The Role of the Media

Everyone seems to be talking about bird flu, but the media has done a disservice by sensationalising the issue—particularly around cats contracting H5N1. It’s well known that media outlets often exaggerate events, focus on dramatic or negative angles, and use emotionally charged language to attract attention. This race for viewership can lead to misrepresentation and distortion of facts.

A prime example is a CTV Television Network interview aired in March 2025: “A Colorado family’s house cat was one of 11 cases of avian flu linked to raw chicken pet food but was the only one to survive.”

There is no account from any agency (FDA, USDA, AMVA, or otherwise) of ten cats dying from raw chicken pet food. The brand in question was Savage Cat, based in California. The official recall report from the FDA cites one original case of a cat falling ill and recovering, and a later case of a kitten falling ill—still under investigation. The claim that it was the “sole survivor out of 11” is a fabrication and amounts to public deception.

Then social media got involved and took it a step further. “Influencers” did what they do best—tell others what to do without critical thinking, because in a crisis, many people just want to be told what to do rather than think for themselves.

The reporting appears incredibly biased, particularly from within the veterinary community. If I didn’t know better, I might say that H5N1 in cats is being used as a tool to further attack raw feeding—after previous fear tactics involving salmonella, E. coli, and claims that raw food is not “complete and balanced” failed to halt its growing popularity.

How many cats are hit and killed by cars every day? Do veterinarians sound the alarm? Are we told to stop driving? Are car manufacturers pressured to stop producing vehicles because cars kill cats? No.

According to Indiana University Bloomington, 5.4 million cats are hit by cars every year in the US, and 97% of them die from their injuries. It is the leading cause of death in pet cats, according to Lost Pets Research and Recovery. That’s 5.2 million cats dead each year from cars, yet this barely registers in the media. There are also still over 200 cases of rabies in cats annually in the US—a zoonotic disease fatal to humans—but you don’t see headlines screaming about it. Nor are veterinarians especially critical of or outspoken about cat owners who let their cats roam outdoors.

But one cat dies—possibly—from H5N1 linked to raw food, and six (possibly seven) cats test positive and recover, and suddenly the whole world turns upside down. Within weeks, an estimated 30% of people feeding raw abandon the idea entirely.

This despite the fact that the true vector for most serious risks to cats—including H5N1, salmonella, and other infectious diseases—has always been going outside.

It’s hard not to wonder whether the actual concern around H5N1 in cats is really about the cats themselves. Is it the novelty of the issue? Our evolutionary tendency towards fear bias? Is creating panic among cat owners just a means to an end?

This virus originated in wild birds, spread to domestic poultry, mutated, then returned to wild birds. From there, it moved into dairy cattle and now to cats. The concern is that it might eventually spread from cats to humans—potentially triggering a new pandemic.

Cats are highly susceptible to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Virus H5N1. The virus has a fatality rate of 60–90% and poses a serious risk to feline health. I only wish the reporting were more balanced—stressing the importance of keeping cats indoors and preventing them from hunting birds or entering areas frequented by wild birds.

Now that the highly pathogenic H5N1 form of virus is affecting both domestic poultry and dairy cattle, I fully agree with warning consumers about the risks of feeding these products raw. However, this does not justify blanket generalisations that all raw meat or all raw food is dangerous. H5N1 has not been detected in other livestock species such as sheep, goats, pigs, beef cattle, bison, or wild/farmed deer and elk.

Perhaps lumping all raw meats together is just an attempt to simplify the message?

Confirmed Cases in Domestic Cats from eating Raw Meat

The large majority of H5N1 cases in cats is from cats getting infected from outdoor sources (presumably hunting birds or from the environment shared with wild birds) and drinking raw milk or raw colostrums on dairy farms from cows that had been separated because they were ill with bird flu.

• No companion animals (cats, dogs) HPAI cases have been reported in B.C (as of Jan 2025 |Government of British Columbia website.)

• The Global News reported that Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reported eight confirmed cases of avian influenza (bird flu) in cats in Canada. These cases include detections of the H5N1 strain in Ontario and Alberta, and a single H5N5 case in Prince Edward Island. However, I could not find any official source for this info or how these cats contracted the virus.

There have only been four commercial raw pet food recalls in North America due to H5N1, all involving raw poultry. There has only been one cat fatality from eating raw meat to date. The cat ate a commercially prepared raw poultry product. Four additional fatal cases were wrongly grouped as being from raw meat pet food when they were actually caused from drinking raw milk sold as pet food :

• Northwest Naturals: this Oregon based company’s 2-lb feline turkey recipe product was recalled after a cat died, with the recall affecting consumers across multiple US states and British Columbia. December 2024. (https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/ODA/Posts/Post/morasch-meats-voluntary-recall-feline-raw-pet-food-hpai)

• Monarch Raw Pet Food: This brand, sold at farmers’ markets in California, has been implicated in one cat falling in and 4 others in the same household being exposed to H5N1 from their raw poultry products. December 2024. (http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4923)

