#18,886
Last January - after a number of reports of domestic cats sickened or dying from raw (H5N1 contaminated) cat food (see here, here and here) - the US FDA Issued New Requirements For Pet Food Manufacturers - APHIS Updates Turkey Surveillance Policies - although it left the corrective steps largely up to the manufacturers (see snippet below).Under the PCAF requirements, animal food businesses must conduct a reanalysis of their food safety plan when the FDA determines it is necessary to respond to new hazards and developments in scientific understanding.
Over the past 9 months we've continue to see reports of pets infected, or dying, from H5N1 contaminated cat food around the country (see here, here, here, and here), including earlier this month in San Francisco (see FDA Issues New Warning On H5N1 Detected In Cat Food).
Despite warnings from veterinarians, and public health officials, of the dangers of feeding pets a raw food diet (see FDA Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet), these products remain on the shelf, and people continue to buy them.
Sadly, today we have another alert from Los Angeles County, which describes the deaths of 2 indoor cats who were fed raw commercial pet food; one of which tested positive for the bovine B3.13 genotype of H5N1.
While they state the FDA is investigating, the brand, and lot number of the suspected source was not provided.
Raw pet food not only endangers the pet, but also potentially those who live in close contact with these pets (see CDC advice for pet owners), or those handling the food.
Some excerpts from yesterday's Los Angeles Animal Health Alert (for veterinarians) follow:
Key Points:
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) aka H5 bird flu, has again been confirmed in a local cat. This is the first reported case in a cat since the cluster (9 confirmed and 10 suspected cases) that were infected via raw milk, raw pet food, and raw meat in December 2024–January 2025.
- Two indoor-only cats from a single household became acutely ill and died after consuming commercially available raw pet food. One cat tested positive for H5N1(clade 2.3.4.4b genotype B3.13). The second cat was not available for testing.
- Investigation into the raw food product consumed by these cats is ongoing with the FDA.
- H5 bird flu continues to circulate in the U.S.
- Always take dietary and exposure histories. Specifically note any feeding of raw pet food, raw milk, raw meat, or food or treats that are freeze dried without cooking first. Ask pet owners about pet access to and predation of wild birds.
- Isolate suspected cases of influenza in pets, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and practice thorough cleaning and disinfection. There may be risk of transmission to other pets through direct transmission or contaminated fomites.
- REPORT suspected cases of H5 bird flu in cats and other animals in Los Angeles County to Veterinary Public Health. Free testing for influenza in a pet may be available. Criteria for free testing can be found below.
Dear Veterinary Colleagues:
Approximately 1-2 weeks after beginning to consume a batch of commercially available raw pet food purchased in Los Angeles County, one cat in a household of two strictly indoor-only cats became acutely ill. This cat had signs of inappetence followed by a rapid decline characterized by neurologic symptoms. The cat died several days after the initial signs of illness. About five days after the first cat became ill, the second cat showed signs of illness including a loss of appetite and fever that progressed to severe neurologic signs before this cat also died. This second cat was sampled for influenza A by PCR testing on swabs of the nares, oropharynx and rectum after its death. The samples were tested by the Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratory and all three were PCR-positive for influenza A. The sample was then confirmed positive for H5N1 avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b genotype B3.13 on September 23, 2025, by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL). This is the genotype currently circulating in dairy cows and poultry in the U.S. The NVSL will also analyze the samples using whole genome sequencing (WGS).
The owner identified the raw food product that was fed to the cats and shared the packaging and lot code information. Investigation into the food is ongoing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
LAC DPH is monitoring household members and veterinary clinic staff who had contact with the sick cats for flu symptoms and offering testing and treatment for persons with clinical signs. No human cases of H5 bird flu have been linked to this case to date, and the risk of virus transmission to people remains low.
Veterinary Public Health extends sincere condolences to the family of these cats. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort by the pet owners who provided information about their household pets, exposures and about the raw products their cats consumed. Reporting unusual occurrences of animal disease is critical to protecting the health of both animals and people in Los Angeles County.
H5 Bird Flu Situation
The H5 bird flu virus continues to cause a severe panzootic. Traditionally it primarily infects poultry and other birds, but it has also been detected in livestock (mainly dairy cattle) and other wild and domestic mammals in the U.S., as well as in at least 74 species of mammals worldwide. It continues to be detected in birds and mammals in multiple regions around the world including in both polar regions. This large range of infected animal species worldwide highlights the potential for the virus to mutate and become more transmissible among animals, including humans. To date there have been 70 confirmed human cases in the U.S. including one death from H5 bird flu.
H5 bird flu is a One Health issue that significantly affects human health, animal health and environmental health. With this strong scientific evidence of the linkage between contaminated raw products and cats developing severe or fatal H5 bird flu infection, veterinarians should strongly advise pet owners to not consume nor feed raw dairy, raw meat, raw poultry, and raw pet food diets to pets.
Cat-to-cat transmission of H5 bird flu has been demonstrated experimentally and may occur in cats that are in close contact. A recently published case of H5 Bird flu in an immunocompromised cat may have been caused by fomites contaminated by another illcat in a veterinary practice.
The risk of cat-to-human or human-to-human spread of H5 bird flu, and the risk to the general public continues to be very low. However, people who come into close contact with animals, especially wild birds and their feces, infected cats, infected poultry, or infected dairy cattle or their milk, have a greater risk of exposure. It is important to take proper precautions, as described below.
While survivable with early and aggressive treatment, H5N1 is a particularly virulent (and often deadly) infection in felines. Dogs are susceptible, but appear to experience less severe (sometimes subclinical) illness.
Spillovers into companion animals are particularly worrisome because of the potential for spreading to other animals, or to humans (see JAVMA: Companion Animals and H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: Cause for Concern?).
Why we are still feeding cats raw food is a mystery to me. But there is probably some truth to the adage that you can only poke the bear so many times before you get mauled.
A few, of many studies on outbreaks in cats include:
Virology: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A H5N1 Virus Infection in an Immunocompromised Domestic Cat
Viruses: The Seroprevalence of Influenza A Virus Infections in Polish Cats During a Feline H5N1 Influenza Outbreak in 2023
CDC MMWR: HPAI H5N1 Virus Infection of Indoor Domestic Cats Within Dairy Industry Worker Households — Michigan, May 2024
Emerg. Microbes & Inf.: Marked Neurotropism and Potential Adaptation of H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4.b Virus in Naturally Infected Domestic Cats
