Fish, milk ... and zinc? Questions arise over possibly toxic cat foods

You've probably heard the old saying; "Get the lead out," used on soldiers or teenagers. But did you ever hear the saying; "Get the zinc out," relative to cats and their food?

Independent testing has revealed the startling truth that cat fanciers may be legally and unwittingly feeding toxic doses of zinc to their cats. Although the Association of American Feed Control Officials maintains standards for such things, it has become increasingly clear that AAFCO's testing protocols and standards may be falling short of their mark.

According to a report published by Susan Thixton at TruthaboutPetFood.com, pet food manufacturers are being allowed to market cat food which may contain zinc in amounts that could be toxic to cats. Zinc toxicity in cats can result in symptoms ranging from discolored urine to failure of the liver or kidneys.