--- service: "Publicasta" schema_version: "1.0" article_id: 995 title: "The New Darwin’s Cat-Food Advisory Is a Freezer and Household-Safety Problem, Not Just a Brand Question" language: "en" default_language: "en" canonical_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=en" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=en" api_url: "https://publicasta.com/api/public/v1/channels/pet_life/articles/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=en" channel_url: "https://publicasta.com/api/public/v1/channels/pet_life" channel_articles: "https://publicasta.com/api/public/v1/channels/pet_life/articles" search_url: "https://publicasta.com/api/public/v1/search" documentation_url: "https://publicasta.com/api-docs#reading-publicasta" openapi_url: "https://publicasta.com/api-docs/openapi.json" published_at: "2026-10-28T14:38:14+00:00" updated_at: "2026-10-28T14:38:14+00:00" translations: - language: "ar" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=ar" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=ar" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=ar" - language: "de" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=de" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=de" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=de" - language: "en" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=en" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=en" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=en" - language: "es" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=es" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=es" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=es" - language: "fr" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=fr" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=fr" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=fr" - language: "pl" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=pl" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=pl" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=pl" - language: "ru" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=ru" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=ru" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=ru" - language: "zh" html_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety?lang=zh" markdown_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.md?lang=zh" json_url: "https://publicasta.com/pet_life/darwins_cat_food_salmonella_advisory_freezer_household_safety.json?lang=zh" --- # The New Darwin’s Cat-Food Advisory Is a Freezer and Household-Safety Problem, Not Just a Brand Question > The FDA says two frozen lots of Darwin’s Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats tested positive for Salmonella. Here is how to check the lot codes, dispose of the food, clean the household and plan a safe replacement without turning a warning into panic. The FDA has issued a new advisory involving two frozen lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats. Samples from both lots tested positive for Salmonella after a consumer complaint involving two cats that developed gastrointestinal illness; the FDA says one cat was hospitalized and both recovered after they stopped eating the product. The agency has recommended that Arrow Reliance, which does business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, recall the affected lots, but says the company has not initiated an adequate recall as of the advisory. ![Open freezer with frozen cat food, a pet bowl and a securely tied waste bag in a clean kitchen.](https://publicasta.com/storage/projects/39/pages/995/2026/10/57f61f9a-6db3-4fb9-a774-cb64b2b8d1c5.webp) This matters to owners for a practical reason: the food is sold frozen, carries no expiration date, and may still be sitting in a freezer long after the original delivery. The immediate task is not to decide whether raw feeding is good or bad, or to make a sweeping judgment about every product from a brand. It is to identify the exact lots, prevent further exposure, clean the places the food touched and make a sensible feeding plan for the next few days. The affected product is: - Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats - Lot 12731, manufactured July 8, 2026 - Lot 12493, manufactured April 2, 2026 The product was sold through an online subscription service in frozen two-pound packages divided into four smaller units. The lot code is printed on the front of the lower-left unit. The details and instructions can change as an investigation develops, so owners should use the [FDA advisory](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) as the controlling reference for the product information. ## First, check the freezer before feeding another portion A frozen package can be easy to overlook. It may be behind newer deliveries, separated from its original shipping box or divided into individual meal portions. Because the affected food has no expiration date on the label, a quick glance at the front of the package is not enough. Look for the product name, the chicken recipe, and the lot code on the lower-left unit. If the package matches lot 12731 or lot 12493, stop feeding it immediately. Do not thaw it to inspect the contents more closely, taste it, mix it with another food or offer it to another animal. The FDA also says that if the part of the package carrying the lot code is missing or the code cannot be read, the food should be discarded rather than treated as cleared. That instruction can feel unnecessarily cautious when only two lots have been named. It is still the useful choice when traceability is missing. A freezer package without a readable identifier cannot be reliably compared with the advisory. A pet owner who keeps feeding it is making a decision based on uncertainty, not evidence. Put the food in a secure container or securely tied waste bag so that pets, children and wildlife cannot reach it. Do not donate it, give it away or put it out for another household to use. If a retailer or subscription service provides a refund or disposal instruction, keep a photograph of the label and lot code before throwing the food away, if doing so does not require opening or handling a leaking package. The FDA’s wording is important here: freezing and refrigeration do not kill Salmonella. A frozen product is not automatically a sterile product, and refreezing it does not make the concern disappear. The safest approach is to limit handling and move directly to secure disposal. ## The food is only one part of the exposure route Owners often think of a recalled or suspect food as a sealed object that can simply be removed from the kitchen. With raw or frozen pet food, the relevant area can be wider. Food may have touched a preparation surface, a bowl, a scoop, a storage container, a refrigerator shelf, a freezer drawer, the floor or the pet’s bedding. A cat may also carry food residue on its mouth or paws and then spread material to surfaces. The FDA advises cleaning and disinfecting pet supplies and surfaces that the food or pet may have contacted. That includes bowls, utensils, storage containers, food-preparation areas, floors, bedding, toys and the inside of the refrigerator or freezer where the package was stored. The aim is not to sterilize the whole home. It is to identify the food-handling path and clean the points along it. A practical sequence is: 1. Remove the suspect food from the freezer while minimizing contact with the package. 