Salmonella found in Darwin's raw cat food in the US: two cats fell ill and the maker hasn't recalled the batches. What anyone feeding raw needs to know

What was found

On 26 October 2026 the FDA issued an advisory for cat owners. Salmonella was detected in two batches of the frozen raw food Darwin's Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats.

The batches are lot 12731 (made on 8 July 2026) and lot 12493 (made on 2 April 2026). The food is sold frozen in two-pound (roughly 900-gram) white and clear plastic packs with green and black labels. Each pack contains four portions, and the lot number is printed on the front of the lower left portion.

The labels carry no expiry date. That is why the FDA warns that this food may still be sitting in owners' freezers.

How the Salmonella was discovered

It all started with a customer complaint. The FDA then collected and tested samples of the food — and found Salmonella. According to the agency, two cats developed gastrointestinal illness after eating it. One had to be hospitalised after eating food from one of the two batches. Both cats recovered once they stopped being fed the product. The advisory reports no illnesses in people.

Why the maker hasn't recalled the food

The FDA recommended that Arrow Reliance, Inc., which trades as Darwin's Natural Pet Products, recall both batches. But, as the agency writes, at the time of the advisory the company had not started an adequate recall.

So the FDA is addressing owners directly. The food is sold online by subscription, so customers may have had it delivered and put it in the freezer months in advance. The FDA also has a separate, wider investigation into repeated contamination of this manufacturer's raw foods, under both the Darwin's and ZooLogics brands.

What the FDA advises owners

1. Check your freezer before feeding your pet for packs from lots 12731 and 12493.
2. Stop feeding this food and throw it away in a securely closed container that wildlife and other animals can't get into. Don't donate it to shelters.
3. If you can't find or read the lot number, throw the food away as well.
4. Wash and disinfect everything that may have touched the food or your pet: bowls, storage containers, surfaces where food was prepared, beds, toys, floors, the fridge and the freezer.
5. Pick up after your pet in the garden and the park, and wash your hands after handling the food and cleaning up.

Why Salmonella is dangerous to cats

In cats and dogs, salmonellosis causes vomiting, diarrhoea (sometimes with blood), fever, loss of appetite and lethargy. But some animals show no signs at all — and that is the biggest danger. An infected pet can look perfectly healthy while shedding bacteria in their faeces and saliva and infecting people in the household.

Kittens, older cats and animals with weakened immunity are especially vulnerable. In them salmonellosis can be severe, with dehydration and blood poisoning.

Why Salmonella is dangerous to people

In people, Salmonella causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. You can catch it not only from a sick animal but simply by defrosting and portioning the food: the bacteria stay on hands, chopping boards and bowls. Young children, older people, pregnant women and people with weakened immunity are hit hardest. If you develop these symptoms after handling the food, see a doctor and mention the pet food.

Why freezing doesn't help

Many owners believe freezing makes raw meat safe. The FDA is clear that neither freezing nor refrigeration kills Salmonella. The bacteria survive for months in the freezer and start multiplying again once the food thaws. Only thorough cooking kills them — and raw food, by definition, isn't cooked.

Raw feeding: why vets are cautious

Feeding raw meat — BARF and ready-made frozen diets — is popular in both the US and Europe. Supporters see it as more natural. But veterinary organisations warn about the risks: raw meat can carry Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and Campylobacter, and in recent years in the US also bird flu virus, which has killed cats. This risk concerns not only the pet but everyone living with them.

If you do feed raw, it's best to make that decision together with your vet and to be strict about hygiene. It's also worth knowing that Salmonella can live in a pet's gut for weeks after raw feeding, even once the food has been changed, so take care when cleaning up after them for some time afterwards.

What this means for Europe

Darwin's food is sold online by subscription in the US, so owners in the UK and Europe are unlikely to come across it. But the problem itself is very familiar here too. Raw pet food in the EU, as in the UK, is covered by the rules on animal by-products: manufacturers must test their products for Salmonella, and none may be found in the samples. When bacteria are found in a batch in the EU, the country reports it through RASFF, the rapid alert system for unsafe food and feed, and the food is recalled. Alerts about raw dog and cat food appear in the system regularly.

So the conclusion for owners here is the same as the FDA's: even food that has been checked is not sterile. Keep an eye on recall notices — they are published by the food and veterinary authorities, in the UK by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), in Germany by the BVL, in France by ANSES and the Ministry of Agriculture, in Czechia by the SVS, in Sweden by Livsmedelsverket and in Finland by Ruokavirasto.

Why raw chicken is a common source

Salmonella lives naturally in the gut of poultry, and the bacteria easily get onto the meat during processing. That's why raw chicken in the shops is sold with a warning to cook it thoroughly. For people that goes without saying, but cat or dog food made from raw chicken is, by definition, not cooked. So control at the factory is the only barrier between the bacteria and your pet's bowl. If it fails, as in the Darwin's case, the bacteria end up straight in the owner's kitchen.

There are ways to lower the risk without heat. Some manufacturers treat raw food with high pressure: this kills most of the bacteria without cooking the meat. But even this food isn't sterile, and freeze-dried raw treats are still raw, even though they look dry.

How to choose a safer option

• Complete commercial foods — dry and wet — are heat-treated and much safer where bacteria are concerned.
• Lightly cooked diets are a compromise for those who want "natural" feeding without raw meat.
• High-pressure-treated raw foods lower the risk but don't remove it completely.
• Home-made diets are best put together with a veterinary nutritionist; otherwise it's easy to get calcium, vitamins and fats wrong.

How to handle raw food safely

• Defrost in the fridge, in a closed container on the bottom shelf, not on the worktop.
• Use separate boards, knives and bowls only for your pet's food.
• Wash your hands with soap before and after handling the food.
• Remove leftovers 20–30 minutes after feeding — don't leave raw food in the bowl all day.
• Wash bowls in hot water after every meal.
• Don't let your pet lick faces, especially children's and older people's in the household.
• Consider a different diet if there are young children, pregnant women or people with weakened immunity in your home.

How to report a problem with pet food

In the US, pet food problems are reported through a government safety portal. In the UK, you can contact the manufacturer, the shop and your local authority's trading standards or environmental health team. Keep the packaging with the lot number and the receipt — they help the authorities find the source. If your pet has fallen ill, ask your vet to note in the records what they were eating and, if possible, to run a test: a confirmed case is the strongest argument for checking a manufacturer.

When to see a vet

If your cat or dog has vomiting, diarrhoea (especially with blood), a fever, lethargy or refuses food after eating raw food, see your vet and be sure to tell them what your pet has been eating. Don't give anti-diarrhoea medicines unless your vet prescribes them. If there are no signs but your pet has eaten food from a suspect batch, phone your vet and ask whether they need checking.