This is a huge recall of pet food for products that “have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella”, though no cases of illness have been reported. Because this covers the foods so many of us as well as shelters and rescues use it’s worth it to look at any bag you have to see if it matches up.
I saw this on social media networks, of course, but I have also signed up for an automated e-mail about all things Animal & Veterinary from the federal Food and Drug Administration, which includes not only pet food recalls but drug and even process information. I can read the original press release and find links to related information, and because I’m most comfortable identifying something visually, especially a bag of pet food, the FDA also maintains a Flickr Photostream of s and logos for recalled products—all of them, not just pet foods. Above is a screen shot of the site; if you go to visit with the link now it may be different since s are added all the time.
I have the copy of the press release below, but visit the FDA site to read and download the list of all the product numbers.
One other place I always immediately visit to confirm product recalls and read other information about pet food is “Truth About Pet Food”. Susan Thixton not only posts information about recalls, she also contacts and questions pet food manufacturers to ask the questions we’d like to ask, and writes about the content and manufacture of pet food in general. Many other news sources also carry the information, but these are my first line of defense in getting the facts.
List of Iams Pet Food Recalls
Cause: Potential for salmonella. Announcement: FDA report dated Aug. 14, 2013 (archived here). What was recalled: Iams dry dog foods in the following sizes, varieties and date codes:
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31884177, best by Nov. 7, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31904177, best by Nov. 9, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31924177, best by Nov. 11, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31934177, best by Nov. 12, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31944177, best by Nov. 13, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 2.9 lb., Lot #31944177, best by Nov. 13, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 25.7 lb., Lot #31884177, best by Nov. 7, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 25.7 lb., Lot #331894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 25.7 lb., Lot #331904177, best by Nov. 9, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 25.7 lb., Lot #331914177, best by Nov. 10, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 25.7 lb., Lot #331934177, best by Nov. 12, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 5 lb., Lot #31904177, best by Nov. 9, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult, 5 lb., Lot #31914177, best by Nov. 10, 2014
Iams Healthy Naturals Weight Control Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams Premium Protection Chicken Adult, 12.1 lb., Lot #31894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Large Breed Mature Adult, 30 lb., Lot #31884177, best by Nov. 7, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Large Breed Senior Plus, 13.3 lb., Lot #31934177, best by Nov. 12, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Large Breed Senior Plus, 26.2 lb., Lot #31934177, best by Nov. 12, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Large Chunks Adult, 15 lb., Lot #31944177, best by Nov. 13, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #1874177, best by Nov. 6, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 13.3 lb., Lot #31924177, best by Nov. 11, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 3.1 lb., Lot #31874177, best by Nov. 6, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 3.1 lb., Lot #31894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 5 lb., Lot #31874177, best by Nov. 6, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 5 lb., Lot #31894177, best by Nov. 8, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Adult, 5 lb., Lot #31924177, best by Nov. 11, 2014
Iams ProActive Health Small Breed Puppy, 5 lb., Lot #331904177, best by Nov. 9, 2014
Turkey — first 4 digits of the lot number are: 2342, 2325, 2331, 2332, 2341, 3016, 3017, 3018 or 3046
Lamb — first 4 digits of the lot number are: 2338
Cause: Aflatoxin. Announcement: FDA report dated Dec. 6, 2011 (archived here). What was recalled: Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy dry dog food with “best by” dates of Feb. 5 or Feb. 6, 2013, in the following sizes and lot codes:
7 lb. bag, Lot #12784177I6
8 lb. bag, Lot #12794177D2 or 12794177D3
17.5 lb. bag, Lot #12794177K1 or 12794177K2
Cause: Potential for salmonella. Announcement: FDA report dated Aug. 31, 2010 (archived here). What was recalled: Iams Indoor Weight Control With Hairball Care dry cat food, 6.8 lb. bags, Lot #02304173 (B1–B6), no “best by” dates provided.
Cause: Potential for salmonella. Announcement: FDA report dated July 25, 2010 (archived here) and expanded a few days later, per State News Service report dated Aug. 3, 2010. What was recalled: Iams Veterinary Formulas dry cat foods, all sizes and varieties, with “best by” dates falling between July 1, 2010 and Dec. 1, 2011.
Cause: Low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Announcement: FDA report dated June 9, 2010 (archived here). What was recalled: Iams ProActive Health canned cat and kitten food, all varieties, 3 oz. and 5.5 oz. cans, with dates falling between September 2011 and June 2012.
Cause: Melamine. Announcement: Menu Foods webpages (archived here). What was recalled: The following Iams pet foods in cans and pouches with codes of 6312 through 7043 followed by plant code 4197 (no dry foods were recalled):
Iams Select Bites Cat Food, 3 oz. pouches:
Adult With Beef in Gravy
Adult With Chicken and Wild Rice in Gravy
Adult With Chicken in Gravy
Adult With Turkey in Gravy
Adult With Salmon in Sauce
Adult With Tuna in Sauce
Kitten With Chicken in Gravy
Weight Control With Tuna in Sauce
Active Maturity With Chicken in Gravy
Variety Pack With Beef, Chicken & Turkey
Variety Pack With Salmon and Tuna
Variety Pack With Chicken and Turkey
Iams Slices Cat Food, cans:
Slices With Turkey in Gravy, 3 oz. and 6 oz.
Slices With Beef in Gravy, 3 oz. and 6 oz.
Slices With Chicken in Gravy, 3 oz. and 6 oz.
Kitten Slices With Turkey in Gravy, 3 oz.
Variety Pack Slices With Chicken and Beef in Gravy, 3 oz.
Iams Flakes Cat Food, cans:
Flakes With Tuna & Ocean White Fish in Sauce, 3 oz. and 6 oz.