2. Place it in a secure, leak-resistant bag or container and keep it away from people and animals until disposal. 3. Wash hands with soap and water after handling the package and after cleaning. 4. Wash bowls, scoops, utensils, containers and hard surfaces with hot soapy water. 5. Rinse and then use an appropriate disinfecting or sanitizing product according to its label directions. 6. Clean refrigerator or freezer surfaces that may have been contacted by leakage, thawed residue or the package exterior. 7. Wash bedding or fabric items that have visible food residue or were used during feeding. 8. Clean up feces promptly in places where people or other animals could be exposed. Do not combine cleaning chemicals. Follow the label for ventilation, contact time and whether a surface must be rinsed before it is used for food again. The FDA’s general food-recall guidance gives a commonly used household sanitizing example, but product labels and local public-health instructions take priority. If a surface is porous, damaged or impossible to clean safely, ask a veterinarian or public-health professional how to handle it rather than improvising a stronger chemical mixture. A cat does not need to look sick for the household to take hygiene seriously. The [CDC explains](https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/pet-food-safety.html) that pet food and treats can sometimes carry germs that affect people and animals, and that pets can be carriers without obvious illness. The CDC recommends handwashing after handling pet food and does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats. That recommendation is broader than this particular advisory; it is useful context, not proof that every raw product is contaminated. ## What to watch for in the cat Salmonella exposure does not produce the same visible pattern in every animal. The FDA lists possible signs in pets including vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and decreased activity. Some pets may show few signs while still shedding bacteria, which is why a normal-looking cat should not be used as evidence that a suspect food is safe. This article cannot determine whether a particular cat has Salmonella or any other illness. Gastrointestinal signs have many possible causes, and a diagnosis requires a veterinarian’s assessment. The practical threshold is simple: if a cat that ate the food develops vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the stool, fever, marked tiredness, reduced appetite or another sudden change, contact a veterinarian promptly and mention the exact product, lot code and dates on which it was fed. Call ahead before arriving at a clinic if infection from contaminated food is a concern. The clinic may want to change the waiting-room plan or ask you to bring packaging, photographs or a sample of the food. Do not bring a leaking package into a clinic without asking how it should be contained. Seek prompt veterinary advice for a cat that is not eating or drinking, is repeatedly vomiting, has persistent or severe diarrhea, becomes weak or unusually quiet, has trouble breathing, appears painful, collapses or shows any sudden behavior change. These are warning signs that should not be explained away as a normal food transition. Kittens, older cats and cats with other health problems may need particularly careful monitoring, but the owner should not try to estimate risk at home from age alone. People in the household should also take symptoms seriously. The FDA notes that people with possible Salmonella symptoms should contact a healthcare provider. A person who develops diarrhea, fever or abdominal cramps after handling suspect food should mention the possible exposure, especially if the person is very young, older, pregnant, immunocompromised or otherwise medically vulnerable. ## Replacing the food without creating a second problem Once suspect food has been removed, owners face an awkward choice. Cats can be intensely attached to a familiar smell, texture and serving routine, while a sudden change can cause digestive upset or refusal. In an ordinary diet change, a gradual transition is often preferred. In a food-safety advisory, however, the suspect product should not be continued merely to make the transition gradual. Food safety takes precedence over preserving the old ratio. For a healthy cat that has accepted other complete foods before, choose a replacement that is labeled complete and balanced for the cat’s life stage. [Cornell’s feline health guidance](https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feeding-your-cat) explains that the nutritional adequacy statement on a commercial label is the useful starting point when comparing foods. The precise choice may depend on age, body condition, allergies, previous veterinary advice and existing medical needs, so a veterinarian should guide the decision when the cat is on a therapeutic or restricted diet. If the cat has a safe amount of its previous food from a different, clearly identified lot, do not assume that it can be used without checking the advisory details. Keep the lot information separate. If it is not possible to establish whether a package is affected, do not use it while waiting for clarification. For a routine switch, veterinary nutrition guidance commonly recommends moving through increasing proportions of the new diet over roughly seven to ten days, provided the animal is eating and the old food is known to be safe. The [AAHA and AAFP feline life-stage