For the verified raw cat food recalls here, the core instruction is the same for kittens and adult cats: stop feeding the affected lot. What changes is the urgency, because kittens may become seriously ill more easily and can show growth-related warning signs. The hazard also matters. A nutrient deficiency calls for different monitoring than Salmonella or H5N1 contamination, but age does not make a recalled lot safe.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from FDA — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the official notice from FDA — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- What should every cat owner do first?
- Why are kittens treated as more urgent?
- Which warning signs depend on the hazard?
- How should the household handle recalled food?
What should every cat owner do first?
Check the product name and lot number against the notice. If they match, stop using the food even if the cat appears healthy and even if the manufacturer's original recall covered fewer lots than a later FDA advisory.
In the 2026 Quest Cat Food action, FDA testing found extremely low or no thiamine in all eight tested frozen or freeze-dried lots. The agency advised owners of any cat that ate an affected lot to stop feeding it and consult a veterinarian, with no separate procedure for kittens in its March 13 advisory.
Why are kittens treated as more urgent?
kittens are growing, so inadequate nutrition can affect more than appetite or energy. In the Quest recall notice, Go Raw listed failure to grow and weight loss among early signs of thiamine deficiency in its FDA-posted recall expansion. An adult cat may instead first show decreased appetite, vomiting, weakness, or neurologic changes.
Severe thiamine deficiency can progress to seizures and death in cats of any age. Young age also raises concern when the problem is a pathogen. FDA says Salmonella can cause illness or death, especially in animals that are very young, very old, or immunocompromised. That makes prompt veterinary contact especially important for kittens, but it does not change the stop-feeding instruction.
Which warning signs depend on the hazard?
with low thiamine, watch for poor appetite, vomiting, weight loss, weakness, failure to grow, or seizures. Early treatment and a diet change typically resolve symptoms, so waiting for advanced neurologic signs can surrender the advantage of early care. Pathogen-related recalls may look different.
In a 2022 Darwin's case, three kittens that ate Salmonella-positive raw-food lots developed diarrhea; a fourth kitten that did not eat the food stayed well according to the FDA warning. FDA has also documented H5N1 in two RAWR raw cat food lots and genetically linked one lot to a cat's illness and euthanasia. Use the recall's named hazard to guide what you report to the veterinarian:.
- Low thiamine: appetite, vomiting, weight, growth, weakness, or seizures
- Salmonella: diarrhea or other illness after eating the identified lot
- H5N1: any illness after exposure, with particular urgency for very young animals
How should the household handle recalled food?
Do not feed, sell, or donate a contaminated lot. Keep other pets away from it, and follow the notice's disposal or return directions rather than passing the risk to another household.
Raw-food recalls can also require cleanup because pathogens may affect animals and people. FDA-posted instructions for recalled Viva Raw lots called for washing and sanitizing food bowls, cups, storage containers, and hands after handling the products.
- Separate the affected food from usable pet food.
- Prevent cats from licking packaging, spills, bowls, or containers.
- Wash and sanitize every surface or item that contacted the food.
- Wash your hands after handling the product or cleaning the feeding area.