Bird flu spreads to cats through raw pet food, according to New York health officials

NEW YORK — The New York City Health Department has released some advice for pet owners following the infection of two cats from separate homes with avian flu.

One of the cats that contracted avian flu was an 8-month-old kitten in the Upper West Side that had eaten raw chicken from Savage Cat, a producer of raw pet food.

A veterinarian said the kitten had to be euthanized.

“We took swabs and sent them to Cornell, we hospitalized the kitten, provided all necessary care, including round-the-clock oxygen, but the condition continued to worsen, and unfortunately, we had to euthanize the kitten the day after receiving confirmation of the flu,” the veterinarian stated.

The Health Department says pet owners should avoid feeding their furry loved ones raw food or milk. If a pet has consumed raw foods and begins showing signs of illness, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

Cats should be kept indoors, according to the department. And when walking dogs, it is best to avoid dead or sick animals.

Additional information on mitigating the spread of the bird flu can be found here.

Meanwhile, Savage Cat issued a warning to their clients in February after a cat in Colorado had gotten sick with H5N1.

The company was notified of the sick cat at the end of January. That cat has since then recovered.

Savage Cat notified their clients regarding correlations between its raw cat food and the bird flu. Preliminary testing of the raw cat food was tested and returned “not negative.”

Further isolation testing is required and officials are still awaiting those results. The company said they are working with the FDA and gathering information.

Health experts are advising New Yorkers not to feed pets raw food or raw milk. They also are providing pet owners to prevent their cats from roaming outside where they could come into contact with wild birds or other animals.

Some signs to watch out for in cats include cloudy or runny eyes, coughing, sneezing or difficulty breathing.

The current risk to New Yorkers of bird flu remains low.

“Bird flu viruses present a wider risk to the general public only if the virus develops the ability to transmit between people – which we have not seen,” Acting Commissioner of the New York City Health Department Dr. Michelle Morse said.