guidelines](https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/2021-aaha-aafp-feline-life-stage-guidelines/) emphasize gradual transition and note that cats may accept food better when changes are introduced carefully. The Animal Medical Center likewise advises monitoring appetite, energy, bowel movements and comfort during a transition. A cat that refuses the replacement should not simply be left without food while the owner waits for it to become hungry enough. Contact a veterinarian for advice, particularly if the cat has gone without eating, has a medical condition or has previously developed problems when food changes. Cats are not small dogs, and an owner should not copy an internet transition plan onto a cat with a special diet. Keeping the feeding setting quiet can help acceptance. Offer meals in the usual calm location, keep other pets from crowding the bowl and avoid changing food, bowl, room and schedule all at once. If the new food is wet, a slight warming may make its aroma more familiar, but do not leave food sitting out for long periods and do not use warming methods that create hot spots. Follow the product’s handling instructions. The goal is not to find a replacement that sounds most like the old product. The goal is a food the cat will eat, that is appropriate for its life stage and circumstances, and that can be handled safely in the household. Marketing language such as “natural,” “premium” or “ancestral” does not establish that a product is complete, balanced or free from contamination. ## Why a single advisory should not become a guessing game about brands A public warning creates two opposite mistakes. Some owners ignore it because their pet looks normal. Others treat it as proof that every product in a category is equally dangerous and make several unplanned changes at once. Neither response is especially useful. The FDA’s notice is specific to a named product and two lot codes. That specificity is what allows an owner to take a concrete action. It does not automatically establish that every Darwin’s product, every chicken recipe, every frozen food or every raw diet has the same contamination status. At the same time, a narrow notice is not a reason to dismiss the risk. A confirmed positive sample is enough to stop using the named lots. The company’s public position and the FDA’s position are not identical. Darwin’s has published a response to the FDA’s broader legal action and says it disputes the agency’s conclusions. That response is relevant context for understanding the ongoing dispute, but it does not replace the FDA’s instruction about the two positive lots. Owners should separate three questions that are often collapsed into one: - What exact food and lots does the current advisory identify? - What does the manufacturer say about its products and its dispute with regulators? - What feeding and hygiene choice is safest for this household and this cat today? The first question is answered by the advisory. The second belongs to the continuing regulatory and legal record. The third may require a veterinarian, especially if the cat has a restricted diet or is already unwell. The same method works for future pet-food notices. Read the primary notice, match every identifying detail, record lot codes before disposal when safe, follow the disposal and cleaning instructions, and contact the veterinarian if the pet is ill. A headline, social-media post or retailer email may alert you, but it may omit a lot code or confuse a voluntary recall with an agency warning. ## A small freezer audit can prevent a repeat scramble This advisory is also a reminder that frozen pet food needs a traceability habit. Keep the original outer label or photograph it before separating portions. Write the delivery date and lot code in a note on the freezer door or in the same app used for grocery receipts. Store each product in a clean, labeled bin so that a new delivery does not bury an older package. Use the oldest clearly identified safe package first, unless the label or a veterinarian’s instructions say otherwise. Avoid transferring food into unmarked bags. If you portion food, keep the original product name and lot information attached to the portions. A household member who did not place the order should still be able to tell what the food is and where it came from. Clean the feeding area on a routine schedule, wash hands after handling food and keep pet-food utensils separate from human-food utensils when practical. If raw food is used despite the CDC’s recommendation against it, the household should at minimum recognize that the handling routine has a different hygiene burden from that of a cooked, complete commercial diet. Children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should not be assigned the riskiest handling tasks. Do not rely on the freezer as a safety system. Do not assume that a subscription delivery is safe because it arrived cold, that a package is safe because the cat has eaten the brand before, or that a familiar-looking product is unaffected because the package lacks an expiration date. Product identity is established by the details in the advisory, especially the lot code. ## The useful response is specific and calm For owners who may have the affected Darwin’s food at home, the immediate checklist is short: - Check the freezer for Natural Selections Chicken Recipe for Cats. - Compare the lot code with 12731 and 12493. - If the code matches, or cannot be read, stop feeding the product. - Securely discard it and do not donate or give it to another animal. - Wash and disinfect bowls, utensils, storage areas, food-preparation surfaces and any other places the food or pet may have contacted. - Wash hands after handling the food, the cat’s feeding area and waste. - Monitor the cat for vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool, fever, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or other sudden changes. - Contact a veterinarian promptly if symptoms appear or if the cat will not eat or drink. - Use the FDA advisory and any later agency update for current lot information. There is no need to turn a product advisory into a diagnosis, a social-media argument or an overnight experiment with several new diets. Identify the food, interrupt exposure, clean the household, preserve useful records and get veterinary guidance when the cat’s health or diet makes the next step uncertain. That is the part owners can control while regulators and the company continue to address the wider food-safety questions.