FDA warns more Quest cat food lots may pose thiamine risk

The FDA on March 13, 2026, warned that eight lots of Quest Cat Food marketed by Go Raw LLC, doing business as Steve’s Real Food, contained extremely low or no thiamine, a vitamin essential to feline health. The agency said it had received multiple consumer complaints of severe thiamine deficiency in cats eating certain frozen and freeze-dried Quest products, and that FDA testing confirmed all eight lots it evaluated were deficient. The company had recalled three lots as of the advisory — one freeze-dried chicken lot first recalled on February 17, and two frozen chicken lots added on February 26 — and said it had stopped sale of all Quest products while it investigated. FDA, however, said it had not received evidence that all affected products had been removed from the market or that customers had been adequately notified about the full scope of risk. (fda.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is both a nutrition and case-recognition story. FDA said some cats became symptomatic in as little as one week, with signs ranging from decreased appetite and vomiting to cervical ventroflexion, weakness, ataxia, circling, seizures, and death if untreated. Merck Veterinary Manual notes thiamine deficiency is most common in cats and is typically diagnosed from diet history, clinical signs, and response to supplementation, making diet recall and lot verification especially important in feline neurology and primary care workups right now. (fda.gov)

What to watch: Watch for whether Steve’s Real Food expands its recall beyond the three already recalled lots, and whether FDA signals that all eight tested lots have been fully removed from commerce. (fda.gov)