Natural Balance Recalls Some Dry Cat Food Over Salmonella Risk

If you feed your cat Natural Balance brand dry cat food, check out the company's new advisory to make sure the products you've purchased haven't been recalled. According to the company, some of its Natural Balance Green Pea & Chicken Formula dry cat food has been recalled over the potential risk of salmonella contamination. Kibble contaminated with salmonella can infect both cats and humans.

The recall involves some Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Green Pea & Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food distributed in 5lb and 10lb bags. According to Natural Balance Pet Foods, which voluntarily recalled the product, these bags were sold online and at retail stores across the United States.

Fortunately, the company hasn't received any reports of illnesses resulting from the recalled cat food product. Pet owners who have purchased this recalled cat food are advised to stop feeding it to their cats and to either return it for a refund or throw it away. The recall notice on the FDA's website includes identifying details like Best By dates and lot code numbers.

As with humans, cats can be infected with salmonella, though the symptoms may be harder to spot. According to the recall notice, infected cats may experience drooling, lowered appetite, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Not all cats will show symptoms, though they can still potentially spread the illness to people and other cats.

Meanwhile, humans may become infected with the virus if they, for example, touch contaminated kibble, the food dish it was put in, or play with a cat who carries the pathogen. Symptoms can include things like nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, fever, and diarrhea. In rare cases, salmonella infection can cause more severe issues in humans. Anyone who thinks they may have a salmonella infection should talk to their healthcare professional.