Flakes With Salmon in Sauce, 3 oz. and 6 oz.
Variety Pack Flakes With Tuna & Ocean White Fish and Salmon in Sauce, 3 oz.
Iams Select Bites Dog Food, 5.3 oz. pouches:
Puppy With Chicken in Gravy
Adult With Beef in Gravy
Adult With Beef, Potatoes and Carrots in Gravy
Adult With Chicken in Gravy
Adult With Turkey in Gravy
Adult With Lamb and Wild Rice in Gravy
Weight Control With Chicken in Gravy
Active Maturity With Beef in Gravy
Variety Pack With Beef, Chicken, Lamb and Rice
Variety Pack With Beef and Chicken
Iams Small Bites Dog Food, 6 oz. cans:
Puppy With Beef & Chicken in Gravy
Small Dogs With Chicken in Gravy
Small Dogs With Beef & Vegetables in Gravy
Variety Pack for Small Dogs With Beef & Vegetables and Chicken in Gravy
Iams Chunks Dog Food, 13.2 oz. cans:
Beef & Vegetables in Gravy
Chicken in Gravy
Active Maturity With Beef in Gravy
Weight Control With Beef in Gravy
Puppy With Beef & Chicken in Gravy
Variety Pack With Beef & Vegetables and Chicken in Gravy
Multipack With Beef & Vegetables in Gravy
Multipack With Beef & Chicken in Gravy
Multipack With Chicken in Gravy
If you have not done so already, we urge you to sign up now for Petful’s FREE recall alerts by email. Our free alerts are saving pets’ lives.
Cat Food Recall 2022 — Full List
All 2022 cat food recalls are listed in the table below.
Click the links in the table below to see the specific, important details about each recall.
Have You Had a Problem With Iams Pet Food?
See our reporting page for contact info.
Leave a comment below to share your experience with others.
Bayot, Jennifer. “Paul F. Iams, 89, Developer of a Line of Premium Pet Foods, Dies.” New York Times. Nov. 3, 2004. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/03/business/paul-f-iams-89-developer-of-a-line-of-premium-pet-foods-dies.html.
“Iams Company History.” Iams. https://www.iams.com/about-iams/company-history.
Stephens, Caleb. “Clay Mathile: Sale Will ‘Enhance’ Iams.” Dayton Business Journal. April 9, 2014. https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2014/04/09/clay-mathile-sale-will-enhance-iams.html
Bigness, John. “Iams to Become Acquired by P&G.” Chicago Tribune. Aug. 12, 1999. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-08-12-9908120403-story.html.
Oldenburg, Don. “Dog Food Makers, Hungry for a Fight.” Washington Post. Aug. 21, 2002. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/08/21/dog-food-makers-hungry-for-a-fight/05d61189-c22a-4f86-9235-a8ed92b4f6e9/.
Johnson, Greg. “Clawing to Become Top Dog of Pet Food.” Los Angeles Times. Oct. 22, 2001. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-oct-22-fi-60072-story.html.
“Attention: Legal Notice to Iams Customers.” Santa Cruz (California) Sentinel. March 9, 2003. USA Weekend, 18.
“Top Pet Food Companies Current Data.” Pet Food Industry. 2020. https://www.petfoodindustry.com/directories/211-top-pet-food-companies.
Lancendorfer, Karen M. “Pet Food Panic: Procter and Gamble’s Use of Crisis Response Advertising (CRA) in Recall Crisis.” Corporate Reputational Review 17, no. 2 (Summer 2014): 94.
“Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/recalls-withdrawals/melamine-pet-food-recall-2007.
Rabbass, Megan. “Rat Poison Found in Dead Pet’s Food.” Columbus (Nebraska) Telegram. 1A.
“P&G Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Dry Pet Food Due to Possible Health Risk.” FDA. Aug. 14, 2013. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ucm365154.pdf.
“Voluntary Withdrawal: Iams Shakeables Turkey and Lamb Dog Treats.” PetSmart Corporate. March 22, 2013. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2013-iams-shakeables-withdrawal.pdf.
“Potential for Mold Growth Spurs Limited Shakeables Recall.” Pet Product News. March 26, 2013. http://www.petproductnews.com/Pet-Product-News-March-2013/Potential-For-Mold-Growth-Spurs-Limited-Shakeables-Recall/.
“P&G Voluntarily Recalls One Production Lot of Dry Dog Food.” FDA. Dec. 6, 2011. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ucm282506.pdf.
“P&G Voluntarily Recalls a Small Amount of Dry Cat Food.” FDA. Aug. 31, 2010. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ucm224675.pdf.
“P&G Recalls Two Lots of Prescription Renal Diet Cat Food Due to a Possible Health Risk.” FDA. July 25, 2010. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ucm220204.pdf.
“P&G Recalls Specific Canned Cat Foods Due to Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1).” FDA. June 9, 2010. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ucm214996.pdf.
“Iams Dog” and “Iams Cat.” Menu Foods. 2008. Archived at https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Iams-2007-Menu-Foods-Recalls.pdf.
FAQ
Has there been any recalls on Iams cat food?
Has Iams Ever Been Recalled? Yes, Iams pet food has been recalled quite a few times over the years. The most recent recall was in August 2013 because of potential salmonella contamination.
What is going on with Iams cat food?
Mars Petcare, who owns IAMS brand pet food, is discontinuing their line of veterinary prescription pet foods. This is only for prescription diets. The over-the-counter pet foods made by IAMS are still in production. The discontinuation applies to both dog and cat food.
Why is Iams cat food discontinued?
~ P&G is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats.
What food is being recalled right now 2022?
~ P&G is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats.