Utah-based Go Raw LLC is recalling one lot of its Quest Cat Food as the product may contain low levels of Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, the company said in an announcement published by the Food and Drug Administration on Feb. 17.
The recall is applicable to 10 oz. bags of “Quest Cat Food Chicken Recipe Freeze Dried Nugget” product, with lot code C25288 and a “Best Buy” date of Oct. 15, 2027. The item was distributed via retail outlets in 10 states: Colorado, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, California, Texas, and Illinois.
Cats with a low thiamine diet may, over time, become deficient in this critical vitamin.
“Symptoms of deficiency in an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological. Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, failure to grow, and weight loss,” the announcement said.
“In advanced cases, neurological signs may develop, including ventroflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, mental dullness, vision changes, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures.”
Go Raw advised customers whose cats display any of these symptoms to immediately contact a veterinarian, highlighting that thiamine deficiency is “typically reversible” if treated promptly.
Consumers who have bought the affected product should stop feeding it to their cats and return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
According to the company, it has received one confirmed illness report associated with the recalled product. The cat was treated by a vet and has recovered.
“Product from the affected lot was submitted for testing by the treating veterinarian, and results indicated thiamine (B1) levels below the required amounts for a feline diet,” the announcement said.
“The company conducted additional testing and determined that the lot may not meet thiamine requirements. The company has already implemented corrective actions to prevent this issue from recurring.”
The Epoch Times reached out to Go Raw for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
According to a March 2013 post from the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, thiamine deficiency can develop in cats due to decreased intake of the vitamin, as seen in the Go Raw recall.
Another reason for the deficiency is that cats may increasingly excrete thiamine, according to the center. Thiamine is water-soluble, and excess thiamine is excreted through urine. In cats with kidney disease, the pets may lose more thiamine than is typical.
Cats that are fed with raw fish or shellfish may end up ingesting an enzyme known as thiaminase, which can deplete the natural thiamine in their bodies, the center said.
In addition to diets with low concentrations of thiamine, there are several other risk factors that could cause a cat to become deficient in the vitamin, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
One factor is diet composition. Cats fed a diet with high protein and fat may reduce the body’s requirement for thiamine, according to the study. In contrast, cats given foods that are high in carbohydrates may end up seeing higher thiamine requirements.
Another factor is canned foods.
“Canned food production is a multistep process that involves grinding and mixing of the food, filling and sealing of the cans, and sterilizing the food within the cans,” the study said.
“The sterilization (retort) step is important for destroying common pathogenic bacteria. However, thiamine is a heat-labile vitamin, and losses of > 50% of the thiamine content have been considered to be a result of processing. In addition, some canned diets include alkalinizing gelling agents that can alter the pH and therefore the availability of thiamine.”
Multiple other cat food products have been recalled over the past year due to other reasons.
