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

The FDA has escalated concerns around Steve’s Real Food’s Quest Cat Food line, warning that eight lots tested by the agency contained extremely low or no thiamine, even though only three lots have been formally recalled to date. In its March 13, 2026 advisory, the agency said it had received multiple consumer complaints describing severe thiamine deficiency in cats eating frozen and freeze-dried Quest products, and urged pet parents and veterinarians to treat the affected lots as serious health risks. (fda.gov)

The issue began publicly as a narrower recall. On February 17, 2026, Go Raw initiated a voluntary recall of one lot of Quest freeze-dried chicken cat food. That action was expanded on February 26 to include two frozen chicken lots, while the company also announced a stop sale of all Quest products at retail until the thiamine issue could be addressed. On its own site, Steve’s Real Food still lists those same three recalled lots and describes a proactive market withdrawal of frozen and freeze-dried Quest formulas. (fda.gov)

FDA’s newer advisory goes further than the company’s recall notice. According to the agency, all eight lots it tested contained thiamine levels far below the AAFCO cat food minimum of 5.6 mg/kg on a dry matter basis. Two frozen chicken lots had no detectable thiamine at all, while several freeze-dried pork, beef, chicken, and white fish lots also tested at only a fraction of the minimum. FDA said it recommended that Go Raw recall all eight lots, but that the firm has only recalled the first three and has not yet provided evidence showing the remaining affected product has been removed from the marketplace and customers adequately notified. (fda.gov)

Clinically, the warning is significant because thiamine deficiency in cats can move from subtle to severe. FDA says early signs may include decreased appetite and vomiting, with some cats becoming symptomatic in as little as one week, while others may take months. As deficiency advances, affected cats may develop cervical ventroflexion, muscle weakness, ataxia, falling, circling, and seizures. Merck Veterinary Manual notes that thiamine deficiency is generally uncommon in properly prepared complete and balanced commercial diets, but can occur with nutritionally inadequate feeding and with thiaminase-containing raw ingredients such as raw fish. (fda.gov)

One notable detail is how the case surfaced: FDA said a veterinary neurologist first reported severe thiamine deficiency in a cat that had eaten one of the affected lots, prompting testing that confirmed the deficiency and led to broader sampling after additional illness reports. That sequence underscores the role specialty and emergency clinicians can play in identifying nutrition-related adverse events before they become widely recognized by the market. (fda.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is more than a recall bulletin. It’s a reminder that “complete and balanced” label claims don’t eliminate the need for a careful diet history when cats present with GI or neurologic signs. Practices may want to proactively ask about Quest products when triaging feline vomiting, weight loss, ventroflexion, wobbliness, or seizures, especially in households feeding raw or freeze-dried diets. The case also adds to broader veterinary concerns around raw pet food, where discussions often focus on pathogen exposure, but nutritional adequacy failures can be just as clinically important. (fda.gov)

There’s also a regulatory angle. FDA’s public advisory is unusually direct in stating that the agency recommended a wider recall than the company has carried out. That suggests ongoing friction over the scope of corrective action and raises the possibility of additional scrutiny if the five non-recalled, FDA-tested lots remain in circulation or if more illness reports emerge. (fda.gov)

What to watch: The next key developments are whether Go Raw formally expands the recall to all eight FDA-tested lots, whether the company discloses the root cause of the thiamine failure, and whether FDA reports additional complaints or follow-up actions in the coming weeks. (fda.gov)