KatKin cat food changed the recipe, package and weight of portions

born_again

coconutcurls said:

The food is inedible - don’t believe what they say - believe their customers. All the cats are refusing   

Everyone received the instructions above and tried - we don’t like playing around with cat’s food, we don’t like wasting money

Posting the instructions above may have been motivated by good intentions but it is incredibly patronising 

Katkin disconnected their phones and is not replying to emails due to complaints

They can’t say the product is the same if it looks different, smells different, has a different texture and colour and the cats are not eating anymore and that is the whole point

Nobody signed up for the changes or for the new food - it was imposed

This is a consumer rights section & you asked about a refund. That is what you are getting advice on.
We could turn round & say "How bad, of course you can have your money back" But it would not be the truth. Often the correct advice is painful to hear.
You can ask them, but unless they have in their T/C, then you are at their mercy.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/pets-pet-care
Not one mention of katKin food issues. So is it really 100% users complaining, as happy people tend not to say.
Maybe it is not MSE due to the costs. 

A lot of pet foods have changed recipes, a lot forced by the cost of products & ability to source, used to make them. 

There are a lot of these subscription based pet food co's now. Many are getting bought up by the big pet food brands. As a easy source of income.
Personally they are over priced & you can feed your pet for far less by home cooking. £60 feeds my 2 dogs for a couple of months with home cooked food.

user1977

coconutcurls said:

powerful_Rogue said:

coconutcurls said:

powerful_Rogue said:

coconutcurls said:

Their facebook page is full of complaints. They food, looks, smells different and the texture changed. Don't know about he taste but my cats refuse to eat it now.
The package of each individual portions changed and it is much smaller. I already cancelled my subscription but can I get my money back? I spent £60 worth on food that is going to the bin and spending money on replacements. Seeing that I subscribed for something and got something else instead, where do I stand?

Recipe hasn't changed.

The recipe and ingredients of our fresh food haven’t changed. It’s still 100% human-quality meat, prepared in the UK in our KatKin kitchen.

The only change is in the cooking method – because there are slightly different kitchen prep steps with the new packaging. But rest assured, every serving of KatKin is still gently cooked, to kill bacteria and protect nutrients. https://katkin.elevio.help/en/articles/158-what-is-the-new-packaging-made-of

Appears the new packaging is so less plastic is used.

What was the food weight before and food weight now?

Have you followed their recommended steps?

The new packaging means slightly different prep in our kitchen – which might mean some visual changes in the food. But the recipes and the ingredients are exactly the same. It’s still the same fresh food, still 100% gently-cooked meat, still made in our UK kitchen. And we've done extensive taste tests just to be sure fresh is still just as delicious for every cat. 

Four things will help when feeding KatKin:

1. Only defrost KatKin in your fridge. Do not defrost KatKin using hot water or the microwave. You can keep ~5 trays in your fridge at any one time to defrost before using.

2. Serve KatKin straight from your fridge. We recommend and most parents are reporting that this works best. Do not heat up the food, unless you really have to for your cat.

3. If you absolutely need to warm up food for your cat to eat, decant KatKin into a bowl and microwave for a maximum of 10 to 15 seconds. Do not add or use hot water. Some recipes currently fare better when reheating - Moo and Gobble look better than Cluck.

4. Do not stand over or watch your cat when feeding the new trays. Leave the room and give your cat some time on their own to get used to the finer texture.

You can also try adding our chicken sprinkles (or crushed nibbles if you have them).

It may take a day or two for your cat to accept the food, just like during the initial switch to KatKin, but persevering is worth the effort to keep getting the benefits of a fresh diet.

https://katkin.elevio.help/en/articles/162-my-cat-refuses-the-food-what-should-i-do

Do you work for katkin by any chance?

Do you have cats and used to feed them the old katkin food and now are trying to feed them the new one?

Recipe didn't change...that is what they say.... but it LOOKS different and it SMELLS different and the cats won't eat it and is is simply NOT what I signed up for.


It has been more of a week of me trying.

I don't care about the package, my cats don't eat the package.

And I don't ned the instructions how to use the new food because I did not sign up and pay for the new food SIMPLE AS THAT - when you buy and pay for something you want what you chose not something different, surely you can relate?

Only on Tuesdays.

Their website clearly states that the recipe/ingredients hasn't changed, just the packaging and due to that, the way they prepare the food.

Have you tried re-introducing the food to the cats again as the website suggests? How are you preparing the food for the cats?

You claim the sizes are smaller, is this the actual weight of the food. I'm guessing the new packaging might be lighter, thus the overall weight looking smaller, but the food weight remaining the same.

I think I’ve been naive thinking that ppl who are not going through this problem would understand

In case you've misunderstood, this is a consumer rights forum, not an empathy and group hugs forum. People have asked what the terms say, and I don't think we've been told yet.

Aylesbury_Duck

How bad, of course you can have your money back.   

You'll need to package up what's left of the latest consignment and return it to them with a letter insisting on a return of your £60 within 14 days of receipt, backed by a threat to take it to court if they don't comply.

You're not entitled to a refund whilst keeping the goods or disposing of them, although they may offer that.

sheramber

What percentage of their sales are complaining. 

They must have more sales than are complaining on facebook or they wouldnlt be in business.

A healthy cat won't starve itself.  A pampered puss who is offered something else will take longer to adjust.

macman

I find it impossible to believe that they would put the revised product to market without extensively testing it on buyers (and their cats) first.
The portion size change allegation is absurdly simple to resolve, because the weight will be shown on the packaging. Has it changed or not? The OP doesn't respond on this point. 
Most likely it is the same weight, but at a higher density, to reduce packaging and transport costs.

Aylesbury_Duck

Ah, but does the cat understand the relationship between mass, volume and density? I suppose it might, if it's from the same lab as Schrodinger's moggy.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

To be fair to the OP it was said on Facebook the company have closed their phone lines so presumably they are getting some backlash on this. One FB user posted these which is quite a comparison! 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

OP if your order was a 1 off issue I'm sure they'd refund you but given the number of complaints the cost to them could be high which means they will either dig their heels in or refund people to keep custom. 

In terms of rights, are those photos above accurate?

Aylesbury_Duck

If they are accurate, that's hilarious.  One looks like coarse pate, the other like ice cream.

coconutcurls

sheramber said:

What percentage of their sales are complaining. 

They must have more sales than are complaining on facebook or they wouldnlt be in business.

A healthy cat won't starve itself.  A pampered puss who is offered something else will take longer to adjust.

yes a healthy cat won't starve if you give them food, not the poo katkin is sending, it is inedible

also I bet I am in the poorest bracket of this forum, do you know why I decided to invest in good food? to save on vet's fees.