Mad cow disease (BSE) and cats

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Barb Beier - 25 Dec 2003 21:48 GMT

"The Food and Drug Administration might have to recall units of pet
food...but so far it does not know if the tissue [from the infected
cow] was processed into pet food, Dr. Lester Crawford, FDA's deputy
commissioner, told United Press International.

"If we determine that some of it was headed for pet food, we would
likely recall that," Crawford said. But he noted the agency would not
take any action until it gets confirmation, which probably will occur
on Monday.

The main threat among pets is cats because they "are susceptible to
BSE," he said...."

Full article at
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20031224-044422-9844r

Happily indeed we live,
        Loving amidst the hating.
        Amidst those who hate
        We live full of love.

        Happily indeed we live,
        Healthy amidst the ailing.
        Amidst those who are ill
        We live in perfect health.

        Happily indeed we live,
        Content amidst the greedy.
        Amidst those who are greedy
        We live in contentment.
--Unattributed, from "Digital Buddha Vacana"

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William Berry - 28 Dec 2003 07:45 GMT

Hey Barb, I've got a cat that eats like cow! Seriously though, my vet
says that cats would react to BSE about the same way cows do, same symptons.
Can't think of anything worse than that.

Signature

William Berry - Author of:
"Do You Hear The Cat Voices Singing?"
ISBN# 1-59113-445-5
www.angelfire.com/fl4/kittenheart

> "The Food and Drug Administration might have to recall units of pet
> food...but so far it does not know if the tissue [from the infected
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> We live in contentment.
> --Unattributed, from "Digital Buddha Vacana"

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Barb Beier - 29 Dec 2003 16:49 GMT

>Hey Barb, I've got a cat that eats like cow! Seriously though, my vet
>says that cats would react to BSE about the same way cows do, same symptons.
>Can't think of anything worse than that.

Sure would be terrible. I haven't found any more updated information
today on a possible recall. Apparently parts of a Canadian BSE cow
were used to manufacture some dry dog food last May (see
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00910.html ); this is the
voluntary recall mentioned in the UPI story.

Did a Google search. There is so much information, some of it
conflicting (like just what animals BSE affects; some say cattle and
other ruminants, others seem to say the disease that affects other
ruminants is different). Here is the FDA's BSE page:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html Probably the best
place to check for early updates; I see there's another technical
briefing/Webcast scheduled for today at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Barb

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Barb Beier - 01 Jan 2004 01:32 GMT

This just seen on the AP breaking news wire:

"Officials Say Pet Owners Shouldn't Be Alarmed About Mad Cow Disease
in Dogs and Cats...Federal regulators and experts say there's still no
reason to worry about pets getting sick from pet food and no evidence
to suggest any tainted meat has made its way into the pet food supply.
Experts say the chances of cats in the United States contracting the
disease are slim, though not impossible. There's never been a reported
case of a dog getting it...."

Full story at http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAY7M7ZVOD.html

However, later on they talk about cats in the UK getting the disease
and the suspicion that they got it from infected food. This is
confirmed in a document found at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/bsebib.htm : "...there is strong
evidence and general agreement that the outbreak was amplified by
feeding rendered infected cattle meat-and-bone meal to young calves.
'Some other captive ungulates, captive exotic cats and domesticated
cats in the UK contracted the disease probably by eating the same feed
material....'"

Apparently no one is seeing a strong enough risk to order another
recall of pet food, even voluntarily, like the one of dog food this
past May (see earlier URL).

This stuff is so potentially widespread -- there never was 100%
compliance with the US rules against using carcasses in food, it
seems, and nobody can track it down now. I really don't know how to
go about completely avoiding possible sources for my cat. Surely it
can't be as simple as just avoiding any cat food with the word "beef"
in its name. I could probably work out a meat diet for Archie using,
say, chicken livers and other ingredients -- I read a recipe for this
many years ago in book entitled, I think, "The Urban Cat," though they
suggested beef liver -- but he'd still need bone meal, right? Sigh.
Makes me wish we had mice around here. (g)

Barb
Ppfft.
Bill the Cat, in "Bloom County"

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Bob Brenchley. - 01 Jan 2004 10:24 GMT

>This just seen on the AP breaking news wire:
>
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>Ppfft.
> Bill the Cat, in "Bloom County"

Ok, first off, the heating required for the manufacture and canning of
cat food will destroy any BSE there is likely to be in any beef used.

Second, the risk is TINY. In the period 1990-1998 there were only 86
cases of FSE (the feline form of BSE) recorded in the UK - less than
10 per year, or to put it another way 0.00015% of the cat population.
In no case was a direct link made to infected food - in fact at the
BSE enquiry in 1999 the evidence pointed to Organo Phosphates rather
than meat as the source of the problem.

