Raw Cat Food Study Finds Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Pathogens
A study funded by the Cornell Feline Health Center has raised concerns about the safety of raw and partially cooked commercial cat foods. The research, 'Analysis of the microbiota of raw commercial feline diets to prioritize food safety investigations', found bacterial strains resistant to multiple drugs and pathogenic bacteria in these products.
The study, which tested 31 different commercial cat food products from various manufacturers including Nestlé, discovered that six Bacillus strains harbored a carbapenemase gene, and multidrug efflux pumps were highly abundant in frozen raw isolates. Notably, no bacterial cultures were isolated from the 27 fully cooked products tested, indicating that the cooking process effectively kills bacteria.
The study also highlighted the presence of pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes exclusively in raw and partially cooked products. Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fulva were found in frozen raw products. Additionally, the study detected 19 bacterial genera in raw cat foods, including Salmonella, Clostridium, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Cronobacter. Freeze-dried products, sold as shelf-stable items at room temperature, were found to still contain pathogenic species and high loads of resistance genes, raising concerns about their safety.
The study also noted that microbiota sharing between people and their companion animals raises concerns for the development of antimicrobial resistance. The detection of parasite genes exclusively in raw foods further underscores the potential health risks associated with these products.
The study's findings suggest that raw and partially cooked commercial cat foods may pose health risks to cats and potentially to their owners due to the presence of drug-resistant bacteria and pathogenic species. While the study highlights the need for further investigation, cat owners are advised to be cautious when feeding these types of products to their pets.
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