California cat euthanized after getting bird flu from raw cat food
A house cat in California was euthanized after becoming seriously ill with bird flu, which health officials say was likely caused by eating contaminated raw cat food, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA said the cat ate RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats sliders, which later tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. San Francisco health officials detected the virus in two specific lots of the food — CCS 25 077 and CCS 25 093 — through genetic sequencing.
The contaminated food was first tested from the same package the sick cat ate from. Additional testing of retail samples also confirmed the presence of the virus. While the FDA hasn’t reported any other animal cases tied to the product, it stated that no human infections have been linked to it.
The affected product comes in frozen 2.5-pound yellow-and-white bags, each containing 40 one-ounce sliders. All packages are marked with the relevant lot numbers.
RAWR has pulled the contaminated lots from circulation, but no official recall has been issued yet. The FDA says its investigation is ongoing.
Bird flu is potentially deadly for domestic cats, birds, and larger wild cats. Dogs can contract the virus but generally experience milder symptoms. The FDA warns that young, elderly, or immunocompromised animals are especially at risk.
Pet owners are urged to contact a veterinarian if their pets show symptoms such as fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, eye or nasal discharge, breathing issues, or neurological signs like tremors, seizures, or blindness.
The FDA also advises anyone handling raw pet food to wash their hands thoroughly and disinfect any surfaces the food comes into contact with.
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