Cat lovers unite!

I know this blog has been all over the place, and I figure I might as well take it in one other random direction. I would like folks to consider writing a letter or email to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) in support of proposal by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) to that would amend the bill that regards how pet foods are labeled.

Feline obesity opens the door to a slew of problems such as diabetes, certain liver diseases, and dingleberries. Seriously, if you want to try to prevent certain illnesses, keeping your pets at a healthy weight helps tremendously. Part of the problem with doing this is that most pet food companies are not very forthcoming about how many calories are in the food you are feeding. Rather than listing it on their product, many times the consumer is forced to contact the company for the information. Change the brand or flavor, and then you have to call again...

At this time, the AAFCO's bill does not require caloric information to be provided. What the amendment would do is make it so that all pet food labels would have to list the data on the product in relation to practical measurements (ideally it would say how many calories per cup or can as opposed to per bag or case). The amendment has been languishing in committee for 2 years now, but if enough consumers express their support, maybe we can get the proposal to move forward. Send a friendly email to Sharon@aafco.org and let them know that we want easier access to caloric information.