Barn cats staggering in circles on Texas dairies turned out to be a warning

In 2024, barn cats on Texas dairy farms began staggering in circles, a strange sight that turned out to be an early warning sign of deeper problems in the U.S. food system. According to author Eric Schlosser, the episode revealed a system even more consolidated—and more dangerous—than when his book Fast Food Nation was first published 25 years ago.

In an essay adapted from the book’s 25th anniversary edition, Schlosser recounts how veterinarian Barb Petersen traced the cats’ neurological symptoms to raw milk from cows infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza. The discovery made clear that bird flu had entered dairy herds and was making its way into milk supplies.

Schlosser argues that the most basic safeguards—widespread testing of cows and milk, quarantines, worker screening, and financial support for farmers—were never fully implemented. He attributes that failure to fragmented federal oversight, resistance from industry, and Texas officials minimizing the risks. Since then, bird flu has continued spreading through U.S. dairy and poultry operations, with small clusters of human infections among farmworkers and growing concern that the virus could mutate into a more contagious or deadly strain.

For Schlosser, the incident illustrates the “true cost” of industrialized food production. Mega-dairies, factory farms, and highly consolidated supply chains, he argues, create ideal conditions for disease and leave the system fragile when disruptions occur.

He points to other recent examples: E. coli outbreaks linked to mass-produced sandwiches, the 2022 infant formula shortage caused by contamination at a single Abbott plant that produced about one-fifth of the nation’s supply, and the dominance of a few multinational corporations over seeds, pesticides, meat, dairy, and even the genetics of egg-laying hens.

Schlosser also cites “true-cost accounting” research suggesting that while Americans spend about $1.1 trillion a year on food, the real cost rises to $3.3 trillion once health, environmental, and social impacts are included. His proposed solutions include changing incentives so corporations pay for the damage they cause, strengthening oversight, and rethinking how food is produced and consumed.

“Changing this system won’t be easy, and it may take years,” Schlosser writes. “But it’s been done before. Child labor was once routine in U.S. factories, until it was banned. The alternative to change will be far worse—so it must be done.”

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