• Wild Coast Raw: A voluntary recall was issued for certain lots of this Washington State based company’s boneless free-range chicken formula due to the presence of H5N1 in some products. No cats got sick. March 2025. (https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/voluntary-recall-wild-coast-raw-boneless-free-range-chicken-formula-raw-pet-food-because-possible)

• Savage Cat Food: A recall was issued for the California based company’s chicken cat food products after investigations linked illnesses in one cat that recovered to their food. March 2025. (https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/savage-pet-recalls-savage-cat-food-chicken-large-and-small-boxes-because-possible-bird-flu-health)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been tracking cases of H5N1 in domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State that are associated with eating contaminated food products.”Scientific information is evolving, but at this time it is known that H5N1 can be transmitted to cats and dogs when they eat products from infected poultry or cattle (e.g., unpasteurized milk, uncooked meat, or unpasteurized eggs) that have not undergone a processing step that is capable of inactivating the virus, such as pasteurizing, cooking or canning,” the FDA information stated. “Cats (domestic and large felids) in particular can experience severe illness or death from infection with H5N1. Dogs can also contract H5N1, although they usually exhibit mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats. At present, H5N1 has not been detected in dogs in the United States, but there have been fatal cases in other countries.”

The first reports of US dairy cattle becoming infected with H5N1 emerged in February 2024. Cases of cats falling ill and succumbing from H5N1 in the USA were reported in March 2024 – one month after the virus was first reported in dairy cattle. The affected cats all became ill after consuming the unpasturized milk or colostrums from sick cows. (Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/30/7/24-0508_article | July 2024)

Risk to Cats

Since December 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) had confirmed more than 130 feline cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) type A H5N1 infection across the country, from California to New Jersey. They range from barn and feral cats to pet cats, including those kept strictly indoors (referring to the ONE fatality in Oregon suspected to have been infected from eating raw poultry food, and TWO indoor cats belonging to a dairy farm worker in Michigan where the clothing is suspected to have been the source of infection), to big cats in zoos and the wild (cougars and bobcats have been found infected).(Source: https://www.avma.org/news/feline-avian-influenza-cases-spark-concerns | May 2025)

Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Washington State, a sanctuary for rescued big cats, lost 20 of their residents within a matter of weeks to H5N1. The sanctuary keeps their cats (tigers, cougars, bobcats, servals) in outdoor enclosures in a wooded area. The infection is thought to have come from wild birds, but they did dispose of all food stores as a precautionary measure. The sanctuary continues to feed raw meat to their resident cats. (https://www.facebook.com/WildFelidAdvocacyCenter/)

HPAI A(H5N1) infections in cats have been reported in the United States, Poland, South Korea, and France. These cats demonstrated varying degrees of clinical manifestations, including respiratory and neurological signs, and some had fatal outcomes. Infection is thought to have happened via exposure to infected birds or other animals. In late March and early April 2024, Texas reported detection of HPAI A(H5N1) in several cats from several dairy farms experiencing HPAI A(H5N1) virus infections in dairy cows, suggesting the virus spread to the cats either from affected dairy cows, raw cow milk, or from wild birds associated with those farms.

While it’s unlikely that people would become infected with bird flu viruses through contact with an infected wild, stray, feral, or domestic cat, it is possible—especially if there is prolonged and unprotected exposure to the animal. Sick animals may be able to transmit influenza virus to people in their saliva, feces or droppings, and other body fluids. ”

(Source: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in Cats (Felis catus): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis | May 2025 | DOI:10.3390/ani15101441)

Cornell Feline Health Centre: “While this is theoretically possible, we are not aware of any cases of cat-to-human transmission of H5N1 during the current outbreak. Out of an abundance of caution, though, any cat showing signs of H5N1 infection should not be allowed to lick anyone’s face or interact closely with people until veterinary consultation has been carried out.

We are not aware of any definitive cases of cat-to-cat transmission of H5N1 during the current outbreak. While one reported case may be supportive of cat-to-cat transmission, the possibility of transmission via fomites (objects/materials) could not be ruled out in this case. Out of an abundance of caution, any cat showing signs of H5N1 infection should be isolated from other cats until veterinary consultation has been carried out.”

The Greatest Risk to cats still comes from Birds

“Avian influenza A viruses infect birds’ respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts and have been identified in more than 100 species of wild birds worldwide. Wild aquatic (water) birds, like gulls, terns, and shorebirds, and wild waterfowl, such as ducks, geese, and swans, are natural hosts of avian influenza A viruses. Some wild birds can be infected and show no signs of illness. Songbirds commonly found in backyards in the United States can get infected.”

“Avian influenza A viruses have been found in several common backyard birds including sparrows, pigeons, and crows. Avian influenza A viruses have been detected in some common backyard birds in the United States.” (Source: CDC)

Although most influenza viruses found in birds do not transmit to humans, certain strains such as the currently circulating A(H5N1), can infect susceptible mammals, including humans, thereby posing a potentially significant public health risk . The A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus, which emerged in 2020, has spread globally, resulting in widespread bird fatalities . It was first detected in Canada in December 2021 and has since been found in various mammalian species, likely due to contact with infected wild birds .

