FDA finds Salmonella in 2 lots of Darwin’s raw cat food after cat is hospitalized

The FDA is warning pet owners not to feed 2 lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats after samples tested by the FDA were found positive with Salmonella.¹ The raw frozen food is made by Arrow Reliance Inc, which does business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products.

The FDA tested the food after a consumer reported that 2 cats developed gastrointestinal illness after eating it. One cat, which ate from 1 of the affected lots, was hospitalized. Both cats recovered after they stopped eating the food, according to the advisory, issued October 26.¹

The agency said it recommended that Arrow Reliance recall both lots. “To date, the firm has not initiated an adequate recall of the affected products,” the FDA wrote.¹

The affected lots are¹:

• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats (lot 12731; manufacturing date: July 8, 2026)
• Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats (lot 12493; manufacturing date: April 2, 2026)

The food is sold frozen through an online subscription service in 2-lb white and clear plastic packages with green and black labels. Each package is divided into 4 units, and lot codes are printed on the front of the lower-left unit. Because the products have no expiration date, they may still be in clients’ freezers, the FDA said.¹

Owners with affected food should stop feeding it and throw it away in a secure container that other animals, including wildlife, cannot reach. The FDA also advises against donating it. Food with a missing or unreadable lot code should be thrown out. Bowls, storage containers, utensils, prep surfaces, bedding, toys, floors, and refrigerators or freezers that touched the food or the pet should be cleaned and disinfected, and pet feces should be picked up promptly. Neither freezing nor refrigeration kills Salmonella.¹

Signs of Salmonella infection in pets can include vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, fever, loss of appetite, and decreased activity, though infected animals may show no signs. Pets can carry the bacteria and shed them in their feces and saliva, exposing people and other animals in the household.¹ The FDA asks veterinarians and owners to report suspected cases through its Safety Reporting Portal.

The advisory comes 11 weeks after the US Department of Justice filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to permanently bar Arrow Reliance and its owner, Gary T. Tashjian, from making and selling adulterated pet food. The complaint alleges that FDA investigators found Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli in Darwin’s products sampled between 2017 and 2025.²

Darwin’s disputes the allegations. In a statement posted to its website October 13, Tashjian called the FDA’s zero-tolerance policy for Salmonella in raw pet food “an arbitrary standard” with no basis in science or law. The company says it notifies affected customers directly instead of issuing public recalls.³

The October advisory is at least the eighth the FDA has issued about Darwin’s products since 2018.⁴

References

1. FDA advisory: do not feed two lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products chicken recipe cat food due to Salmonella. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. October 26, 2026. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-advisory-do-not-feed-two-lots-darwins-natural-pet-products-chicken-recipe-cat-food-due
2. McCafferty C. DOJ sues Washington pet food manufacturer over safety violations. dvm360. August 11, 2026. Updated August 13, 2026. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/doj-sues-washington-pet-food-manufacturer-over-safety-violations
3. Darwin’s Natural Pet Foods responds to the 2026 FDA legal action. Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. October 13, 2026. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://www.darwinspet.com/blogs/resources/darwins-fda-lawsuit-response?srsltid=AU7gw4UInc3fP6r3l26VOXzjD_Q7p8Yvh94qnJkx5Zy6r1QtR5wSqpj2
4. Outbreaks and advisories. US Food and Drug Administration. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/outbreaks-and-advisories