

For those still feeding the food or dealing with the company, please keep us all posted. My cats did so well on it up until now and this is a bit disappointing, to say the least...
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
Well my male cats are still not eating the 2nd bag of TOTW. I picked up a bag at Petsmart tonite By Nature? I'd have to run down and check. Its grain free but they don't seem to like that much either. I'll see how much is gone tomorrow.
Grizzlie is still eating the TOTW. Bobber is eating so little nowaday I can't tell with her. But I have a dish of both types up by her bed.

I do still have the last "good" bag as I was using it to fill with used cat litter! I'll have to check out the numbers on the bottom.
I was going to return the 2nd "new" bag tomorrow morning to Pets Supply Plus but if they are eating the newer stuff maybe I'll wait until monday and try to contact the company.
I alternate going to this pet store and an independent store that carries TOTW. I don't know if that has any influence.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #26

bex__

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
52
Purraise
0
Location
Virginia
Alison, I am sorry that your cats are having problems.
Did they seem concerned at all? I am hoping that they come up with some answers soon.

My cats act like they are dying for their dry food.
I didn't want to add a new dry right yet as T.J. and Louie just had their neuters, would it be bad too?

I am tempted to try our bag of TOTW once more, but again, scared to do that too.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
I read the ingredient list on the last "old" bag that they ate to the one I purchased thursday. The ingredient list is the exact same. So one of the sources of their ingredients must have changed. I'll hang one and call them monday. The new bag of "by Nature" they don't like either. So I'm going to find another to try....
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
We really need more codes. If it's not out of anyone's way can you stop in the stores you shop and write down a code or two? PLUS share your location if you don't list it. I'd like to see if we can figure out who's getting what from where in their areas.

I'm trying to make sense of their codes, each plant is different and it looks like TOTW is a bid product made by other plants? (whoever can make it cheaper wins the bid - this doesn't necessarily make poor quality, just cheaper manufacturing/competing price). What I wonder is if a) ingredient supply changed (less likely because many stick with local for a lot of things - it's cheaper to pay less to have the ingredients brought from nearer) b) Shift error or something wrong with the equipment c) Different plant in an area won the bid and took over the product.

If I'm translating this correctly TOR1203 021MS0330 JOR The MS may mean Mississippi? This would make some sense shipping wise because I'm in Oklahoma. 1203 is the manufactured by date. I'm not sure what TOR or JOR is, anyone know? 0330 would be time (indicate shift).

If the problem could be narrowed down better it might be easier to figure out what is wrong.

Oh and the bit about the bags being legal to use for 6 months is false. This is enforced by the FDA, product labeling must match the product whether it's pet or human food. Maybe it wasn't the case a few years ago, but it is now.
Any manufacturer has those new bags printed and shipped to the plant before the product is made. Heck, product gets recalled (mini recall, not from store recall) for having slightly incorrect stickering (maybe printed out with the wrong format but with all the right information).
Aside from that.. Sometimes they like to advertise their "new and improved" formula. Which, btw, if anyone knows someone that feeds Pedigree dry dog food, starting Monday the new formula should start appearing on store shelves. I don't remember what all was changed, but it's quite a bit. Also remember that many shelters use Pedigree due to Mars being quite active in their donations, so maybe mention it to people at your local shelters and tell them to be on the look out.
 

kody's mom

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
157
Purraise
1
Location
Sugar Land, TX
Do you think it makes any difference on the size of the bag, as to where it is manufactured? I just buy the 5 lb. bags. On my latest bag which is almost empty--have to buy more next week-- part I can make out (the first letter is very blurred, could be an R. I have left this spot blank, is:

0901 MD
BEST BY
SEP 2011
25 JEC

I am in the Houston, TX area. This was a "good" bag.
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
^Odd. I know more than one plant makes this food. We logically should have the same plant being somewhat close to each other. But it depends on who has what available when it needs to be shipped.

The machines that bag handle different sizes, so the same plants would just run on different sized bags as needed. The food would be the exact same. Again, if we could limit it down to a day/shift it could simply be human error. Sometimes people forget to add things and Q&A misses it or just doesn't want to bother with it. Some people are lazy.. Others don't want to get friends in trouble/fired.
Most recalls (smaller non-public ones) come from singular plants within a small time window due to that sort of error.

