Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Update on Kirkland Flea & Tick Control for Cats

Back on July 20, I posted about the danger of Kirkland Signature Flea and Tick Control for Cats. Back then there were 26 reviews on Amazon.com with 24 of them being negative. Today there are 66 reviews with 61 of them being negative. There are many comments detailing how people's cats were harmed or killed after using this product. Yesterday's comment was heartbreaking, someone's beloved 5 year old cat died a few days after using this product.



It's been almost two and a half months now since I posted that first post here. I was amazed to see how quickly the pageviews for that post grew. People are searching for information on KS Flea and Tick Control and they are finding my blog. In only a matter of weeks, the pageviews became the all time most visited page on my blog. Today, that post has racked up more than three times as many views as the second most viewed post.


The popularity of that post both makes me happy and sad. I hope more than anything that people are researching this product before they use it and thus gain knowledge to make an informed choice about whether or not to risk using Kirkland Signature Flea and Tick Control for Cats.

After seeing how quickly the pageviews were adding up, in late July I started an advocacy website, CostcoFelineVictims.org to further spread the word about the dangers of Kirkland Signature Flea and Tick Control for Cats. The idea of the site was to collect the horror stories from people who have used this product, so when people searched for online reviews they would find this information at the top of their search results. The second purpose was to be a clearinghouse of information for a possible future class action lawsuit against Costco.

Back in early September I called Costco to share my concerns. The customer service person was polite but naive. He insisted that Costco would never sell a product that would be dangerous to customer's cats. I suggested he read the online reviews of the product and he said they were not able to do that. He would not let me talk directly with the Kirkland Signature buyers, so I got the address for them so I could mail them printouts of the Amazon.com reviews. Sadly, other things got in the way before I could get that packet of papers in the mail.

If you recall, I bought this product back in late July, because I trusted the Costco brand and I thought it was a good deal. Thankfully, I read the reviews before subjecting my cats to this dangerous product. This past weekend, I finally got around to returning the KS Flea and Tick Control for Cats product to my local Costco store. I asked the clerk if they were still selling this product and he said they had pulled it several weeks ago. I asked if it was only this store or all the stores that had stopped selling it and he said he wasn't sure but he thought all the stores.

I just called Costco Corporate to find out if they have really stopped selling it company wide. The friendly associate told me he thought they had pulled the product for a time and reformulated it with something less potent because they had heard that some cats were sensitive to the product. He told me there were 480 units of the product available now at my local Costco store. Ugh.

Please keep spreading the word that people should read the reviews before they use this dangerous product. If you are a blogger, please consider doing a post on this topic to continue to spread the word. Innocent cats are dying and suffering by the hands of care givers who are just looking to save some money.

20 comments:

  1. We have shared this on our facebook page so that more people will learn about it.

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  2. Excellent excellent and thank you all over again.

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  3. Thank you for this info and for posting this again! Save the Kitties from this horrible product! hugs, Linda

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  4. Thank you for the reminder. Kirkland isn't available here but the information is still appreciated.

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  5. I'd certainly contact the FDA:

    http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/default.htm

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  6. Thank you for posting this. I had a similar issue with Hartz brand flea and tick control several years ago. My cat got very sick. After we washed the product off her with dishwashing detergent and babied her for several days, she was okay. But the Hartz people were generally unconcerned. The best they could offer me was a refund on the product and a fairly flippant, insincere apology.

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  7. Thank you for this information.

    I second Terri's recommendation that you contact the FDA. They are very good at investigating and taking action in these kinds of cases.

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  8. Phil, thanks for keeping us updated about this product. It is just outrageous what some companies will do for a buck. I checked my local Costco about 1 month ago and did not see the product there. I will check again on my next visit and I will contact Costco to complain/advise them about their product.

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  9. Thank You - It was my five year old kitty who dies needlessly - I will never get over it

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    1. I'm so sorry you lost your beloved kitty. What Costco is doing is very wrong, no one should lose their pet in this manner.

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  10. I just found this blog. I used this product for the first time last week (purchased last summer 2012) and my cat started having seizures. She spent the weekend at the vet and is now on Phenobarbitol, which will eventually hurt her liver. What I would give to have not trusted the Costco brand and saved a little money. $800 later (blood tests, overnight hospitalization for seizure watch, multiple injections and oral medications) and a lifetime of medications for my kitty taught me a good lesson. Thanks for the blog.

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear that your kitty had a terrible reaction. Please tell all your friends and family that this stuff is toxic. I believe Costco has finally stopped selling it because of all the cats that were harmed and killed. I hope the best for your sweet kitty.

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  11. Costco in Vancouver, WA is selling the product for all sizes of dogs and a single type for cats...
    i just bought the extra large dog size and the cat type...
    so is it safe or not...

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  12. today i purchased a box of dog type KS and a cat type KS at Costco in
    Vancouver,WA...
    not all who wander are lost...

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  13. they sell this product for dogs and cats in Hackensack NJ. I cannot believe they did not pull the product as yet and it is August 2013.

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  14. I just bought this product for cats in Hackensack, NJ. they have a large display and my cat has been scratching and biting at her fur for a week now. I am so sorry I did not research this first. they also are still selling the dog anti flea too. I can't beleive they did not pull the product and it is Aug 2013

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  15. I just lost my 8 year old cat this week, two days after applying the Kirkland Flea and Tick Control. She was a totally healthy cat up until applying this poison. I am heartbroken and wish I had checked the reviews first.
    The vet could not give a definite cause of death even after an autopsy but to me it was clear, she had no other health problems. She will be missed and I just hope more pet owners read these posts before using and or buying this product.

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  16. I puchssed this product today at a store that sells costco products and I apllied on my 2 cats at around 3pm. One of my cats just starting crying snd crying and acting very clingy and sick. I just googled tye brand snd found this site. I have scrubbed both cats hoping to get it off. Any otger suggestions on what I can do??

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    Replies
    1. Bathe the cats using Dawn Dish soap to remove the toxic product, then call your vet right away. Find more info here: http://costcofelinevictims.org/?page_id=370

      I hope they fully recover.

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