FDA Warning: Certain Lots Steve’s Real Food Quest Cat Food Pose Serious Health Risks

On March 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory 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 (vitamin B1), a nutrient essential to feline health.

According to the FDA, its testing was initiated after the agency received a report from a veterinary neurologist who described severe thiamine deficiency symptoms in a cat that had consumed one of the affected lots. Additional consumer complaints of cat illnesses linked to Quest Cat Food prompted further testing. All eight lots tested by the FDA contained thiamine levels well below the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) minimum of 5.6 mg per kg of food on a dry matter basis.

The FDA recommended that Go Raw LLC doing business as (dba) Steve’s Real Food recall eight product lots. As of the advisory’s release, the firm has only recalled three lots. Although Steve’s Real Food has publicly stated it is stopping the sale of all Quest Cat Food until the thiamine deficiency issue has been addressed, the firm has not provided evidence to show the FDA that the remaining product lots have been removed from the marketplace and customers have been adequately notified about which products may be affected and the risks the products pose.

Quest Cat Food is a line marketed by Go Raw LLC dba Steve’s Real Food. Quest Cat Food is sold online and distributed nationwide through retail stores.

The affected freeze-dried cat food products are sold in 10-ounce beige zip-top bags. Chicken products have purple labeling, pork products have orange labeling, white fish products have blue labeling, and beef products have pink labeling.

The affected frozen cat food products are sold in 2-pound beige zip-top bags, and the chicken products have purple labeling.

The product date codes are printed on the front of the bag. If you no longer have the package or cannot read the lot code, exercise caution and assume the product may not contain adequate levels of thiamine.

The FDA tested the products listed in the table below to assess thiamine levels. Steve’s Real Food has recalled the first three products.

Thiamine Levels in Steve’s Real Food Products Tested by FDA

Note: The minimum thiamine level identified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Cat Food Nutrient Profile (the standard commonly used in the pet food industry) is 5.6 mg/kg. All tested products fell far below this standard.