Carissa, the owner, agreed to make a cat cake for my cats' 19th birthday. Salmon and chicken flavored cake with milk based (cream) frosting minus sugar, and pink. I picked up the cake as scheduled. It was cute and looked ok. My cat loved the frosting. He had licked the frosting off most the cake over the course of 3 days. Also, within those 3 days his behavior changed, he wasn't interested in doing normal daily activities. I phoned Carissa to see what the frosting, more of an icing, was made from and she stated tapioca (starch) and Salmon flavored Temptation's puree. She stated that she read that milk can cause issues with kitties so she decided to alter the frosting recipe. Unfortunately, she did not let me know this until I phoned her after he ate the icing. I later found out that Temptations Salmon flavor has pork in it. I do not give Pork to my cats under any circumstance nor do I keep it in the house for various reasons. She had failed to mention this ingredient on the phone when I spoke with her as well though she appeared to be reading the ingredients off of the package. And during our second conversation stated that she'd have to check the packaging at home... Clearly there was food dye in the icing too, it is pink, and when I mentioned that there is dye in it, she stated not really then went on to tell me how she buys better dye, etc. Temptations Salmon puree is not pink.
I have spoken with her twice and she was somewhat apologetic. Not understanding why, she would not acknowledge using the pork in the temptations.
Minimally, I feel that she or her worker should have informed me about the ingredients prior to my picking up the cake. Ideally, she should have phoned me to ask me if I was OK with the change, which I would not have been. There was also tapioca in the filling but he only licked the frosting and never ate the actual cake or filling. Sadly, this was his last birthday. He did not feel well after his birthday, I took him to the vet, he got a shot in hopes that he would feel better, and within a couple weeks had diabetes. He only lived for another week after the diagnosis, insulin treatment did not work.
I have had cake cats made before mostly at Dog Bakeries elsewhere, they used chicken fat and milk-based products for the frosting with tuna flakes. Chicken and milk for cats is OK in my household and for my cats.
Even if my cat were still alive and super healthy and happy, I wish, the fact that I had served my cats pork and had it in my home, my refrigerator is awful for me.
I cannot recommend this bakery. After this experience, I likely won't get any cakes of any type at any small local bakery.
Just to note with regard to Carissa's response. My review stands as is. I ordered a milk based frosting period. Chicken and salmon only ingredients and not pet based foods only, that would not be possible. Pure salmon would have been fine in the cake part. I did mention no Pork as well though 'chicken and salmon only' should be enough. Because she never made a cat cake, experimenting with it for taste and appearance is a given that does not mean that the ordered ingredients can change. My cat had no issues with milk products.
Carissa, again the restrictions discussed were milk based frosting, no sugar, pink. Chicken and Salmon flavored filling/cake respectively, period. Experiment isn't the best term, but the basis might include along the lines should I add 2 ounces of canned salmon as opposed to 1 ounce of canned salmon - how would that affect the cake and so forth. Not carte blanche. Anytime that I have ordered any cake, anywhere, the bakery takes the order down in writing and reviews the summation followed by a copy of the order being attached to the cake. That is a good policy. This was not done. read more