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Pet Foods

The FDA regulates that can of cat food, bag of dog food, or box of dog treats or snacks in your pantry. The FDA's regulation of pet food is similar to that for other animal feeds. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) requires that pet foods, like human foods, be pure and wholesome, safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. In addition, canned pet foods must be processed in conformance with the low acid canned food regulations to ensure the pet food is free of viable microorganisms (see Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 113).

How to Report a Pet Food Complaint

To report complaints about pet food (and other animal feed), please contact your state FDA's Consumer Complaint Coordinator(s). Contact information can be found at the list of FDA's Consumer Complaint Coordinators . When reporting, please include as much information as possible, including the specific product name, lot numbers, veterinarian's report and diagnosis, etc.

PET FOOD CONTAMINATION RESPONSE

sick dog and sick cat

Pets become ill.

two people communicating by telephone

FDA receives consumer complaints and begins
to investigate.

cans and a bag of pet food

FDA works with
industry to recall the affected pet foods.

newspaper and a television with a new anchorperson on screen

FDA issues public alert.

health inspector with badge standing in front of a pet food processing facility

FDA and states continue
field investigations
as needed.

a microscope like those used in scientific laboratories

Specific pet food
product(s) identified.

health inspector with clip board standing in from of pet food processing facility

FDA continues oversight. Industry practices
improved.

pet food delivery truck

Distribution of
pet food resumes.

four people at a table having a meeting

FDA works with
industry to prevent
future outbreaks.

FDA Regulation of Pet Food

There is no requirement that pet food products have premarket approval by the FDA. However, FDA ensures that the ingredients used in pet food are safe and have an appropriate function in the pet food. Many ingredients such as meat, poultry, grains, and their byproducts are considered safe “foods” and do not require premarket approval. Other substances such as mineral and vitamin sources, colorings, flavorings, and preservatives may be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) or must have approval as food additives. (See Title 21 CFR, Parts 73, 74, 81, 573 and 582). For more information about pet foods and marketing a pet food, see FDA’s Regulation of Pet Food and Information on Marketing A Pet Food Product.

Pet food labeling is regulated at two levels. The FDA regulations require proper identification of the product, net quantity statement, name and place of business of the manufacturer or distributor, and a proper listing of all the ingredients in order from most to least, based on weight. Some states also enforce their own labeling regulations. Many of these regulations are based on a model provided by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). For more information about AAFCO, please visit its website. There are two informational documents on CVM’s web site that provide more details about labeling requirements: Interpreting Pet Food Labels and Interpreting Pet Food Labels -- Special Use Foods.

FDA also has put into place policies for making health claims on pet food, such as “maintains health of urinary tract,” “low magnesium,” “reduces plaque and tartar,” and “reduces hairballs in cats.” Guidance for collecting data to make a urinary tract health claim is available in Guideline 55 on the CVM internet site.

BSE and the safety of pets

With the exception of cats, no pets (companion animals) are known to be susceptible to the infectious agent that causes BSE in cattle. No evidence of BSE has ever been found in dogs, horses, birds, or reptiles.

However, cats are susceptible. Approximately 90 cats in the UK and several cats in other European countries have been diagnosed with the feline version of BSE, or FSE. Before it was recognized that they were susceptible to the BSE agent, cats were exposed to the infectious agent through commercial cat food or through meat scraps provided by butchers. The number of reported cases of FSE in the UK and Europe has been declining annually since 1994 after implementation of feed bans in those countries.

Currently in the U.S. , animal products that are prohibited from cattle feed are acceptable for use in pet food. Such products include meat and bone meal, for example. However, FDA believes that the safeguards it has put into place (i.e. ruminant feed rule) to prevent BSE in the U.S. have also protected cats. To date, no case of FSE has been found in the U.S. FDA continues to review these safeguards to be sure they are adequate, especially in light of the BSE case found in Washington State in December, 2003. 

Material from the BSE positive cow in Washington State did not pose a risk to cats in the U.S. because none of it was released into distribution. All firms involved with the incident in Washington State were found to be in compliance with the BSE rules.

