FDA warns more Quest cat food lots may pose thiamine risk

The FDA has escalated concerns around Steve’s Real Food’s Quest cat diets, warning that eight tested lots of frozen and freeze-dried products contained extremely low or no thiamine, even though only three lots had been formally recalled as of March 13, 2026. The agency said it issued the public advisory because it had received multiple complaints of severe thiamine deficiency in cats and believed pet parents and veterinarians needed broader notice than the company’s recall actions had provided. (fda.gov)

The situation unfolded in stages. Go Raw LLC first announced a voluntary recall on February 17, 2026, for one lot of Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Freeze Dried Nuggets, lot C25288, after identifying potentially low thiamine levels and receiving one confirmed illness report in a cat that later recovered. On February 26, the company expanded that recall to include two lots of frozen chicken diet and announced a stop sale of all Quest products while it investigated the issue. (fda.gov)

FDA’s March 13 advisory went further. The agency said it first learned of the problem from a veterinary neurologist who reported severe thiamine deficiency symptoms in a cat eating one of the affected products. After that initial finding, FDA tested additional Quest lots and said all eight lots it examined had extremely low or no thiamine. FDA also said it recommended that Go Raw recall all eight lots, but that the company had recalled only three by the date of the advisory. (fda.gov)

That gap between the FDA advisory and the company’s recall footprint is the key regulatory detail. In its public notice, FDA said Steve’s Real Food had stated publicly that it was stopping sale of all Quest Cat Food until the issue was addressed, but the agency had not received evidence showing the remaining affected lots had been removed from the marketplace or that customers had been adequately notified about which products were at risk. In other words, the company’s market-withdrawal messaging did not satisfy FDA’s concern about targeted recall communication for all tested lots. (fda.gov)

The clinical stakes are clear. FDA said early signs may include decreased appetite and vomiting, while more advanced deficiency can present with cervical ventroflexion, weakness, wobbly gait, falling, circling, and seizures. Merck Veterinary Manual similarly describes thiamine deficiency as most common in cats and notes diagnosis often depends on clinical presentation, diet history, and response to thiamine treatment. AAFCO guidance also warns that processing and ingredients can destroy substantial amounts of thiamine, which is why formulation margins matter in feline diets labeled complete and balanced. (fda.gov)

Industry coverage has largely echoed the FDA’s concern, but it adds useful distribution context. Early recall reporting in PetfoodIndustry noted the first recalled freeze-dried lot had been distributed through retail stores in 10 states, while the later expansion covered frozen products distributed more broadly nationwide through retail channels. That wider footprint raises the odds that general practitioners, emergency clinicians, neurologists, and nutrition-focused teams may encounter exposed cats even outside the raw-feeding niche. (petfoodindustry.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this is a reminder that nutritional deficiency should stay on the differential list when cats present with acute gastrointestinal signs plus vestibular or neurologic changes, especially if they are eating raw, frozen, or freeze-dried diets marketed as complete. It also underscores a practical workflow issue: because FDA says more lots were implicated than formally recalled, clinics may need to ask for exact product type, lot code, and best-by date rather than relying on a pet parent’s assumption that “the recalled one” was the only risky product. Early recognition matters, since FDA says cats can become symptomatic within a week in some cases, and prompt treatment is typically associated with recovery. (fda.gov)

What to watch: The next inflection point will be whether Go Raw expands the recall to all eight FDA-tested lots, publishes clearer lot-level consumer notification, or provides a reformulation and validation plan for Quest products before any return to market. Until then, veterinarians should expect continued questions from pet parents, and possibly additional case reports, tied to both recalled and FDA-flagged products. (fda.gov)