Aminopterin and/or Melamine

My cat, Charlotte died on March 15, 2007, from renal failure. I believe it was brought on by eating the Iams pouch wet food (“tuna in sauce” and “salmon in sauce”). I have packets of this food left, and the numbers match the product recall list. It was purchased at the Giant Eagle in Waterworks, Pittsburgh, PA on 3/9/07.

She had been eating this food for a long time, and loved it. But the weekend of 3/10/07 she started eating less and began throwing up anything she did eat. I took her to the vet that Tuesday, and she was diagnosed with acute renal failure.

While Charlotte was elderly, she had never experienced kidney problems in the past. She had high blood pressure and hyperthyroidism, but was being treated for both successfully with medication. She had a 6-month checkup on 2/22/07, and my veterinarian, Dr. Sherwood Johnson, DVM, made a point of saying that her thyroid levels were “perfect” and his only concern was her blood pressure was a tad high. An adjustment in medication brought this to normal levels. No mention of concern was made about her kidneys – none at all. I have since received copies of her two checkups and no concern for kidney failure is present.

I realize this may not be the “clearest case” of food poisoning because of Charlotte’s age and other medical problems. However, eating poisoned food certainly didn’t help and I feel it brought about her passing much sooner. Just as e-coli affects infants and the elderly in a far worse way, I feel this poisoned food affected Charlotte by causing her kidneys to fail when they had been functioning just fine for a cat her age.

I have contacted every television station in the area, as well as Linda Fuoco of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I have pouches of the tainted food should anyone wish to contact me for further testing and/or proof.

I still have not been successful in getting through to the FDA or Menu Foods but I will keep trying. I don't know what good posting this will do, but it does help me feel better to know that I'm informing as many people as I can. Please, if you have pets, check your food.

Anything you can do to get the word out about this is much appreciated. People need to realize the dangers so that they will not experience the heartache that has come to my family by losing such a beloved friend.