Mycotoxin-contaminated cat food ingredients could have contributed to a 2021 pancytopenia epidemic that killed over 350 cats in the UK. Medical researchers at Royal Veterinary College examined 544 dietary histories of cats diagnosed with severe pancytopenia; 500 of them had eaten one of three brands subject to recalls issued June 2021.
Researchers reported in Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine that their study lacked data that would allow for an objective determination between cat food ingredients and pancytopenia incidence, but still speculated that toxic waste from cat food products contributed to many pancytopenia cases.
“However, similarities in clinical presentation and clinicopathological findings between cats presenting with pancytopenia and other species and reported studies as well as cats being excluded from other causes makes a causative link likely; veterinarians should therefore consider mycotoxin-induced myxedema toxicosis due to diet as one possible underlying cause in cats with pancytopenia…”
“All diets associated with the UK pancytopenia outbreak had potato flakes as an ingredient, which are likely sources of mycotoxin.”
Recalled cat food samples contained concentrations of trichothecene T-2/HT-2 mycotoxins at levels that exceed recommendations set forth by the European Commission, while control samples did not.
Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), a trichothecene mycotoxin, was identified in all diet samples that had been recalled but none of the control samples. “[This] indicates that DAS contamination of diet samples occurred more commonly than anticipated,” they wrote.
History of Pancytopenia and Mycotoxins in UK
On June 2021, Fold Hill Foods issued a recall notice for several hypoallergenic dry cat food products it produces for various brands in the UK. As per guidance issued by Food Standards Agency UK in April, their cats should not consume these recalled items due to an association between those products and feline pancytopenia; since April, over 130 reports had been received and this condition can lead to serious illness for cats.
Food Standards Agency’s investigation in August 2021 did not establish a causal link between certain cat foods and increased feline pancytopenia cases; however, their research did reveal high levels of mycotoxins present.
“This includes T2 and HT2 compounds,” agency officials stated in their press release, but no link between pancytopenia and any of the recalled cat food products has yet been established.