What indoor cats testing positive for bird flu could mean for spread

New findings published on Monday, Aug. 19, found that two indoor cats in Colorado tested positive for bird flu. The findings suggest that H5N1 could be more prevalent among the human population than previously thought.

How the cats caught the virus is still unclear. Reported theories range from an infected mouse coming in contact with one of the cats to the felines drinking raw milk or consuming infected meat. Domestic cats have tested positive for the virus in the past, but some lived on dairy farms and lived in states hit hard with the virus.

Pets are also a trickier population for scientists to track because there are no mandatory tests like in livestock in the United States. So far, no dogs have any reported cases to date. However, experts urge pet owners to avoid feeding their dogs and cats raw milk, eggs or meat, and keep an eye on pets that directly handle birds. Scientists say to lookout for symptoms like lethargy or difficulty breathing in pets.

The transmission of the virus through meat is still being determined. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it will begin testing meat of dairy cows brought to slaughter. Only about 10% of meat on the United States market is from dairy cows and the cows are only brought to slaughter after they stop producing milk.

The survey is set to begin in mid-September and will reportedly give scientists a better national outlook on the prevalence of bird flu and determine if the virus can replicate in a lab and what cooking temperature kills or inactivates it.

The USDA also announced new findings into the pasteurization process, confirming that the method inactivates the virus and commercial milk remains safe to drink. Mitigation efforts have been underway with mandatory testing for dairy cow herds crossing state lines implemented earlier this year.

As for the impacts on humans, scientists remain concerned with these latest findings as they study how the virus is transmitted. The discovery of H5N1 in house pets could mean virus-carrying animals or products could already be within the confines of homes.

Meanwhile, the U.S. remains in the midst of farming slump. Straight Arrow News Correspondent Simone Del Rosario spoke with Damian Mason, the host of “The Business of Agriculture” podcast on why the farming slump continues despite the country’s two largest crops having high yields. Check out the interview here.