Risk to People

To quote the CDC: ” Current Health Risk to the Public is LOW”. ” People rarely get bird flu, but when they do, it is most often after close, unprotected exposure (without wearing respiratory or eye protection) to birds or other animals infected with avian influenza A viruses.”

People most at risk are those with job-or recreational-related exposures to birds or infected animals. This is important to note. The CDC does not specify exposure to meats from the grocery store as a risk. People at risk of exposure are:

Poultry workers and Dairy workers with direct and close contact with animals and their feces and raw milk. Animal health responders that are involved in culling (killing) of diseased poultry or handle sick or dead wild animals. Laboratory workers and food processing workers that handle raw milk and other confirmed potentially contaminated materials. Slaughterhouse workers that handle lactating dairy cattle and any parts of dairy cattle after slaughter. Rendering plant workers. Veterinarians and veterinary staff in close contact with poultry, dairy cattle, or wild animals. Sanctuary workers and wildlife rehabilitators. Backyard bird flock owners and hunters of wild birds and waterfowl.

“There are no studies worldwide where human infection can be conclusively linked to ingestion or consumption of AIV-contaminated food products. In the very few studies that reported human infection, the index case that reported consuming food that may have been contaminated with AIV was also exposed to infected and symptomatic live birds.

AIV was detected in raw poultry meat, eggs, unpasteurized milk, and tissue samples from affected cows indicating that AIV is in raw food sources. Three studies indicate unpasteurized cow milk (n=2), and raw chicken (n=1) contaminated with AIV might potentially transmit infection when consumed by other mammals.

Pasteurization and cooking standards are precautionary measures that effectively inactivate AIV from milk, dairy products, and ground beef patties. Retail samples of pasteurized milk are safe for consumption, with no infectious virus detected in any tested samples.”

Source: Potential for Transmission of Avian Influenza Virus to Humans Associated with Handling, Preparing, and Consuming Contaminated Meat, Organs, Eggs, Milk, and Other Dairy Products from Infected Animals: A Rapid Evidence Synthesis. University of Calgary,| Cumming School of Medicine. There is no date on this synthesis , but studies as recent as September 2024 were included, meaning, that the synthesis is recent.

As of July 11 2025, the diaphragm and kidney from only one US dairy cow tested positive for H5N1 from 630 cull dairy cows tested-which did not enter the human food chain. The virus has so far NEVER been detected in retail samples of beef obtained from stores. (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/testing-and-science/meat-safety)

History:

Avian Influenza or Bird Flu has been known since 1878 and was first described as “fowl plague” in Italy. The two categories of this influenza A virus, Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (LPAI) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), have been known of since the beginning. It is believed that the HPAI form is a mutation after the LPAI is introduced into poultry, and then reintroduced into wild populations in the mutated form. Wild migratory birds, especially water fowl, are the natural reservoir for this influenza A virus, but do not become sick from it, even when they carry the highly pathogenic form (HPAI).

Historically, domestic poultry has been the animal most affected and previous worldwide epizootic outbreaks have occurred. In 2009 the outbreak involved 60 different countries and caused the loss of hundreds of millions of domestic birds. While the low pathogenic (LPAI) virus produces only very mild and often unnoticeable symptoms in domestic poultry, the highly pathogenic (HPAI) form causes near 100% mortality in poultry flocks. The primary concern is the economical impact on the poultry industry and the disruption to the food chain.

(Source: History of highly pathogenic avian influenza | 2009 Apr | PMID: 19618616 |DOI: 10.20506/rst.28.1.1856)

In summary:

Within this latest HPAI H5N1 outbreak, the death of one domestic cat is linked to consuming a raw meat diet. The diet was based on raw poultry meat. Six additional cases, all eating a diet based on raw poultry meat, tested positive for H5N1 but recovered. This is the total of all confirmed cases for all the USA and Canada since December 2024 of cats contracting H5N1 from eating a raw meat diet.

H5N1 is a risk to cats with high mortality. Foods to avoid are wild birds cats may catch outdoors, all raw poultry including day old chicks as well as ostrich and emu, and all raw milk. In case of raw milk, there are no confirmed cases of dairy cattle affected by H5N1 in Canada.

There is no evidence that store-bought beef is contaminated with H5N1. There is no link of H5N1 to other raw meats like lamb, mutton, goat, pork, and venison. This leaves many meat options save to feed raw to cats. Feeder mice, rabbit, and horse are also safe options.

The greatest risk to cats comes from having access to outdoors, predating wild birds, and contact with environments frequented by wild birds that could carry H5N1 and pass the virus in feces or contaminate standing water. Most cats that died from H5N1 were barn cats on farms consuming raw milk from cows sick with H5N1, and free roaming cats.

There are no known cat to human transmissions of H5N11, and no known cat to cat transmissions of H5N1.

The risk to people in the general public of contracting H5N1 is LOW. Raw retail meats continue to be considered safe to handle and prepare. Pasteurized dairy products are safe.

Highest risk to people is working at poultry barns where birds are infected with H5N1 and at dairy barns where dairy cattle are known to be infected. Barn cats at these locations are also at high risk.