If more dates, shifts, and plants are involved someone made a bigger change that isn't going to be corrected anytime soon.

If that's the case, for those looking for a similar food there's 4health.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #31

bex__

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
52
Purraise
0
Location
Virginia
I bought this bag from Tractor Supply (I would rather not list city) in VA. It was a 18lb bag for $22. I am going to go to a tractor supply in the opposite direction and probably pick up a small bag to try and see if there is any difference, I will post that code tomorrow.

I really wish I had of saved the bag. Gah!

Strange Wing you are a huge help. Thank you.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #32

bex__

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
52
Purraise
0
Location
Virginia
How lucky am I?! DH found the bag in the garage! It had fallen behind the barrels and got missed at the last trash run & he found it today while getting up the trash to head to the dump. WOO!

Production Code:
TCR1103021XFJ 04:27
best before: 23/NOV/2011
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
That is a lucky find!
But that's a November product, everyone else is speculating about December ones. Interesting!

Trying to find the commonality between those bags (source) is about all we can do. The latest (Dec.) bag I got doesn't seem to bother mine at all, no pickiness or regurgitating so something must be different from the ones others are getting.
(note: Blasa and Tanna can sometimes be sensitive, so I'd think if something was drastically off they'd have vomited)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #34

bex__

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
52
Purraise
0
Location
Virginia
Hmm. Well, the last time we bought a bag before this would of been about 2 months ago, so if this was the older bag it would of been noticed behind the barrels before now.
So I am certain this is the newest one.

I get the feeling that this is going to be a long drawn out process, but at the very least I can get the refund on this bag now.
I am really hoping some similarity crops up soon so we can figure out what's up.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
This is the numbers on the bag the cats finished on Monday:

TCR1201 C21MS0954TPB Best by Dec 7 2011

The 2nd bag the didn't touch:

TCR0102 B21MS2304 KWG best by 1-14-2012.

These are the 18# bags. We compared ingredient lists on both this morning and they were exactly the same.

When I picked up this 2nd bag the person helping me at the store said that sometimes the food at the end of a batch run may not be very good. Interesting comment.

When I spoke to the mgr at PSP she was surprised at the comments I was making.
She recommended I buy Chicken Soup for the cat lovers soul. Bender at least ate this, Bakker maybe a little. She had said the smell is more appetizing for fussy cats.
I'll see how this one goes over the weekend.
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
A little more digging, since their site doesn't outright list it - Has anyone had any problems with other Diamond foods? I know there's several who feed Kirkland brand. If this was an ingredient source change it will affect other formulas.
I'm (and DH) still at a lost as how they identify the particular plants. All foods should really use one unified easy to read code for this... It's a printer, it really wouldn't be difficult to make it easy to understand.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
MORE INFO:

I did a google search for Taste of the Wild pet food production facilities and found a forum about a TOTW dog food recall in 2009.(Itchmo forums.com)

I haven't researched farther yet but this food is made by Diamond Pet Food and has three plants. One in Gaston SC, Meta MO & Lathrop,CA.

I just googled diamond pet foods and they also make the food I just bought-grrrr.....

So hopefully more us us can find some info.
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
^Yes, I should have mentioned in my last post that they make Chicken Soup - I was coming back to mention that. Again, there may not be anything actually wrong with the food, but just enough of a change that cats with touchy stomachs will regurgitate, much like they would with a sudden food switch.

All you can do is make certain that you include your location, where the food was purchased, and the codes when you report it to them. And of course set the food aside (and not use anymore of it) in case you need to return it or send some back to Diamond.
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
I found a helpful website: http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/how...-pet-food.html

Might work for reporting purposes. I couldn't find anything recent about TOTW.

I left a long comment/concern on diamond pet foods website. I copied my message to Word so I have a copy of what I wrote. I did mention contacting the FDA this week and my vet. I gave them 2 business days for a response which after sending the message is their "standard" response time.

We shall see if I hear anything......................
 

strange_wings

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
13,498
Purraise
39
^Well for those with cats that refuse to touch the food there's nothing for a vet to treat.
 
Top