In addition, when the BSE positive cow was found in Canada in May 2003, the FDA stopped imports of all pet foods made from material derived from mammalian sources, and the pet food manufacturer recalled the food it had manufactured that was thought to contain material from the infected cow.

In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2004, the FDA announced that the agency intends to further strengthen the ruminant feed rule (or BSE feed regulation) by prohibiting the use of high-risk tissues, often referred to as specified risk material or SRM, in any animal feed including pet food.

CVM DOES NOT recommend one product over another or offer guidance on individual pet health issues that are normally provided by the pet’s veterinarian. Questions regarding your pets' health and/or the specific use of any veterinary drug, pet food, or other product should always be referred to your veterinarian.

The following documents contain information on the regulation, marketing and labeling of pet foods in the United States.

Pet Food News Releases

Guidance Documents

  • Guidance for Industry #122 - Manufacture and Labeling of Raw Meat Foods for Companion and Captive Noncompanion Carnivores and Omnivores, May 18, 2004, revised November 9, 2004 | doc | | pdf |

Federal Register Notices

  • Docket No. FDA-2007N-0442, CVM 200822. Opportunity for Public Input on Standards for Pet Food and Other Animal Feeds; Notice of Meeting. Pages 21357-21359 April 21, 2008 [FR Doc. 08–1155] [TXT] [PDF] [PRE-PUB] Public meeting on May 13, 2008 Comments due June 13, 2008

  • Meeting Being Planned to Obtain Public Input for Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food

    FDA is announcing its intention to schedule and hold a public meeting early in 2008 to obtain input from stakeholder groups for the development of ingredient, processing, and labeling standards to ensure the safety of pet food. These standards were mandated by the FDA Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA).  Please submit comments to Docket No. 2007N-0487.

    Docket No. 2007N-0487, CVM 2007111.  Meeting Being Planned to Obtain Public Input for Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food.  Page 1255 [FR Doc. E7–25599] January 7, 2008  | htm | | pdf | | Pre-Pub |

  • Docket No. 2002D-0468, CVM 200439.  Guidance for Industry on the Manufacture and Labeling of Raw Meat Foods for Companion and Captive Noncompanion Carnivores and Omnivores; Availability.  Page  29140 [FR Doc. 04-11366]  May 20, 2004 | htm | | pdf | Comments due May 20, 2005

  • Docket No. 02N-0277, CFSAN 2003237. Establishment and Maintenance of Records Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Pages 25187--25240 May 9, 20003 [FR Doc. 03-11460 ] Comments July 8, 2003 Comments July 8, 2003 - | htm | | pdf |

  • Docket No. 02N-0275, CFSAN 2003239. Administrative Detention of Food for Human or Animal Consumption Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Pages 25241--25271 May 9, 2003 [FR Doc. 03-11459] Comments July 8, 2003 - | htm | | pdf |

  • Docket No. 02N-0276, CFSAN 200236. Registration of Food Facilities Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Proposed Rule, Pages 5377--5428 [FR Doc. 03-2443] Comments April 4, 2003 - Appendix | htm | | pdf |

  • Docket No. 02N-0278, CFSAN 200238. Prior Notice of Imported Food Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Proposed Rule, Pages 5428--5468 [FR Doc. 03-2444] Comments April 4, 2003 | htm | | pdf |

  • Docket No. 02D-0468, CVM 200251.  Draft Guidance for Industry on Manufacture and Labeling of Raw Meat Foods for Companion and Captive Noncompanion Carnivores and Omnivores; Availability.  Pages  77500--77501 [FR Doc. 02-31721] December 18, 2002 | htm | | pdf | Comments March 3, 2003

  • Docket No. 99F-2799, CVM 2000108. Irradiation in the Production, Processing, and Handling of Animal Feed and Pet Food; Irradiation. Pages 18539-18540 [FR Doc. 01-088719] April 10, 2001 | htm | | pdf |

Information for Consumers

Other Information

Additional Links


Web Page Updated by hd - June 20, 2008, 2:56 PM ET




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