11 Cases Of Feline Illness Reported In Connection With Recalled Rachael Ray Cat Food

Have you been feeding Fluffy cans of Rachael Ray's Tuna Purrfection? Rachael Ray herself may be willing to eat her own brand on cat food on camera, but may not be that healthy for cats. Five varieties of the food personality's wet cat food, Nutrish, are being recalled for high levels of vitamin D, which can make cats seriously ill. There have already been 11 reported cases of illness associated with the recalled products.

The affected products include Ocean Fish-a-licious, Lip Smackin' Sardine 'n Mackerel, Ocean Fish & Chicken Catch-iatore, Tuna Purrfection and certain lot codes of Paw Lickin' Chicken & Liver, according to the Washington state NBC syndicate. If you own any of these cat food varieties, you should dispose of them, and can ask your local grocery store for a full refund.

Although vitamin D is healthy in small doses for cats, in large doses it can induce vomiting or diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, and muscle tremors or seizure in felines. Ainsworth Pet Nutrition Inc., which distributes the products, is strongly advising that any cat who displays these symptoms, particularly after consumption of the tainted food, should be immediately taken to a vet. Symptoms usually appear within 12 to 36 hours.