Strange find. Finally, I thought I’d found a solution that would allow us to get a cat for the garage (and ok, in the basement occasionally to hunt) without Justin dying – Allerpet C.
This product is found all over the Internet by the way, at a range of prices. The first time I found it, I was absolutely giddy and ready to buy, when a voice of reason asked me “what are the ingredients?”
(thanks : j )
Well, there wasn’t an ingredients list, but a U.S. Department of Labor MSDS sheet was available, and it succinctly stated ‘Product contains no hazardous components’.
That actually raised a flag. I decided to look a little further.
The second site I found selling Allerpet actually listed the ingredients, and I googled a long one – methylisothiazolinone – and, surprisingly enough, even Wikipedia had to report this ingredient is actually a neurotoxin, shown to be allergenic and cytotoxic, and linked to nerve cell death and DNA damage in humans.
Wait – I’m supposed to apply this to my cat’s fur every day, indefinitely, and then it’s safe for him to be in my house?
Oh, ok. It does say ‘non-toxic’ on the website, so the answer must be ‘yes’.
Well, no. One of the greatest secrets I’ve learned from working in marketing is that the only label that matters is the boring, non-descript, shrunken and unpronounceable list on the side: the ingredients label. Yes, that’s what the product actually is. Yes, that’s what’s going into your body, pets, and home.
Not the pretty face on the front of the package. Not the swirly graphics or the shiny letters. Not even necessarily ‘all-natural’ or ‘non-toxic’, even especially if a bureaucratic agency is involved. It’s methylisothiazolinone. Did you know that methylisothiazolinone is found in many shampoos and bath products? Maybe you’ll want to check yours out for yourself. And hey, if it’s not meth, it’s one of a thousand other toxic chemicals found in every-day products.
Eek. So I found an alternative – I think – at PetSmart – Dander Free for cats. The ingredients were vaguely described on the bottle, including that ominous phrase ‘Contains no known hazardous ingredients.’
See, it’s the word ‘known’ that caused me to email them for a specific ingredient list. I’m not content to blindly trust corporations to make health decisions for me, which is also (partly) why I’m kicking and screaming against the socialist takeover of this country.
Buyer beware! At least do it for the kittens.
Update: Len from Earth’s Balance kindly explained to me that Dander Free for Cats is a completely natural product, free from chemicals and preservatives. If the product works I will post a review. Thanks for the comments!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this witty and insightful article!
Actually, you’ve hit on (or close to) the perfect analogy for socialism: The (county or city) animal shelter is the way the government PROTECTS animals, right? (Without the shelter intervention, the animal might run free for awhile and then either find its way home, find a new home, or maybe get hit by a car or something.)
But the problem is that over 90% of animals that land in a shelter are executed (only they call it “euthanized”) after a certain number of days because they’re not claimed or adopted. And the adoption procedures and requirements are often nearly impossible for many families to meet! Hmm!
This article is dead on- the key to knowing any product is to read the smallest print on the product- the ingredient list. Thanks for enlightening me on Allerpet and offering a potential solution!
thank you
very much
I have allergies
we found a very ill young cat
we nursed her back to health
and she stold our hearts
I am looking for a wash
that would help me keep her inside the house
Allerpet was in 1 of my asthma magazines
Allergroom was recommended by a women with allergies that has cats.
after reading MSDA sheets and this article
I will not buy it
I have MCS multiple chemical sensitivity to many toxic synthetic chemicals, cleaning products, perfumes and laundry products, and personal care products..
I have been now organic and chemical free as possible in my home
I have a very bad time in the “public”
so I really wanted to make sure this product was “safe” which now I see it is NOT…
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I will wash the cat with my Dr Bronners baby mild organic soap and hope for the best if it doesnt work she will have to live on the side porch
thanks so much for your help and insight
jacki
Erm… Corporations making health decisions for you has nothing to do with socialism and everything to do with neoliberal capitalism and corporate lobbys.
Check out countries like Norway and Sweden for an example of what socialism can look like today.