Why was Applaws recalled

Toxic cat food fear as UK vets struggle with mysterious illness

Cats are still dying in significant numbers from a mystery illness that investigators believe may be linked to widely sold cat food brands, prompting concern that not enough is being done to warn owners about a nationwide product recall.

Vets around the UK are understood to have been swamped by cases of pancytopenia, a condition in which the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets decreases rapidly, causing serious illness.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) said this week it was aware of at least 528 cases in cats over the past few months, of which 63.5% have proved fatal. The true number of deaths could be far higher, it said, because many cases are not reported to vets and only a small percentage of vets pass data on to the RVC.

Certain batches of Sainsburys hypoallergenic cat foods, Applaws and AVA (a Pets at Home brand) were recalled by their manufacturer, Fold Hill Foods, in mid-June, prompting an investigation by the RVC and the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The RVC and FSA are yet to confirm the cause of the spate of deaths, more than six weeks after initially raising the alarm. The length of the investigation is said to be causing frustration among cat food suppliers. Both organisations have said they are looking into all possibilities, including those not associated with food.

One cat owner, whose pet died on Tuesday, warned that too few people were aware of the recall and could unwittingly be feeding their cat products that could kill them.

Steven Barrett, a commercial barrister from High Wycombe, said his nine-year-old cat, Freyja, a ragdoll, died on Tuesday after five days of illness.

Barrett said Freya had only ever eaten Applaws and had finished the last of a 7.5kg bag of its dry chicken food shortly before she began vomiting.

He said he had heard nothing about the product recall until he tried to buy more food online and saw it wasnt available, prompting him to look into why.

My heart went through the floor, he said. She was a member of our little family, which is how we treated her. I just wanted her to have the best food.

The cat was not allowed outside where she could have been exposed to other toxins, he added.

When Barrett phoned his usual vet he was unable to get an appointment because the clinic had been overwhelmed with similar cases.

When the receptionist heard the name of the cat food she just told me to get an emergency appointment at another vet. I took her yesterday and she was dead by the end of the day, he said.

My worry is that a lot of cat owners bulk buy dry food and this is a massive recall, so there could be toxin in bags of dried food that will be opened and given to cats and more cats will die.

Although the RVC and FSA investigations are ongoing, a statement on the RVC website referred to the possibility that the illness could be caused by mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds naturally produced by various fungi.

Mycotoxins can grow on crops before or after harvest and appear on foodstuffs including cereals, nuts, spices, dried fruits, apple juice and coffee, often under warm and humid conditions.

All of the brands that have been recalled are dry foods manufactured by Fold Hill Foods, part of the Lincolnshire-based farming business JW Grant.

A spokesperson for Fold Hill said: 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.

We continue to fully cooperate with both the FSA and the RVC as they continue to investigate all potential causes of the pancytopenia cases, feed and non-feed related.

As cat owners ourselves, we fully understand how upsetting and stressful this situation is and the urgent need to establish why there has been an increase in cases of pancytopenia in the UK.

Sainsburys said it was assisting with an investigation involving two of its hypoallergenic cat foods and was offering full refunds, while Pets at Home said it had recalled AVA and Applaws products and was assisting investigators. Applaws said it was heartbroken at the suggestion that any food it sold could be linked to cat deaths, adding that it was helping with the inquiry.

Applaws Cat Food Review

Weve taken the deep dive on Applaws cat food, learning about its recall history, where Applaws is made, and more. Keep reading to get the scoop.

The Cats.com StandardRating Applaws on What Matters

Weve analyzed Applaws and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Heres how it rates in each of these six key areas.

Ratings

• Species-Appropriateness 7/10
• Ingredient Quality 9/10
• Product Variety 7/10
• Price 4/10
• Customer Experience 9/10
• Recall History 4/10

Overall Score: 6.6/10

We give Applaws cat food a 40 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.

About Applaws

Applaws first appeared in 2006, initially populating pet specialty retailers across the United Kingdom. Later, the brand started popping up around western Europe, North America, and Australia. Its parent company describes Applaws as high quality, 100% natural, ethically sourced premium pet food.

But those buzzwords dont mean much.

To decide if its a good choice for your cat, we have to take a closer look at Applaws.

Lets start at the source.

Sourcing And Manufacturing

Applaws sources ingredients from around the world.

Their suppliers adhere to relevant international safety and husbandry standards, including those set by Thailands Department of Livestock Development, the British Retail Consortium, and the International Labour Organization.

Applaws suppliers are required to be members of at least one of the following organizations:

• ISSF International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
• Marine Stewardship Council
• Earth Island Institute
• TTIA Thai Tuna Industry Association

US-sold Applaws dry cat food is manufactured in the United States, while their wet offerings are made in Thailand.

Has Applaws Cat Food Been Recalled?

In June of 2021, UK-manufactured Applaws dry cat food was recalled after foods manufactured by Fold Hill were potentially linked to a bone marrow condition called pancytopenia in cats. This was a voluntary recall, and the Royal Veterinary College is currently investigating the situation.

What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Applaws Offer?

The Applaws cat food lineup includes dry and wet foods.

