Oregon health officials are warning cat owners to throw out a brand of frozen pet food. This comes after the food tested positive for bird flu and a house cat died after eating the product.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) said it’s “confident” the infected feline died of bird flu after consuming Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food.
Health officials say the deceased cat “strictly” stayed inside and wasn’t exposed to the virus in any other setting, noting that the virus detected in the pet food and the cat “were exact matches.”
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In response, Northwest Naturals recalled its 2-pound turkey recipe raw and frozen pet food on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
Veterinarians say H5N1 is particularly deadly for cats, especially big cats.
Earlier this week, it was reported that at least 20 exotic cats died from bird flu at a Washington state animal sanctuary, including tigers, bobcats and mountain lions.
The sanctuary has since closed to the public as a result of the virus with plans to reopen next year.
The cause of the outbreak at the sanctuary is still unknown.
However, wildlife officials at the sanctuary say that the virus can infect large cats who eat birds with the virus or other contaminated products. Furthermore, they say that cats’ symptoms can start off subtle but progress rapidly, which may lead to “death within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like conditions.”
Meanwhile, in California, officials are investigating the deaths of four house cats after they recalled raw milk.
The Golden State has also declared a state of emergency over the spread of H5N1 with reportedly the highest number of infected cattle herds and human cases nationwide.
Still, U.S. health officials say the risk to humans remains low but urge individuals working with farm animals to wear protective equipment.
