Hi guys, I just thought I would post this here for any feeders of orijen.

Link wont work so I have put the article in a post below.


It appears to be isolated to Australia but it is still concerning for everyone else.

I have had an email from Roger at MPM to say that for a limited time only he is willing to exchange any unopened bags of Orijen for the new Applaws dry if anyone is concerned about feeding the Orijen to their cats.

If you wish to take him up on this offer you need to email him directly on
roger.coleman@mpmproducts.co.uk
you will need to send your unopened bags of Orijen to his warehouse for incineration and to stop people abusing this very kind offer.

I have been given Rogers permission to post this on any boards which it might help people.

I think it is a very kind offer and I am sending him back my 3 unopened bags as I just don't want to take the risk.

Nice marketing ploy there.

The link still wasn't working so I have cut and paste the story for you all to read.

Cat deaths linked to pet food
Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Kelly Burke Consumer Affairs Reporter
November 24, 2008


The two Oddy family cats that were paralysed and subsequently euthanised.


UNEXPLAINED chronic illness and death among Sydney cats has been linked to a gourmet imported pet food withdrawn from stores over the past three weeks.

A cat neurologist, Georgina Child, has put down five cats over the past week and treated or consulted with other vets about more than a dozen others suffering from paralysis.

Dr Child, who is based at the University of Sydney's veterinary hospital and the Small Animal Specialist Hospital in North Ryde, said the only factor that linked all the cats was a specialist pet food called Orijen, which is imported through a Canadian company, Champion Petfoods.

"There is a highly suspicious link because this is an uncommon expensive food in this country at the moment, and not sold in supermarkets," Dr Child said. "But all tests that have been done so far haven't given us an answer."

First symptoms included wobbliness or weakness in the animal's hind legs, which could then progress to the front limbs. The condition did not appear to be infectious, Dr Child said, nor typical of a nutritional deficiency.

"Most worrying is that the cats showed no signs [of illness] while on the food," she said. "It seems to be happening weeks or even months later."

The marketing manager of Champion Petfoods, Peter Muhlenfeld, confirmed yesterday the cat deaths had been traced back to Orijen's dry cat food, and the problem appeared to be restricted to Australia.

He said samples sent back by the Australian distributor had a "strange odour". The company is investigating whether irradiation upon entry into Australia was the source of the contamination.

The Oddy family of Dundas has lost two cats in the past week. "They were the children's pets; it's awful," Sarah Oddy said.

I don't think it will do his company any harm but I certainly think it is a very generous offer.

Yes it's generous but wonder if orijen would like it?

I am sure Orijen wont like it but I am afraid it is just too bad.

I for one am not prepared to take the risk with my cats and it is costing me nothing to exchange them so I am happy.

No, I'm not saying feed your cats it! I was just saying I bet they're not happy that's all.

If you go to the Champion Petfoods website there is a link off the home page that explains what has happened and why it only affects imports in Australia.

A similar thing has also happened in the food chain (human consumption) when an imported product was irradated incorrectly - I think more than once and I'm trying to find the website link.

Australia is the only country to do this. All foods imported are irradiated.

Take a look at the link.