Which product is being recalled?

We are recalling our Chicken Liver Powder (labeled as Diamond Dust) that was included in our Welcome Kits or sold separately by request. The product is in a small shaker container with a yellow label marked “Diamond Dust.”

We have no reason to believe any other products are affected, including our food, which is made at a separate location.

How can I identify it?

The Chicken Liver Powder is a fine, dark powder, contained within an approximately 2-inch-tall, clear container with a black cap. The product is wrapped in a yellow label and marked as “Diamond Dust.” in black ink.

Why is the Chicken Liver Powder (labeled Diamond Dust) being recalled?

Following a customer’s concern about the smell in one shaker of powder, we requested to have it sent to us for further inspection. As soon as we received the sample back, we sent out a random selection of liver powder samples in our inventory to be lab tested. Near the end of the day on Friday, March 29th, 2019 we received the results back from the lab showing inconsistencies in protein content across the samples that indicated that some batches of the Chicken Liver Powder may have been adulterated. We currently don’t know what the liver powder may have been adulterated with but we are actively seeking additional information.

Have there been any illnesses linked to Diamond Dust?

No cat or human illnesses from this product have been reported to date.

What should I do if I have the Chicken Liver Powder (labeled Diamond Dust)?

If you have a product as described above, please dispose of the product. This can be done by tossing the product in the trash or rinsing it down the sink and recycling the bottle.

What is Smalls doing to minimize the risk to Smalls cats’ health and to inform cat parents?

We’re contacting every customer who may have exposed their cat(s) to the adulterated Chicken Liver Powder with a notice of our discovery advising they discard the product. We’ve also removed our entire inventory of Chicken Liver Powder to be discarded.

What is Smalls doing to prevent this from happening again?

Smalls is currently beginning a thorough review of where in our manufacturer’s supply chain this adulteration could have occurred. Going forward, we’ll require that our supplier upgrade safety measures for the manufacturing of all our enticements. We are exploring additional safety measures such as personally monitoring the making of new batches of our enticements, adding a hermetic seal to our shaker bottles following the filling of our enticements, and additional testing beyond our standard bacterial tests.

Should I worry about your wet food?

You do not need to worry about our Smalls wet food. Before any of our Smalls wet food is put into circulation, we send samples of each batch to a private laboratory for food safety testing. The food is produced in a USDA certified facility with a USDA inspector on site. We source all our ingredients from USDA safe, human grade sources. Our product is also transported and stored in 100% cold storage supply chain.

Will you replace the affected product if a customer wants a replacement?

Absolutely. Once we have a resupply of Chicken Liver Powder that we are 100% confident is clear of any issues we will replace any and all product that was disposed of upon request.

You indicated that the adulteration of the liver powder might be cocoa powder. Did the liver powder test positive for cocoa powder?

The testing results we received only established that our Chicken Liver Powder was adulterated and not 100% pure Chicken Liver Powder but did not establish what the adulterant is.

What should I do if my cat has consumed the Chicken Liver Powder?

If you have not fed your cat the Chicken Liver Powder in 3 or more days, it is extremely unlikely that you have anything to be concerned about. In most cases, any symptoms as the result of an unhealthy substance should present themselves within 6 to 24 hours.

If you have fed your cat our Chicken Liver Powder recently, we suggest monitoring your cat for possible digestive upset, such as vomiting or diarrhea. Since vomiting and diarrhea are also the relatively normal side effects of changing your cat’s food, you’ll also want to watch out for the more severe symptoms.

More severe symptoms could include rapid heartbeat, muscle rigidity, changes in body temperature and heart rate, and, in extreme cases, seizures and cardiac arrest. If you observe any of these symptoms you should contact your vet immediately.

How soon would I be able to see the effects and symptoms of chocolate toxicity?

We don’t know what the adulterant is. However, if it is cocoa powder, symptoms should present themselves within 6 to 24 hours in most cases. If you have not fed your cat the Chicken Liver Powder in the past three days OR if your cat consumed the recalled product and is currently healthy, it is extremely unlikely that you have anything to be concerned about.

As is always the case, though, if you notice that your cat is unwell we recommend that you contact your veterinarian. Keep in mind that it is common when switching to a new food for cats to experience vomiting or diarrhea; your veterinarian will be able to advise you.

How much cocoa powder would my cat need to consume to see symptoms?

If the adulterant is cocoa powder, the amount you’d need to feed your cats for you to observe symptoms varies based on the weight of your cat and amount of cocoa, and the type of cocoa (instant chocolate powder, dark cocoa powder, etc.)

A normal sprinkling of the product (1 to 3 shakes) is extremely unlikely to be enough for any symptoms to present themselves for an average 10lb cat. (see the photos below to better visually understand these quantities). The amount pictured (.2 oz of Chicken Liver Powder or ⅕ of the entire container) is the quantity a 10 lb (average sized) cat would likely need to consume to experience severe symptoms of chocolate toxicity. This is well beyond the quantity served with normal use of our Chicken Liver Powder, as most people add a few shakes to the food. If your cat has recently consumed around this quantity of Chicken Liver Powder and is experiencing symptoms like those mentioned above, please contact your vet immediately.

If you have questions about this please contact us.

What should I worry about if my cat was exposed to a low dose over a long period of time?

As mentioned above, a normal sprinkling of the product is unlikely to be enough for any symptoms to present themselves for an average 10lb cat. It is unlikely for there to be any long term consequences from a low dose of cocoa powder exposure, but if you see any symptoms you should contact your vet and let us know as well.

What will my veterinarian do if I contact them?

If your cat is experiencing any severe symptoms, you should bring them to your veterinarian immediately. You can expect your vet to perform a complete physical exam, including taking blood and urine samples. If the adulterant is cocoa powder, these samples should reveal caffeine or theobromine.