Finally, there is no way a normal owner can hope to approach the
all-round suitability of commercial tinned cat food by preparing a
home diet. If you stick to tinned food you can't go wrong.

Signature

Bob.

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

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Barb Beier - 01 Jan 2004 13:54 GMT

Happy New Year, Bob, and all:

>Ok, first off, the heating required for the manufacture and canning of
>cat food will destroy any BSE there is likely to be in any beef used.

I'm not sure that works, since the disease is based on a mutation (a
"prion," I think they call it) rather than a living organism. Also
there are concerns about human safety with some sausage meats, as
these can occasionally contain small fragments of the neural tissue
where BSE is found; this is due to the manufacturing process. And
nobody is saying, 'if you cook the sausage really well, there won't be
a problem.' The concern remains there, and so I assume it remains
with canned foods as well.

>Second, the risk is TINY. In the period 1990-1998 there were only 86
>cases of FSE (the feline form of BSE) recorded in the UK - less than
>10 per year, or to put it another way 0.00015% of the cat population.

Granted that these 86 cases occurred before they'd outlawed adding
carcasses to domestic animal food, which I assume has been done in the
UK, too. However, even if it were only 1 case, it would be hugely
important, if it were my kitty.

>In no case was a direct link made to infected food - in fact at the
>BSE enquiry in 1999 the evidence pointed to Organo Phosphates rather
>than meat as the source of the problem.

I go with the majority opinion here, as expressed in the FDA document
quoted originally.

>Finally, there is no way a normal owner can hope to approach the
>all-round suitability of commercial tinned cat food by preparing a
>home diet. If you stick to tinned food you can't go wrong.

Sure you can. Nothing is absolutely safe. But I agree with you that
it's difficult to provide everything that canned cat food can provide.
I'll truly worry about it when the FDA recalls canned cat foods.
However, in the meantime it's not a bad idea for me to look into other
alternatives. That "Urban Cat" recipe came from a library book in a
town 1100 miles away, so there's no way I can check it now. Will look
around, though and see what else is available in terms of home-made
cat food recipes. Does anyone here have any experience with that?

Barb

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Bob Brenchley. - 01 Jan 2004 21:08 GMT

>Happy New Year, Bob, and all:
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>I'm not sure that works, since the disease is based on a mutation (a
>"prion," I think they call it) rather than a living organism.

True, but the chemical changes caused to the protein by the necessary
heating for canning does seem to reduce infection to such a low level
that it can be almost ignored.

Having said that, there does seem to be some genetic factor involved
in the matter. Mice fed a diet of infected meat have shown that there
can be a genetic predisposition to cross infection.

> Also
>there are concerns about human safety with some sausage meats, as
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>a problem.' The concern remains there, and so I assume it remains
>with canned foods as well.

Not really. The risk from eating any beef is far lower than from
eating mutton - and yet there has been no world-wide ban on mutton
sales. Add to this the far higher temperatures involved in canning cat
food as against frying a sausage and the risks become very low.

>>Second, the risk is TINY. In the period 1990-1998 there were only 86
>>cases of FSE (the feline form of BSE) recorded in the UK - less than
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>UK, too. However, even if it were only 1 case, it would be hugely
>important, if it were my kitty.

I'm nor sure what you mean by "carcasses" in this context. In the UK,
for at least the last 10 years, there has been a ban on using cow
brains and spinal cords in animal feed. It really should never have
been used, but we followed an American practice believing that the
animal protein would grow cattle faster than just vegetable protein.

>>In no case was a direct link made to infected food - in fact at the
>>BSE enquiry in 1999 the evidence pointed to Organo Phosphates rather
>>than meat as the source of the problem.
>
>I go with the majority opinion here, as expressed in the FDA document
>quoted originally.

I also go with the majority opinion - that there was no direct link
made in any of the 86 cases to the food they ate.

>>Finally, there is no way a normal owner can hope to approach the
>>all-round suitability of commercial tinned cat food by preparing a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>it's difficult to provide everything that canned cat food can provide.
>I'll truly worry about it when the FDA recalls canned cat foods.

Which I honestly don't think will happen - though they may recall a
few of the cheaper dry brands as they are the ones most likely to use
low quality meat.

>However, in the meantime it's not a bad idea for me to look into other
>alternatives. That "Urban Cat" recipe came from a library book in a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Barb

Signature

Bob.

The facts expressed here belong to everybody, the opinions to me. The
distinction is yours to draw...

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