At least two domestic indoor cats in Washington state have tested positive for avian influenza, or bird flu, after eating commercially available raw pet food, the state’s Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday.
One of the cats was euthanized, and the other is being treated by a veterinarian. The cats are from King and Snohomish County, and more cats are being tested.
The pet owners reported feeding their cats food from Wild Coast Raw pet food. The brand was connected earlier this month to severe illnesses in several housecats in Oregon that were euthanized after getting sick. The cats and the food in the Oregon cases tested positive for H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Certain lots of Wild Coast’s Boneless Free Range Chicken are now under a voluntary recall, and the Olympia-based company reported that it has switched to fully cooked poultry recipes.
Bird flu symptoms in cats include lethargy, low appetite, fever, hypothermia, progression of illness to pneumonia, progression of illness to neurologic abnormalities and upper respiratory infection. Cat owners who observe these symptoms should isolate their animals and call their veterinarians, informing them of symptoms so they can reduce the risk of transmission.
The currently circulating strain of HPAI is considered low-risk to the public, but there is greater risk for those who handle contaminated raw pet food products or who care for infected animals, the WSDA said in its press release. Currently, the WSDA does not recommend feeding raw pet food or raw milk to animals.
While rare, people can get sick with bird flu, killing one person in Louisiana earlier this year. Bird flu can also spread to cattle, which has prompted testing and precautions around milk and dairy herds.
