Clean Label Project Finds Heavy Metals in Most Cat Foods

Two Crazy Cat Ladies reports that the Clean Label Project (CLP) tested 100 cat foods from 62 brands for more than 122 contaminants. Lead was found in 99 % of the samples, cadmium in 96 % and arsenic in 94 %. CLP purchased 31 dry foods, 40 wet foods and 29 air-dried or freeze-dried foods, and the testing was done by an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory using ICP-MS for the metals.

The study compared contaminant levels per 1,000 calories rather than by weight, which helps account for the high water content of wet food. While most products contained detectable metals, the amounts varied. The foods with the highest lead levels had roughly 3.5 times more lead than the typical product in the study.

CLP cautions that detection does not equal danger. The presence of a heavy metal does not automatically mean a food is unsafe; risk depends on the metal, its concentration, how much is eaten and for how long. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has not set specific guidance or tolerances for heavy-metal levels in animal food.

CLP also released two “Clean Sixteen” lists of foods with the lowest cumulative contaminant scores, including Green Juju Duck & Sardine and Smallbatch Turkey Freeze-Dried Meal Bites.

Practical steps to reduce exposure include rotating foods and protein sources, reading beyond the first ingredient, avoiding reliance on fish as the sole protein when possible, and asking manufacturers whether they routinely test finished products for contaminants. The study notes that eliminating every environmental contaminant from food is unrealistic and that price or marketing do not indicate contaminant levels.

Key takeaways

• Lead, cadmium and arsenic were detected in 99 %, 96 % and 94 % of tested cat foods.
• The highest-lead foods had about 3.5 times more lead than the average.
• Detection alone does not mean a food is dangerous; risk depends on concentration and exposure.
• The FDA has not set specific tolerances for heavy metals in pet food.
• Rotating foods and checking ingredient lists can help reduce exposure.

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Originally reported by Two Crazy Cat Ladies. Read the full article.

Cover photo by Ayush Shakya via Pexels.