FDA warns eight Quest cat food lots are dangerously low in thiamine

The FDA is warning that eight lots of Quest Cat Food marketed by Go Raw LLC, doing business as Steve’s Real Food, contain extremely low or no thiamine, an essential vitamin for cats. The agency said on March 13, 2026 that it had received multiple consumer complaints of severe thiamine deficiency in cats eating the products, and that FDA testing found all eight sampled lots fell well below the AAFCO minimum for cat food. So far, the company has recalled three lots — one freeze-dried chicken product and two frozen chicken products first announced in February — but the FDA said five additional tested lots, including pork, beef, white fish, and another chicken freeze-dried lot, have not been formally recalled. (fda.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is a nutrition-linked safety event with real clinical consequences. FDA says cats may show GI signs such as decreased appetite and vomiting, then progress to cervical ventroflexion, weakness, ataxia, circling, seizures, and potentially death if deficiency goes untreated. The agency noted the issue first came to light after a veterinary neurologist reported a severe case, and said affected products were labeled as complete diets despite thiamine levels far below the AAFCO minimum of 5.6 mg/kg dry matter. That makes diet history, early recognition, and prompt client outreach especially important for practices seeing cats on raw or freeze-dried commercial diets. (fda.gov)

What to watch: Watch for whether Go Raw expands its recall beyond the current three lots, and whether FDA takes additional enforcement or communication steps if the remaining affected products aren’t clearly removed from the market. (fda.gov)