Reports emerged on the morning of July 9th regarding consumer complaints that a 12-year-old cat suddenly became paralyzed in its hind legs. After visits to multiple veterinary clinics, the issue was reportedly linked by several veterinarians to the cat's regular diet of a specific brand of pet food, with the cat's condition improving after a change in diet.
According to the reports, numerous cat owners have observed similar symptoms in their pets. An administrator of a mutual support group has compiled statistics suggesting over 5,000 cats may be affected by a suspected condition, which has been colloquially termed in some veterinary circles. Consumer complaint platforms have recorded over a hundred related grievances, with the majority concentrated from the second half of 2025 to the present.
The reports indicate that besides the initially mentioned brand, another cat food label is frequently cited by pet owners. From the latter half of 2025, nearly all new members joining related discussion groups reportedly own cats that consumed these two brands. One owner, based on a survey of over 1,000 cases across five groups by late October 2025, noted that one brand accounted for approximately 65.58% of cases, while the other represented about 24.6%, with the remainder attributed to other brands. This owner also highlighted that their cat had been consuming a product from a warehouse club prior to falling ill, a product manufactured by the parent company of the second cat food brand.
Public information shows the first brand is a domestic premium pet food label under a Shanghai-based company established in 2009. The parent company of the second brand was founded in 2006 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's ChiNext board in 2023, managing several pet food brands in addition to the one in question.
In response to the data cited in the reports, a customer service representative for the second brand stated that the company is urgently verifying the information internally. They clarified that, at this stage, the reported data lacks authoritative validation from formal peer-reviewed medical studies or epidemiological research, limiting its reference value.
The representative explained that the causes of hind limb mobility issues in cats are inherently diverse, with similar symptoms potentially arising from neurological, immune, metabolic, genetic, and various other conditions. A veterinarian must conduct a systematic, step-by-step investigation during a consultation to identify the root cause. "Common reasons for hind limb weakness in cats are often associated with factors such as thrombosis, nervous system inflammation, external trauma, certain viral infections, spinal diseases, and some immune-related conditions. Diagnosing these issues typically requires clinical examination by a veterinarian. Our products do not cause paralysis in cats," the representative stated.
The customer service agent added that the brand consistently places the highest priority on product quality. Every batch of products undergoes testing by a CNAS-accredited laboratory and is confirmed compliant before being released to the market. If consumers require access to these test reports, they can provide specific product, batch, and flavor information, and customer service will assist in retrieving the relevant documentation for reference.