Gov't investigates if pet food caused sudden cat deaths

There has been a recent spike in the number of domestic cats dying due to acute neuromuscular diseases, and the government is investigating if the deaths are caused by cat food.

A cat hospitalized in a animal hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, after showing similar symptoms of neuromuscular diseases. [LIFE]

There has been a recent spike in the number of domestic cats dying due to acute neuromuscular diseases, which effect the nerves and muscles, and the government is investigating if the deaths are caused by cat food.

The government launched an investigation into the cases, and said in its interim report last week that “nothing unusual was found.” The ongoing investigation includes looking into specific cat food brands that are currently alleged to cause the diseases leading to death.

Though the government claimed that it found no relevance between the food and the cats’ diseases, the number of cats with similar symptoms continues to increase.

According to animal activist group Life, 263 domestic cats from 163 households suddenly showed symptoms of neuromuscular diseases and 94 of them died from the symptoms as of last Sunday. The symptoms include limping and inactivity.

The death toll has increased threefold compared to the figure from April 15, when 31 deaths were recorded.

Shim In-seop, the president of animal activist group Life, said he expects the death poll to surpass 100 within a week.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced its interim result report on April 19 and said that it found “no suspicious substances” from its ongoing food investigation, and that “nothing unusual was found” at the manufacturing factory as well. The results were drawn from three out of 36 cat food samples requested to be investigated.

The Agriculture Ministry is also currently conducting an examination to determine if any harmful substances are detected in cat food.

The examination tests cat food for 78 toxic substances from five categories: heavy metals, mycotoxin, pesticide residue, veterinary medicines and melamine. The ministry will also test for the presence of seven viruses and two parasites in cat food.

A cat that died after suffering from an acute neuromuscular disease. [LIFE]

It also said that it is investigating the requested additional 30 cat food products, food that it autonomously collected and autopsied cats to discover any harmful materials and viruses.

Some demanded the discontinuation of cat food brands which were alleged to cause the neuromuscular diseases leading to sudden death.

The Agriculture Ministry responded that it would halt all sales and take measures to dispose of the brands only when “their products are found to have something defective.”

The Korea Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA) and animal activist groups are requesting additional investigations into cat food brands to institutions inside and outside of Korea as they still believe that cat food is highly likely to be the cause of sudden cat deaths.

Hur Ju-hyung, the president of KVMA, said that the association plans to send additional samples to the Agriculture Ministry on Monday and request food formulation analysis alongside tests detecting harmful substances.

Shim said that the government’s interim report covers only 10 percent of the food samples and cannot guarantee that cat food is harmless.

“We are getting in touch with a U.S. pet food investigation institution to request an analysis of the samples,” Shim added.

Some claim that the food problem may not be detected through the current examination process, as another substance that is not included in the government’s substance test could have triggered the diseases.

A cat hospitalized in an animal hospital after showing similar symptoms of cats that recently died. [LIFE]

“Symptoms of cystitis were observed in 2015 from cats that ate the food from the same manufacturer being alleged as the cause of the deaths,” Shim said. “However, the government passed the food as adequate.”

Following such incidents, the Life president added that the current investigation system may not be able to detect the problem.

Concerns regarding the issue have risen among cat owners as some say that “the 2015 problem has reoccurred” in an online community for cat owners.

“At the time, the manufacturers sued those who raised questions about its food based on the government’s report,” a user from the community said. “People started calling it ‘Voldemort cat food,’ as they could not say the brand’s name out loud [like from the movie ‘Harry Potter’]. But now, it resulted in something even worse.”

BY JEONG EUN-HYE, KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]