FDA warns eight Quest cat food lots may cause thiamine deficiency

The FDA has escalated concerns around Steve’s Real Food’s Quest Cat Food line, warning that eight lots of frozen and freeze-dried products contain extremely low or no thiamine, a deficiency that can cause severe neurologic disease and death in cats. In its March 13, 2026 advisory, the agency said it had received multiple consumer complaints tied to severe thiamine deficiency and recommended that Go Raw LLC, which markets the products as Steve’s Real Food, recall all eight affected lots. As of the advisory, however, the company had formally recalled only three lots. (fda.gov)

The issue unfolded in stages. Go Raw first announced a voluntary recall on February 17, 2026, for one lot of Quest Chicken Recipe Freeze-Dried Nuggets after tests suggested low thiamine. On February 26, the company expanded that recall to include two lots of frozen Quest Chicken Recipe and said it was enacting a stop sale of all Quest products at retail while it investigated formulation specifications, suppliers, and processing procedures. The FDA’s later advisory made clear the agency’s concern had widened beyond those three lots after its own testing found deficiencies across eight products. (fda.gov)

According to the FDA, the agency first became aware of the problem after a veterinary neurologist reported severe thiamine deficiency symptoms in a cat that had eaten one affected lot. Additional illness complaints prompted broader testing. The FDA said all eight tested lots contained thiamine levels far below the AAFCO cat food minimum of 5.6 mg/kg, and some had no detectable thiamine. The products were sold online and distributed nationwide through retail stores, and included both frozen and freeze-dried formulas. The agency also said that although Steve’s Real Food publicly stated it had stopped sales of all Quest Cat Food, it had not provided evidence showing the remaining affected lots had been removed from commerce or that customers had been adequately notified about the risks. (fda.gov)

That gap between a stop-sale announcement and a formal recall is a key part of this story. A stop sale can limit future distribution, but from a veterinary and public health standpoint, the immediate concern is product that may still be in pet parents’ homes or circulating in retail channels. The FDA’s advisory specifically tells consumers to consult a veterinarian before continuing to feed any of the listed lots, and to seek immediate veterinary care if a cat that ate the product is showing signs consistent with deficiency. (fda.gov)

Clinically, the case is a reminder that nutritional deficiencies still matter, even in commercial diets labeled as complete and balanced. The FDA noted that the affected Quest products carried nutritional adequacy statements indicating they were formulated to meet AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, yet testing found some lots at less than 4% of the minimum thiamine level and others at 0%. Early signs can include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, weight loss, and failure to grow, while advanced deficiency may present with cervical ventroflexion, dull mentation, vision changes, ataxia, circling, falling, and seizures. Prompt treatment is typically reversible, but delayed recognition can be fatal. (fda.gov)

Industry coverage has largely echoed the FDA’s concern, underscoring that the affected diets were marketed as complete raw cat foods and that the agency’s testing was triggered by a specialist report plus multiple consumer complaints. Petfood Industry highlighted the disconnect between the products’ adequacy claims and the laboratory findings, while dvm360 emphasized the potential for severe neurologic outcomes if cats remain on deficient diets. I did not find attributable on-record commentary from independent boarded nutritionists or veterinary associations beyond the regulatory and trade reporting now publicly available, so the public record remains driven mainly by FDA statements and the company’s recall notices. (petfoodindustry.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this warning has practical implications in exam rooms, ERs, and client education. Cats with vague GI signs or acute neurologic abnormalities may warrant a more detailed diet history than usual, including brand, lot code, protein, and whether the food is frozen or freeze-dried. It also reinforces the need to counsel pet parents that a label claim of nutritional adequacy does not eliminate the possibility of formulation or manufacturing failure. Clinics may also want front-desk and triage staff aware of the affected Quest line so calls from concerned pet parents can be escalated appropriately. (fda.gov)

What to watch: The next key developments are whether Go Raw formally recalls the remaining FDA-identified lots, whether the company releases more detail on root cause and corrective actions, and whether additional case reports emerge as veterinarians and pet parents connect prior illness to specific Quest products. (fda.gov)