URGENT!!! All Pet Owners -- Please Read

ALBANY, N.Y. - Rodent poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Agriculture and Markets said Friday.

Spokeswoman Jessica Chittenden would not identify the chemical or its source beyond saying it was a rodent poison.

State agriculture officials scheduled a news conference Friday at 1 p.m. EST to release laboratory findings from tests on the pet food conducted this week.

The rat poison, which may have been used on wheat imported from China, is illegal in the U.S., NBC News correspondent Tom Costello told MSNBC TV.

The deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of "cuts and gravy" style pet food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. There have been reports of kidney failure, some fatal, in pets that ate the recalled brands. The company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog.

The recall sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels like Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. Call centers hired by the company received 47,000 calls over the weekend, Henderson said.

There have been tests on 10 cats that died performed by an outside company for Menu Foods. The results show only that the cats died of acute kidney failure.

The FDA has sent investigators to New Jersey and Kansas plants operated by Menu Foods.

Wheat gluten is a source of protein and was used to thicken the gravy in the pet food, sold in both cans and pouches, according to the FDA.

Menu Foods has recalled 60 million cans and pouches of pet food sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. The food was distributed by major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger and Safeway.

The recalled brands are:

Cat Food

• Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
• Authority
• Best Choice
• Companion
• Compliments
• Demoulas Market Basket
• Eukanuba
• Fine Feline Cat
• Food Lion
• Foodtown
• Giant Companion
• Hannaford
• Hill country Fare
• Hy-Vee
• Iams
• Key Food
• Laura Lynn
• Li’l Red
• Loving Meals
• Meijers Main Choice
• Nutriplan
• Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
• Nutro Natural Choice
• Paws
• Pet Pride
• Presidents Choice
• Price Chopper
• Priority
• Save-A-Lot
• Schnucks
• Science Diet (The recall affects only 3-ounce and 5.5-ounce cans of Kitten Savory Cuts Ocean Fish; 5.5-ounce cans of Feline Adult Savory Cuts Beef, Chicken and Ocean Fish, and 5.5-ounce cans of Feline Senior Savory Cuts Chicken.)
• Sophisticat
• Special Kitty Canada
• Special Kitty U.S.
• Springfield Prize
• Sprout
• Total Pet, My True Friend
• Wegmans
• Western Family U.S.
• White Rose
• Winn Dixie

Dog Food

• Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
• Authority
• Award
• Best Choice
• Big Bet
• Big Red
• Bloom
• Bruiser
• Cadillac
• Companion
• Demoulas Market Basket
• Eukanuba
• Food Lion
• Giant Companion
• Great Choice
• Hannaford
• Hill Country Fare
• Hy-Vee
• Iams
• Key Food
• Laura Lynn
• Loving Meals
• Meijers Main Choice
• Mighty Dog (The recall affects only 5.3 pouch products that were produced from Dec. 3, 2006 through March 14, 2007.)
• Mixables
• Nutriplan
• Nutro Max
• Nutro Natural Choice
• Nutro Utra
• Nutro
• Ol’Roy Canada
• Ol’Roy U.S.
• Paws
• Pet Essentials
• Pet Pride - Good ’n Meaty
• Presidents Choice
• Price Chopper
• Priority Canada
• Priority U.S.
• Publix
• Roche Bros
• Save-A-Lot
• Schnucks
• Shep Dog
• Springfield Prize
• Sprout
• Stater Bros
• Stop & Shop Companion
• Tops Companion
• Wegmans Bruiser
• Weis Total Pet
• Western Family U.S.
• White Rose
• Winn Dixie
• Your Pet