J.M. Smucker’s Special Kitty Cat Food Recalled Over Serious Health Concerns, Including Death
UPDATE: December 10, 2019.
After calling the JM Smuckers inquiring about the unnamed ingredient(s), they told me, “we do not have that information at this time.”
Asked if I had a cat that was dying, would JM Smuckers be willing to give the information to my vet and the company’s consumer representative said, “not at this time.”
It is absolutely unforgivable and irresponsible to keep to consumers and the veterinary community in the dark, particularly as the ingredient(s) has the capacity to cause death in cats.
JM Smuckers is recalling selected lots of its Special Kitty canned cat for an as yet unknown reason. All the company revealed was an oblique reference to “ingredients believed to not meet the Company’s quality and safety standards.”
Whatever that means.
Even more troubling than the opaque reference to the unknown ingredients, but the ingredient(s) have the capacity to cause death to cats. The company warns that the recalled cat food may cause “nausea, with excessive salivation, diarrhea or vomiting to more severe symptoms including difficulty walking, seizures and, in extreme situations, death.”
Additionally, the company urges pet parents to contact their cat’s veterinarian immediately if their cat is displaying any of these symptoms.
The impacted product appears to involve lots covering a period of over four months, which are listed below. They are:
| Product Name | Retail UPC Code | Lot Code | Best If Used By Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Kitty® Mixed Grill Dinner Pate 5.5 oz. metal can | 681131078962 | 9263803 | 9/19/2021 |
| Product Name | Retail UPC Code | Lot Code | Best If Used By Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Kitty® Surf & Turf Variety Pack of Pate Cat Food in 5.5 oz metal cans | 681131079235 | 9266803 | 7/17/2021 8/29/2021 9/11/2021 9/12/2021 |
| Special Kitty® Surf & Turf Variety Pack of Pate Cat Food in 5.5 oz metal cans | 681131079235 | 9267803 | 7/17/2021 8/29/2021 9/11/2021 9/12/2021 |
| Special Kitty® Surf & Turf Variety Pack of Pate Cat Food in 5.5 oz metal cans | 681131079235 | 9287803 | 9/12/2021 9/19/2021 10/7/2021 |
These products are sold in grocery stores nationwide and online. No other Special Kitty products are impacted by this recall.
Pet parents with product questions should call 888-569-6767 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET. If pet parents would like to share information about this recall with the FDA, they are encouraged to do so through the agency’s reporting portal: https://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov/.
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19 Comments
Rakel D Wells
I just lost 2 kittens in days after eating Special Kitty kitten Pate on 12/25/24 and 12/31/24. It must be happening again.
Elizabeth Taylor
Why does JM Smuckers take more pride and concerns in manufacturing Specail Kitty wet can foods . These plants need to be inspected closely.
Angela Owens
I have 5 that ate it and I am so disappointed that I didn’t look it up first. They are all sick and I have been on the phone with my vet since 2am. My in-laws lost her cat, gifted me her leftover food….We now know what killed her cat! Please pray mine make it to the vet in a few hours!
stephen a BAKER
Walmart stopped selling SK 13oz canned food in Feb. I buy a lot of it online for feral animals. I called Smucker and was told oh no, we haven’t made SK for years. I told them they just entered a recall a few months ago and she acted like she had no idea what I was talking about. I’m calling them again Monday.
Joey
I have a kitten 4 months old. She was very healthy. I got very sick and so my husband bought groceries and the wrong cat food, Special Kitty is not what I buy. I was out of Dr Friskies so gave it to her. She appears to have had a seizure and walks funny ,wobbly, with her head turned and drooping to one side only. I gave her antibiotics that I keep on hand from my vet and also medication in her ears…just in case. Been several days now. We is not better.
Joanne Zeglin
Hi Mollie, Joanne Zeglin you and I exchanged communications on this.
As you know, one of my babies passed away, the other survived after 5 days in ER.
Kristie Boutelle
My kitten also displayed all of the stated symptoms and passed away at exactly 12 weeks old while we were driving to the pet hospital. He started showing symptoms the day after Thanksgiving and died within 24 hour. In the variety pack I bought, he happened to eat 5 of the mixed grill cans. I didnt know it was the food that killed him until 2 months later. I bought another kitten and almost fed the food I had left over to him too! Someone said I should do everything different with this new kitten to be safe, so I just happened to research types of food. That’s when I found the recall. I’m so mad this company is still in business. Just ruining childhoods and breaking hearts.
Amanda
My heart is broken ..I made the same mistake and bought 9lives meaty pate wet food for my cat on December 1st 2019 ..fed it to him the following morning and he died .. he fell over unresponsive and I rushed him to the hospital but he had already passed ..my family is so devistated by this we have had our cat since he could fit in the palm of my hands ..he was so healthy why would a company put that in the cat food ..I feel so helpless..in this situation. I know I can’t bring him back ..I just hope enough people find out so it doesn’t happen to anyone else’s cat
Christie Swarbrick
Our beloved cat became suddenly gravely ill & passed away ….I was alerted by an email from the store I purchased special kitty surf n turf variety pack about this recall, dec.2019. My fur baby displayed every single symptom that the recall detailed, I wish I had known sooner about this recall as I had already suspected the food, he passed right before Thanksgiving. I pray no one loses their pet.
Evelyn Turner
I actually have several cases of this sitting here I’m going to have to call and find out what to do about it it’s no wonder my babies have the diarrhea luckily I haven’t lost any of them and I have the propectin on hand they’ve been on it for a few days now but I couldn’t figure out what was causing the diarrhea now I know this is just bulshit
Ancientones sanctuary
Thanks. Networking article.