The death of an Oregon house cat and a pet food recall are raising questions about the ongoing outbreak of bird flu and how people can protect their pets.
Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced a voluntary recall of one batch of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. Noble Beast does not carry frozen raw for cats in this brand, but if you have purchased it from somewhere else you should throw it away and contact the place of purchase for a refund. There is no recall on freeze-dried raw products from this brand.
More Information from Northwest Naturals
Bird flu has been spreading for years in wild birds, chickens, turkeys and many other animals. It was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle in March. The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly mild illnesses in people in the U.S., and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. When the virus is found, every bird on a farm is killed to limit the spread of the disease.
Are pets in danger of getting bird flu?
Though cases of infection are rare, cats seem especially susceptible to the bird flu virus, or Type A H5N1. Even before the cattle outbreak, there were feline cases linked to wild birds or poultry. Since March, dozens of cats have caught the virus. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild.
There are also cases of dogs getting the virus. While pets can develop respiratory symptoms, the infection can also manifest as a neurological illness, seeming to mimic rabies.
What This Means for Our Customers
You may start seeing shortages or delays as pet food companies are conducting additional tests or requiring their suppliers to conduct additional tests. There also could be less meat available moving forward as flocks are destroyed to prevent the virus from spreading.
Additionally, customers who feed raw should understand that raw milk and raw meat products can be a vector for carrying this virus and additional research and scrutiny should be carried out by owners who feed raw. We are working on getting information from our brands on what they are doing to assure their food is safe.
Pet food safety advocate Susan Thixton had some interesting things to say about the testing process in her Truth About Pet Food newsletter.
How else can I protect my cat from bird flu?
Keep your cats away from wild birds, livestock, rodents and poultry. If you have outdoor, feral or barn cats, understand the risks and look for symptoms:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Low appetite
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Discharge from the eyes and nose
- Difficulty breathing
- Neurologic signs, like tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness
Avoid touching sick or dead birds yourself. Thoroughly wash your hands after handling poultry or having any exposure to bird droppings.
This is a situation that will be evolving so we will work to keep our customers informed moving forward.
Sources: Associated Press, National Public Radio, American Veterinary Medical Association