PSA -- Bird flu and cats

[Matata]

Bird flu is very dangerous to cats. Cats infected with H5 bird flu can develop severe illness that may including neurologic signs, respiratory signs or liver disease that can rapidly progress to death.

The Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Washington State lost 20 big cats, half their population, to bird flu over the past few weeks. They don't yet know how it was transmitted, whether from infected raw meat diets or bird poop in the enclosures or ....

This disease has the potential to become epidemic in feral cat populations which means that people who let their cats outside should reconsider doing so until a way is found to treat/prevent the disease. Death can occur as quickly as 24 hrs.

Talk to your vet or search the news about the incidence of infected cats in your area. Those who are thinking about rescuing/adopting a cat should reconsider bringing a rescue into the house if there are already cats in residence. If you know you have feral or outdoor pet cats in your area or on your property and you have indoor cats, be cautious. If there are free-roaming cats coming onto your property and/or you see lots of bird poop, you might consider sterilizing your shoes before entering your home at least until the transmission routes of the virus are identified.

 

[kenny]

@Matata hanks for posting this!

I worry about Bibi getting it.



I also worry about Bibi no longer being welcome since Bibi goes almost everywhere.

At Trader Joes he perches on the rim of the shopping cart.
But now I realize those carts spend a lot of time in the parking lot where wild birds land on them while looking for food.
So Bibi's no longer allowed to touch the carts.

MOSTLY I worry some customer will see Bibi in the stores (which for years have welcomed Bibi (much to the delight of many customers, especially kids) and think because he's a bird he must/might have bird flu virus.
Reminds me of the 1980s when, just because some man is gay he must have that HIV/AIDS.

It only takes one ignorant customer 'kenning' or 'Karening' to management to ruin Bibi's overwhelming & enthusiastic welcome.

 

[Matata]

Bird flu virus contaminated raw cat food kills an indoor house cat in Oregon. I transitioned my cats from a raw diet last year because at their advanced ages, they were no longer tolerating it well. I'm so relieved I did.

Oregon House Cat Died After Eating Pet Food That Tested Positive For Bird Flu

Oregon authorities say a house cat died after eating raw frozen pet food that tested positive for bird flu.

www.huffpost.com

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Bird flu is very dangerous to cats. Cats infected with H5 bird flu can develop severe illness that may including neurologic signs, respiratory signs or liver disease that can rapidly progress to death.

The Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Washington State lost 20 big cats, half their population, to bird flu over the past few weeks. They don't yet know how it was transmitted, whether from infected raw meat diets or bird poop in the enclosures or ....

This disease has the potential to become epidemic in feral cat populations which means that people who let their cats outside should reconsider doing so until a way is found to treat/prevent the disease. Death can occur as quickly as 24 hrs.

Talk to your vet or search the news about the incidence of infected cats in your area. Those who are thinking about rescuing/adopting a cat should reconsider bringing a rescue into the house if there are already cats in residence. If you know you have feral or outdoor pet cats in your area or on your property and you have indoor cats, be cautious. If there are free-roaming cats coming onto your property and/or you see lots of bird poop, you might consider sterilizing your shoes before entering your home at least until the transmission routes of the virus are identified.

I read about the loss of those beautiful big cats. I think they lost some birds too. It really is tragic. Thanks for the helpful advice.

 

[Lookinagain]

I read about the loss of those beautiful big cats. I think they lost some birds too. It really is tragic. Thanks for the helpful advice.

I did too. It is so disturbing and sad.

 

[missy]

Thanks for sharing this @Matata. Very scary. Especially about the contaminated food. It seems every few months there are food recalls for pets (even more so than human food recalls). I am so very sorry to read of the devastating loss of more than half of those beautiful big cats at the Washington Sanctuary

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/25/us/bird-flu-washington-cats-cases/index.html

Cats can get sick with bird flu. Here’s how to protect them​

Don’t let them wander freely in the outdoors, Bailey said, “because you don’t know what they’re getting into. Cats are natural hunters, and one of the animals they love to hunt are birds.”

Avoid touching sick or dead birds yourself. Thoroughly wash your hands after handling poultry or animals.

What are the symptoms of bird flu in cats?
Cats sick with bird flu might experience loss of appetite, lethargy and fever.

If your cat is usually playful and likes to look out the window, but instead has been sleeping all the time or hiding from you, take note, Bailey said. “There’s something wrong,” he said.

They could have reddened or inflamed eyes and discharge from the eyes and nose. They might have difficulty breathing or have tremors or seizures.

If your cat is sick, call your veterinary clinic and keep the cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system.

What pet food was recalled?
Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced a voluntary recall Tuesday of one batch of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. The product was sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, as well as Canada’s British Columbia.

The recalled food has “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026. Consumers should throw it away and contact the place of purchase for a refund.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department

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Pet food recall issued after Oregon house cat dies from eating product that tested positive for bird flu​

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Updated: 8:55 PM EST Dec 26, 2024
Ashley Willians, CNN



A Portland-based pet food company issued a nationwide voluntary recall after a house cat in Oregon died from eating one of its products, which tested positive for bird flu.

Northwest Naturals, owned by Morasch Meats, announced the recall Tuesday for one batch of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after the product tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, also known as H5N1 bird flu, according to a news release.



The batch with the virus was sold across the United States through distributors in Washington, Arizona, Rhode Island, Georgia, Maryland and several other states, according to the release. The products were also distributed in Canada’s British Columbia.

The company is cooperating with the Oregon Department of Agriculture on the voluntary recall, which the we Food and Drug Administration did not issue.

Laboratory testing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Oregon State University confirmed the cat died after consuming raw frozen pet food that tested positive for H5N1 in Washington County, Oregon, according to a news release from the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/rising-bird-flu-infections-human-risk/63238453
Understanding the spread of bird flu from animals to humans
Testing confirmed a genetic match between the infected animal and the virus found in the raw frozen pet food, the department said. The test results prompted the voluntary recall, the Washington State Department of Agriculture announced in a statement on Facebook.

“We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food,” Ryan Scholz, a state veterinarian with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, said in a release.

“This cat was strictly an indoor cat,” Scholz said. “It was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other.”

The recall applies to products with “best if used by” dates between May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026, according to Northwest Naturals.

Northwest Naturals advises people who purchased the recalled product to throw it away immediately and contact the store where they bought it for a full refund.

The Oregon Health Authority and local public health officials are monitoring people who lived with the infected cat for bird flu symptoms, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said.


Where have human cases of bird flu been reported in the US?
No human cases of the bird flu have yet been linked to the incident, the department added.

Cats and dogs can catch bird flu from eating undercooked or raw meat, sick or dead infected birds or drinking unpasteurized milk, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Humans can become infected if exposed to infected animals, but this is rare, the association said.

Last week, a person exposed to sick and dead birds in Louisiana became hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1, marking the first human case of severe illness linked to the virus in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mild symptoms in humans include mild fever, sore throat, headaches, fatigue and muscle or body aches, according to the CDC. More moderate to severe symptoms include high fever, difficulty breathing or altered consciousness.

Sixty-five bird flu cases have been reported in the U.S. since April 2024, the CDC said.

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FYI about avian flu for those who want to learn more:

https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2023/07/qa-avian-influenza-in-cats.pdf

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