Applaws dry food comes in five varieties. These recipes feature named meats and stay true to the brands promise of no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Theyre fortified to meet the nutritional requirements of a complete and balanced diet.

Their wet recipes are some of the simplest on the market. In addition to skipping animal by-products and artificial ingredients, Applaws wet food is made without any additives, including vitamins, minerals, and supplemental amino acids.

That means that Applaws wet food isnt considered a nutritionally complete and balanced diet.

Applaws dry food is appropriate for feeding as your cats sole source of nutrition, while Applaws wet food is best complemented by other foods.

Applaws Cat Food Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

What Do Customers Think Of Applaws Cat Food?

Applaws receives predominantly positive customer reviews. The brands simple, often single-protein, recipes make Applaws a popular choice among cats with food intolerances and health issues.

The biggest concern among people writing about Applaws is the fact that their wet foods arent nutritionally adequate for long-term feeding.

Positive Reviews

First let me say I have never written a review before and Ive been using Amazon for over 10 years. My cat has suffered with terrible allergies for the past year of his life. We have tried so many grain free limited ingredient cat foods without success including Wysong, Dr. Elseys, and Natural Balance. It seems my cat may be allergic to eggs, fish and salmon oil, and brewers yeast. All of the above have one of these ingredients included. I am so happy to finally find Applaws grain free chicken. The list of ingredients is so simple and my cat seems to be relieved. He has stopped itching and licking himself constantly. He is more playful and sleeps peacefully now like a cat should. What a difference! And as an added bonus he seriously loves the taste of this food. Thank you for making this productit is helping him so much! Jenna H., reviewing Applaws Chicken Recipe with Country Vegetables Dry Cat Food

My 18 year old Ragdoll has kidney disease and hardly ever bothers to eat wet food any more, other than the prescription dry food she is used to. But man, did she scarf down this product of yours! I will ration it to make sure she doesnt get bored with it, but like I said, so far so good! Great ingredients make this product valuable, no matter what the cost. G. Stucco, reviewing Applaws Tuna with Sardine Mousse

Negative Reviews

My cat has large cell lymphoma and has been sick for a while. Weve gone through oodles of flavors and brands because she would associate the food with not feeling well. She finished radiation and is looking cancer free, but is down to 6.5 pounds. This was recommended at the pet food store. After this was fed to her as her exclusive food for almost 2 weeks (this and other flavors), I noticed that while it is an additive-free food, it has no serving directions because it states one the can FOR INTERMITTENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING ONLY

It has no Taurine or any of the other vitamins or nutrients that a cat needs. A chronic Taurine deficiency wont show up on standard bloodwork (requires a specialized blood-test) and can cause blindness (among other things). While on only Applaws, Allies appetite yo-yoed and her health took a dive. Because she has problems with feeling other canned foods smell appetizing enough, I did buy some more of these and use a tiny spoonful to mix in with REGULAR cat food, and shell go right back and eat some more. PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOURE BUYING. Feeding just this to your cat would be dangerous, and Ive already put in a call to the manager of the store whose employee recommended this. If its supplemental, it shouldnt be called food. It should be called a treat or something. Its really misleading, and seriously endangered a very sick cat weve spent a lot to try and save. ArtemisDeFeisty, reviewing Applaws Tuna Fillet in Broth

First, I wanted the chicken but got the tuna. Second, the consistency is not the moist product pictured. It iYou may as well head to the grocery and buy an 80-cent can of tuna.s firm solid pack and coated in gel. My cat would not even try it . I donated to a shelter. Maybe your cat will like it but be prepared to cop it up, it cant be flaked. I had high hopes for this but was disappointed in the product, so was my cat. twopups, reviewing Applaws Tuna with Seaweed Mousse

How Much Does Applaws Cat Food Cost?

While Applaws dry food is moderately-pricedyoull spend about $0.70 per day to feed a 10-lb cattheir wet food isnt quite so easy on the budget.

At around $0.78 per ounce, Applaws is twice as expensive as a comparable food from some Tiki Cat or Weruva, a couple of the highest-priced brands on the market.

If that sounds pricey to you, consider that Applaws food isnt a nutritionally-complete diet. Youre paying pet specialty prices for something no more cat-specific than an 80-cent can of tuna from the grocery.

Overall, Is Applaws a Good Choice?

Applaws cat food is an interesting option.

In addition to a small variety of dry foods, Applaws brings you a vast selection of wet foods in textures and tastes that cats love. Though they make scrumptious, cat-approved treats or once-weekly meals, Applaws wet foods are both too expensive and too nutritionally incomplete to be a viable option for a long-term diet.

And their dry foods? Applaws dry food may be a good option for some cats, but theyre nothing special compared to other foods in the same category. If youre a kibble lover, Applaws dry food is worth trying, but it doesnt come with an enthusiastic recommendation.

Where To Buy Applaws Cat Food?

Applaws cat food is available in pet stores around the United States, England, Italy, France, Spain, and Australia. Click here to find an Applaws retailer near you. If youd rather shop for Applaws online, youll find it on Amazon, Chewy, Petco.com, PetSmart.com, PetFlow, and other web retailers.